[Synthesis of human insulin. III. Preparation of the A(14-21) - B(17-30) fragment (author's transl)]

Chemical synthesis of peptides within the insulin superfamily

The synthesis of insulin has inspired fundamental advances in the art of peptide science while simultaneously revealing the structure-function relationship of this centrally important metabolic hormone. This review highlights milestones in the chemical synthesis of insulin that can be divided into two separate approaches: (i) disulfide bond formation driven by protein folding and (ii) chemical reactivity-directed sequential disulfide bond formation. Common to the two approaches are the persistent challenges presented by the hydrophobic nature of the individual A-chain and B-chain and the need for selective disulfide formation under mildly oxidative conditions. The extension and elaboration of these synthetic approaches have been ongoing within the broader insulin superfamily. These structurally similar peptides include the insulin-like growth factors and also the related peptides such as relaxin that signal through G-protein-coupled receptors. After a half-century of advances in insulin chemistry, we have reached a point where synthesis is no longer limiting structural and biological investigation within this family of peptide hormones. The future will increasingly focus on the refinement of structure to meet medicinal purposes that have long been pursued, such as the development of a glucose-sensitive insulin. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Insulin structure and function

Throughout much of the last century insulin served a central role in the advancement of peptide chemistry, pharmacology, cell signaling and structural biology. These discoveries have provided a steadily improved quantity and quality of life for those afflicted with diabetes. The collective work serves as a foundation for the development of insulin analogs and mimetics capable of providing more tailored therapy. Advancements in patient care have been paced by breakthroughs in core technologies, such as semisynthesis, high performance chromatography, rDNA-biosynthesis and formulation sciences. How the structural and conformational dynamics of this endocrine hormone elicit its biological response remains a vigorous area of study. Numerous insulin analogs have served to coordinate structural biology and biochemical signaling to provide a first level understanding of insulin action. The introduction of broad chemical diversity to the study of insulin has been limited by the inefficiency in total chemical synthesis, and the inherent limitations in rDNA-biosynthesis and semisynthetic approaches. The goals of continued investigation remain the delivery of insulin therapy where glycemic control is more precise and hypoglycemic liability is minimized. Additional objectives for medicinal chemists are the identification of superagonists and insulins more suitable for non-injectable delivery. The historical advancements in the synthesis of insulin analogs by multiple methods is reviewed with the specific structural elements of critical importance being highlighted. The functional refinement of this hormone as directed to improved patient care with insulin analogs of more precise pharmacology is reported.

Preparation and properties of N alpha-Bpoc-amino acid pentafluorophenyl esters

The preparation and properties are reported of several N alpha-Bpoc -amino acid pentafluorophenyl esters, including those bearing tert-butyl-, allyl- and trityl-based protecting groups. These derivatives have been used in the solid-phase peptide synthesis of several short peptides.

Protection of asparagine and glutamine during N alpha-Bpoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis

In this paper we describe the synthesis and properties of Bpoc-Asn(Trt)-OH, Bpoc-Asn(Trt)-OPfp, Bpoc-Gln(Trt)-OH and Bpoc-Gln(Trt)-OPfp. These derivatives are highly soluble in CH2Cl2 and can be coupled efficiently in solid-phase peptide synthesis. The peptides, acetyl-Ala-Phe-Asn(Trt)-Gly-Leu-Ala-O-Dbf-SH and Boc-Cys(Acm)-Ala-Phe-Gln(Trt)-Gly-Leu-Ala-O-Dbf-SH (where O-Dbf-SH is the peptide ester of 4-mercapto-6-hydroxydibenzofuran) were synthesized by stepwise solid-phase peptide synthesis using N alpha-Bpoc amino acids. We have observed that less than 0.1% of the trityl group is removed from the carboxamide of Gln and Asn during a standard 15 min N alpha-Bpoc deprotection in 0.5% TFA in CH2Cl2.

Synthesis and acid ionization constants of cyclic cystine peptides H-Cys-(Gly)n-Cys-OH (n = 0-4)

Cyclic peptide disulfides of the general formula H-Cys-(Gly)n-Cys-OH (n = 0-4) were synthesized from the corresponding peptide derivatives [Boc-Cys(Trt)(Gly)-n-Cys(Trt)-OBut] by oxidation with iodine in methanol and by subsequent removal of the terminal groups with trifluoroacetic acid. Acid ionization constants of the obtained peptides were determined by potentiometric titration in aqueous KCl (0.1 mol/L) medium. All compounds have two dissociable hydrogens, corresponding to carboxyl (pK1 = 2.35-2.84) and to terminal amino group (pK2 = 5.61-6.93); pK1 values show first an upward and then a downward trend with the increase in ring size; the opposite is true for pK2 values. These trends could be tentatively attributed to the intramolecular salt bridge (-COO- ----NH+3-) formation.

Use of carboethoxysulfenyl chloride for disulfide bond formation

The use of carboethoxysulfenyl chloride for disulfide bond formation and concomitant cyclization of five peptides was investigated. Even though cyclic peptides were obtained very rapidly and in good yields when cyclization was performed in aqueous media at different pHs (4 to 7), the final crude peptides were found to contain closely related impurities which, in the case of somatostatin and pressinoic acid, were not generated by air oxidation. This observation may limit the use of carboethoxysulfenyl chloride to those cases where other methods of disulfide bond formation prove inadequate.

Synthesis and biological activity of seventeen analogues of human insulin

We synthesized seventeen analogues of human insulin, applying the principle of stepwise, selective formation of the disulphide bonds. Most of these analogues only differ from human insulin in the replacement of a single amino acid in positions 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 of the A chain and 5, 7, 13 and 16 of the B-chain. The influence of these modifications on the physicochemical properties of the analogues is discussed. Eight analogues could be crystallized. All the analogues produce the same biological effects as insulin, but differ markedly in their potency. In isolated fat cells in vitro, [HisA8]insulin showed a relative potency of 2.46 in stimulating glucose oxidation (human insulin = 1), whereas [D-CysA6,A11]insulin had a potency of only 0.00027. Very low potency was observed when IleA2 or the half-cystines A6, A7, A11 or B7 were modified. Replacement of the invariant GlnA5 by alanine only reduced potency slightly. All the analogues are full agonists. The effects of the analogues on glucose oxidation and lipolysis are correlated, supporting the view that they are mediated by a common receptor on the fat-cell membrane. Hypoglycaemic potencies in the rat were similar to potencies in vitro. As expected, no correlation was demonstrable between antiserum binding--measured in the radioimmunoassay--and biological activity. Several results of this investigation are difficult to reconcile with the current view regarding the structure-activity relationship of insulin which appears to require further refinement.

Synthesis of protected decapeptide (B21--30) of human insulin

The synthesis of the C-terminal decapeptide derivative B21--30 of the B-chain of human insulin (benzyloxycarbonyl-gamma-t-butoxyglutamyl-arginyl-glycyl-phenylalanyl-phenylalanyl-O-t-butyltyrosyl-O-t-butylthreonyl-prolyl-Nepsilon-t-butyl-oxycarbonyllysyl-O-t-butylthreonine t-butyl ester, (XIII) by the fragment condensation of the tripeptide B21--23 with the heptapeptide B24--30 is described. Two new routes for both the tripeptide and the heptapeptide were established. A simplified method for the purification of O-t-butylthreonine t-butyl ester was developed.