Synthesis and some pharmacological properties of Z-Tyr(SO3H)-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp(Phe-NH2)-OH, a 32-beta-aspartyl analogue of cholecystokinin (pancreozymin) 27-33

Arylsulfotransferase from Clostridium innocuum-A new enzyme catalyst for sulfation of phenol-containing compounds

Arylsulfotransferase (AST, EC 2.8.2.22), an enzyme capable of sulfating a wide range of phenol-containing compounds was purified from a Clostridium innocuum isolate (strain 554). The enzyme has a molecular weight of 320 kDa and is composed of four subunits. Unlike many mammalian and plant arylsulfotransferases, AST from Clostridium utilizes arylsulfates, including p-nitrophenyl sulfate, as sulfate donors, and is not reactive with 3-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). The enzyme possesses broad substrate specificity and is active with a variety of phenols, quinones and flavonoids, but does not utilize primary and secondary alcohols and sugars as substrates. Arylsulfotransferase tolerates the presence of 10 vol% of polar cosolvents (dimethyl formamide, acetonitrile, methanol), but loses significant activity at higher solvent concentrations of 30-40 vol%. The enzyme retains high arylsulfotransferase activity in biphasic systems composed of water and nonpolar solvents, such as cyclohexane, toluene and chloroform, while in biphasic systems with more polar solvents (ethyl acetate, 2-pentanone, methyl tert-butyl ether, and butyl acetate) the enzyme activity is completely lost. High yields of AST-catalyzed sulfation were achieved in reactions with several phenols and tyrosine-containing peptides. Overall, AST studied in this work is a promising biocatalyst in organic synthesis to afford efficient sulfation of phenolic compounds under mild reaction conditions.

N alpha-carboxyacyl analogues of CCK with a substituted Gly: interaction with pancreatic and gallbladder CCK receptors

It has been reported that certain N alpha-carboxyacyl analogues of CCK-8 and of CCK-7 with a substituted Gly in position 3 or 4 of the peptide possess higher potencies at stimulating pancreatic enzyme secretion than at stimulating gallbladder contraction, suggesting that these analogues are able to differentiate subtypes of CCKA receptors. However, no studies examined directly the interaction of these peptides with the CCK receptors in both tissues. In the present study, CCK-8 and various N alpha-carboxyacyl analogues of CCK-7 and of CCK-8 were prepared by solid phase synthesis using Fmoc chemistry and were purified by HPLC; molecular weight and sufficient sulfation were determined by mass spectrometry. [125I]Bolton-Hunter(BH)-CCK-8 binding to sections of the guinea pig pancreas and gallbladder was determined under identical conditions; amylase release from pancreatic acini and contraction of gallbladder muscle strips were measured in vitro. Each peptide stimulated amylase release (EC50): CCK-8 (0.09 nM) > Suc[Sar3]CCK-7 (0.23 nM) > des(SO3)CCK-8 (28 nM) > Suc[D-Trp4]CCK-8 (32 nM) > Suc[D-Trp3]CCK-7 (53 nM) > Pht[D-Trp3]CCK-7 (180 nM) > Glt[D-Trp3]CCK-7 (220 nM). The same relative potencies were found for stimulation of gallbladder contraction, and for the inhibition of [125I]BH-CCK-8 binding to pancreas and gallbladder sections. These data demonstrate that the CCKA receptors in the pancreas and on gallbladder smooth muscle possess similar affinities for the various N alpha-carboxyacyl analogues of CCK-7 and CCK-8 with a substituted Gly and provide further evidence that the CCKA receptors in gallbladder and pancreas cannot be distinguished pharmacologically.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of N alpha-hydroxysulfonyl-[Nle28,31]-CCK26-33

Two analogues of [Nle28,31]-CCK26-33 containing an N-terminal acetyl or N-terminal hydroxysulfonyl moiety were prepared and characterized. Both analogues were equipotent to native CCK26-33 in four bioassays, demonstrating that N-terminal sulfation of CCK26-33 analogues is compatible with full biological activity.

Synthesis of Z-CCK-27-32-NH2, Z-Tyr(SO-3)-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-NH2, a cholecystokinin receptor antagonist and an inhibitor of gastrin-induced acid secretion

The synthesis of the hexapeptide Z-Tyr(SO-3)-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-NH2, representing the C-terminal sequence of cholecystokinin minus the C-terminal phenylalanyl residue is described. This peptide was shown to be the most potent cholecystokinin receptor antagonist in vitro described to date. It is also able to inhibit gastrin-induced acid secretion in vivo, in the rat and was proved to antagonize the action of the C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin in the central nervous system.

Abilities of some tryptophan and phenylalanine derivatives to inhibit gastric acid secretion

Benzotript (N-p-chlorobenzoyl-L-tryptophan) has been shown to be a receptor-antagonist in vivo and in vitro for peptides from the gastrin family. In the present study, we examine tryptophan, and some of its N- and C-acylated derivatives, as well as some phenylalanine derivatives, to show their ability to inhibit gastrin-induced acid secretion in the rat in vivo and to compete for the binding of [125I]-(Leu-15)-HG-17 to its cellular receptor on rabbit isolated gastric mucosal cells. N- and C- derivatives of tryptophan and phenylalanine were found to inhibit gastrin-induced acid secretion and binding of [125I]-(Leu-15)-HG-17 to its mucosal cell receptors. By either criterion, the relative antagonistic potencies of the compounds tested were: tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryphophan-p-nitrophenyl ester approximately equal to tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophan-carbamoylmethyl ester greater than tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophyl-L-methionyl-carbamoylmethyl ester approximately equal to tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanine-carbamoylmethyl ester approximately equal to tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophyl-L-methionyl-amide greater than tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophan greater than tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanine greater than benzyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophan approximately equal to benzotript, with minor differences between the in vivo and the in vitro experiments. These results demonstrate that both the nature of the amino acid residue and the N- and C-substitutions are important in determining antagonist activity and affinity for gastrin receptors.

Stimulatory action of (beta-Asp9) ceruletide on dog pancreatic exocrine secretion

The synthetic analog of ceruletide, (beta-Asp9) ceruletide, which in previous studies was found to retain some central effects of ceruletide with virtually no effect on gallbladder contraction, was studied for its stimulatory effect on pancreatic secretion. This peptide was shown to induce an increase in the volume of pancreatic juice similar to that provoked by the parent compound. Its activity was 4% of that of ceruletide, as regards volume, dry residue and protein content of the pancreatic juice. It was concluded that the dissociation between central and peripheral effects concerned only the gallbladder contractility, since its potency as a pancreatic stimulant was of the same order of magnitude as that shown on the central nervous system.

The role of the Asp-32 residue of cholecystokinin in gastric acid secretion and gastrin receptor recognition

The aspartic acid residue at the penultimate position is known to be essential for the hormonal activity of CCK and gastrin on gastric acid secretion. This residue was successively replaced by beta-aspartic acid, beta-alanine, and glutamic acid in the C-terminal heptapeptide of CCK 27-33. The analogues obtained were tested on rat gastric acid secretion and for recognition by gastrin receptors. The replacement by beta-aspartic or beta-alanine decreased gastric secretion and gastrin receptor recognition. In contrast, replacement by glutamic acid affected these two parameters less. The nature of the N-blocking group (Boc or Z) also influenced these activities, Boc derivatives being more potent than Z derivatives. The results were compared to those previously obtained on pancreatic secretion and on stimulation of gall bladder contraction where the modifications were found capable of differentiating between cholecystokinin, pancreozymin and gastrin activities.