An investigation of angiotensin II agonist and antagonist analogues with 5,5-dimethylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and other constrained amino acids

Synthetic and structural routes for the rational conversion of peptides into small molecules

The demand for modified peptides with improved stability profiles and pharmacokinetic properties is driving extensive research effort in this field. The conversion of peptides into organic molecules, as traditional drugs, is a long and puzzled way. Many and versatile approaches have been described for designing peptide mimetics: the substitution of natural residues with modified amino acids and the rigidification and modification of the backbone are the main structural and chemical routes walked in medicinal chemistry. All of these strategies have been successfully applied to obtain active new compounds in molecular biology, drug discovery and design. Here we propose a panoramic review of the most common methods for the preparation of modified peptides and the most interesting findings of the last decade.

One-pot solvent-free reductive amination with a solid ammonium carbamate salt from CO2 and amine

Many amines are liquid and their handling is inconvenient compared with the corresponding solids.

Structural insight on the activity of type 1 angiotensin II peptide antagonists using MD simulations

Angiotensin II (AngII) is an octapeptide hormone, which plays a very important role in the blood pressure control mechanism. The excess production of this hormone is one of the main causes of hypertension illness. The antagonists for AngII At1 receptor constitute some of the most effective antihypertension drugs. In this work, both tested type1 AngII antagonists as well as new modeled antagonists (obtained by substitution of nonspecific amino acids by noncode residues (Sarcosine (Sar) and several Calpha, Calpha-dialkylglycines)) were simulated in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) using molecular dynamics (MD). A number of common structural characteristics were identified on the active (and potentially active) simulated analogs, which seem to be correlated with their antagonistic activity. Two of the designed analogs were proposed as possible antagonists.

Synthesis and stereoselective functionalization of silylated heterocycles as a new class of formyl anion equivalents

The fluoride ion-induced reactivity of a series of silyl heterocycles leads to the generation of nucleophilic species capable of interacting with electrophiles, thus disclosing new classes of formyl and acyl anion synthons. Moreover, when reacting stereodefined molecules, the stereoinformation of the reacting carbon-silicon bond is transferred to the newly formed carbon-carbon bond, suggesting possible applications in stereoselective synthesis. Thus, silyl dithiolanes, oxathiolanes, dioxolanes, thiazolidines and oxazolidines can be efficiently and stereoselectively functionalized under fluoride ion conditions in the presence of electrophiles. While direct access to silyl heterocycles is generally either prevented or troublesome, a novel protocol for their synthesis has also been developed, together with a simple general access route to several functionalized and stereodefined mercaptans, building blocks for the construction of silyl heterocycles.

Homoserine-derived cyclic sulfamidate as chiral educt for the diversity-oriented synthesis of lactam-bridged dipeptides

Introduction of structural constraint into peptides is an effective way for studying their conformation-activity relationships. Conformationally restrained dipeptidyl lactams, important building blocks for the synthesis of peptidomimetics, have now been synthesized from N-[9-(9-phenylfluorenyl)]-L-aspartic acid alpha-cumyl beta-methyl diester as an inexpensive chiral educt. After selective reduction of the beta-methyl ester with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H), homoserine was treated with thionyl chloride, imidazole, and triethylamine to give sulfamidites. Diastereoisomers were separated by chromatography and oxidation of the major sulfamidite (2R,4S)- with catalytic ruthenium trichloride afforded sulfamidate. A series of gamma-lactam-bridged dipeptides was then obtained by ring opening of sulfamidate cumyl ester with a series of amino esters, selective cumyl ester removal, and lactam formation. The resulting dipeptidyl lactams possessed aliphatic, aromatic, amino, thioether, and carboxylate side chains. A gamma-lactam analog of Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (PLG), was synthesized to illustrate the potential for using this approach in the synthesis of biologically active peptide mimics.

A frame shifted disulfide bridged analogue of angiotensin II

N-(2-Mercaptoethyl)glycine [NMGly] was incorporated into the 3 and 5 positions of angiotensin II and oxidized to give the corresponding cyclized disulfide c[NMGly(3,5)]Ang II. The binding affinity to the angiotensin II receptor (AT(1)) of this conformationally constrained analogue, which is related to the potent Ang II agonist c[Hcy(3,5)]Ang II, was examined. The analogue had no affinity to the AT(1) receptor. Theoretical conformational analysis was performed to compare the conformational characteristics of model compounds of c[Hcy(3,5)]Ang II and the frame shifted analogue c[NMGly(3,5)]Ang II in an attempt to explain the lack of affinity.

Novel modified tripeptide inhibitors of alpha 4 beta 7 mediated lymphoid cell adhesion to MAdCAM-1

MAdCAM-1 specifically binds the lymphocyte integrin alpha 4 beta 7 and participates in the homing of leukocytes to intestinal mucosal sites. The LDT sequence located on the CD loop of MAdCAM-1 is an important binding site for MAdCAM-1/alpha 4 beta 7 interactions. N-Terminus acylation of the LDT motif and modification of the C-terminus carboxamide with amines led to low micromolar MAdCAM-1 inhibitors.

Conformational study of angiotensin II

Conformational free energy calculations using an empirical potential ECEPP/3 (Empirical Conformational Energy Program for Peptides, Version 3) were carried out on angiotensin II (AII) of sequence Asp-Arg-Val-Tyr-Ile-His-Pro-Phe to find the stable conformations of the free state in the unhydrated and the hydrated states. A conformational analysis of the unhydrated state was carried out using the buildup procedure. The free energy calculation using the hydration shell model was also carried out to obtain the stable conformation of the hydrated state. The calculated stable conformations of AII in both states have a partially right-handed alpha-helical structure stabilized by short- and medium-range interactions. The similarity between the lowest free energy conformations of the unhydrated and hydrated states suggests that the hydration might not be important to stabilize the overall conformation of AII in a free state. The absence of any intramolecular interaction of the Tyr side chain suggests the possible interaction of this residue with the receptor. In this study, we found that the low free energy conformations contain both the parallel-plate and the perpendicular-plate geometries of the His and Phe rings, suggesting the coexistence of both conformations.

Proposals for the angiotensin II receptor-bound conformation by comparative computer modeling of AII and cyclic analogs

A conformational search using high-temperature molecular dynamics on angiotensin II(AII) and on two cyclic S-S bridged analogs, namely [Hcy3,5]AII and [Cys3,5]AII, in conjunction with a cluster analysis based on the similarities of the three-dimensional patterns of the binding and activation elements, had led to putative AII receptor-bound conformations. These conformations are characterized by a compact folded shape of the peptide backbone, and by particular relative positions of the four pharmacophore groups, namely the aromatic moieties of the Tyr4, His6 and Phe8 residues, and the C-terminal carboxyl group. This compact folded shape, arising from attractive electrostatic interactions between the desolvated N- and C-terminal groups, is similar to the crystallographically determined conformation of AII bound to the antibody Fab receptor.

Derivation of a 3D pharmacophore model for the angiotensin-II site one receptor

A systematic search has been used to derive a hypothesis for the receptor-bound conformation of A-II antagonists at the AT1 receptor. The validity of the pharmacophore hypothesis has been tested using CoMFA, which included 50 diverse A-II antagonists, spanning four orders of magnitude in activity. The resulting cross-validated R2 of 0.64 (conventional R2 of 0.76) is indicative of a good predictive model of activity, and has been used to estimate potency for a variety of non-peptidyl antagonists. The structural model for the non-peptide has been compared with respect to the natural substrate, A-II, by generating peptide to non-peptide overlays.

Effect of selective angiotensin II receptor antagonism and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on the coronary vasculature in vivo. Intravascular two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound studies

BACKGROUND

Although angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been reported to increase coronary blood flow, the effect of selective angiotensin II (AT1)-receptor antagonism on the coronary circulation has not been defined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined the effects of the AT1-receptor antagonist Losartan (DuP 753, 0.2-3.2 mg/kg) on coronary arteries in vivo in 11 dogs, using a combination of intravascular two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound. In six dogs, a 30-MHz, 4.3F ultrasound imaging catheter was placed in the midsegment of the circumflex coronary artery to measure cross-sectional area (CSA), and a 0.018-in. Doppler wire was placed alongside to measure coronary flow velocity. At peak effect (1.6 mg/kg), Losartan increased mean coronary CSA from 7.9 +/- 0.5 to 9.5 +/- 0.8 mm2 and average peak velocity (APV) from 32 +/- 10 to 56 +/- 18 cm/sec, resulting in an increase in coronary blood flow from 74 +/- 19 to 151 +/- 36 mL/min. The maximal effect of the ACE inhibitor enalaprilat (5 mg) was an increase in CSA from 7.7 +/- 0.7 to 8.4 +/- 0.8 mm2 and an increase in APV from 36 +/- 10 to 53 +/- 20 cm/sec, with an increase in coronary blood flow from 82 +/- 25 to 122 +/- 41 mL/min. Relative to maximal hyperemia with adenosine (6 mg i.c.), the magnitude of flow increase from baseline was 0.37 with the AT1-receptor antagonist and 0.19 with the ACE inhibitor (p < 0.05). These effects were seen without changes in heart rate or systemic arterial pressure. In an additional five dogs, the ultrasound imaging catheter was introduced directly over a 0.014-in. Doppler wire, and the effects of indomethacin, propranolol, and N omega-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) on the vasodilator effect of Losartan (1.6 mg/kg) were examined. Indomethacin and propranolol had no effect on Losartan-induced vasodilation, suggesting that it was not mediated via prostaglandins or beta-adrenoceptors. However, Losartan-induced epicardial vasodilation was partially inhibited by L-NAME, suggesting an action partly dependent on endothelial release of nitric oxide.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, these acute studies in anesthetized dogs suggest that inhibition of AT1-receptors in the coronary circulation results in vasodilator responses greater in magnitude than ACE inhibition and partly endothelium dependent. The exact role for AT1-receptors in human coronary physiology and pathology remains to be defined.

Bradykinin and angiotensin II analogs containing a conformationally constrained proline analog

Three analogs of bradykinin and one of angiotensin II have been prepared in which the naturally occurring proline residues have been replaced by the bicyclic amino acid, 2,4-methanoproline (2,4-MePro). The relative binding affinities for these analogs were determined to be significantly reduced in the cases of the three bradykinin analogs; [2,4-MePro3]-BK retains 1.3%, [2,4-MePro7]-BK retains 0.3% and [2,4-MePro2]-BK retains 0.021% of the binding affinity of bradykinin. Results from other modification at positions three and seven indicate preference for the trans-amide bond preceding these residues implying that other factors, either steric or conformational, are responsible for the decreased affinity for the receptor seen with 2,4-MePro substitution. The retention of significant binding affinity (26%) in the case of [Ile5,2,4-MePro7]-angiotensin II gives direct evidence that the trans-conformation of the proline amide bond is the one recognized by the AII receptor. Only significant retention of activity can be interpreted unambiguously with the use of this proline analog because of its known conformational differences from Pro as well as its increased steric requirements at the receptor.