Combinatorial synthesis and biological evaluation of peptide-binding GPCR-targeted library

As an effective strategy of the drug discovery for peptide-binding GPCRs based on the natural ligands, beta-turn peptidomimetic compound library with benzodiazepine skeleton was constructed using solid and solution phase parallel synthesis with four different scaffolds containing Phe, Lys, Ser and Glu, respectively. The usefulness of 162 library compounds was evaluated by the cell based screening at melanocortin 4 receptor in CHO-k1 cells, to find hit compounds showing agonistic effect at the receptor. The screening of library afforded three hit compounds including the most effective analog, (S)-3-benzyl-7-(4-fluorobenzyloxy)-4-(4-methoxyphenethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-benzo[e][1,4]diazepin-2(3H)-one, 13aiE, of which EC₅₀ was determined as 13 μM.     

Solid-Phase Synthesis of Heterobivalent Ligands Targeted to Melanocortin and Cholecystokinin Receptors

Heteromultivalency provides a route to increase binding avidity and to high specificity when compared to monovalent ligands. The enhanced specificity can potentially serve as a unique platform to develop diagnostics and therapeutics. To develop new imaging agents based upon multivalency, we employed heterobivalent constructs of optimized ligands. In this report, we describe synthetic methods we have developed for the preparation of heterobivalent constructs consisting of ligands targeted simultaneously to the melanocortin receptor, hMC4R, and the cholecystokinin receptors, CCK-2R. Modeling data suggest that a linker distance span of 20–50 Å is needed to crosslink these two G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The two ligands were tethered with linkers of varying rigidity and length, and flexible polyethylene glycol based PEGO chain or semi-rigid [poly(Pro-Gly)] linkers were employed for this purpose. The described synthetic strategy provides a modular way to assemble ligands and linkers on solid-phase supports. Examples of heterobivalent ligands are provided to illustrate the increased binding avidity to cells that express the complementary receptors.     

混合单克隆抗体在固相ELISA双夹心法中的应用研究

在进行固相ELISA双夹心法时,要选择两种配对的单克隆抗体(McAb)殊非易事。本文用不同McAb的混合物与另一种McAb进行配对夹心,获得了较好的效果。实验表明,在心肌肌球蛋白轻链(CM—LC)的固相ELISA双夹心体系中,以抗CM-LCMcAb(1G6)铺底,(2B4及2F6)混合物为后续复盖抗体,最低检出量可低达10ng/mL,其检出率较单独2B4或单独2F6作为后续复盖抗体者高5—10倍。而若反之,以(2B4及2F6)混合物铺底,1G6作为后续复盖抗体,则其最低检出量竟高至200ng/mL,还不如以其中之一铺底为佳。在人绒毛膜促性腺激素(HCG)的检测体系中,用多克隆抗体与单克隆抗体配对的研究中,也获得了类似的实验结果。     

The Synthesis of Phosphopeptides Using Microwave-assisted Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis

A series of phosphorylated peptides were synthesised using microwave mediated solid phase peptide synthesis. Acidic cleavage of peptides from the solid support using microwave irradiation often resulted in reattachment of the phosphate benzyl protecting group to the peptide chain. However for most phosphopeptide sequences performing the cleavage reaction at room temperature in order to minimize this undesired alkylation was successful. Notably for phosphopeptides containing a methionine residue flanking the phosphorylated residue (for serine and threonine) the trifluoroacetic acid mediated cleavage afforded the benzylated side product as a major component. This detrimental process was not observed for a corresponding tyrosine containing sequence.     

Convenient solid phase synthesis method for the preparation of cysteine C-terminally derivatized peptides

Summary This paper describes a novel solid phase peptide synthesis method for the systematic C-terminal modification of cysteine-containing peptides. In this method, cysteine is linked to chloromethylated polystyrene resin by its thiol functionality, followed by protection of the N-terminus and derivatization of the carboxylic acid to esters or amides. We report here on examples of the methodology and its application to the synthesis of Ac-Asp-cyclo(Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys)-NHBzl, a cyclic peptide amide. The method has been applied to the synthesis of complex esters as well as amides.Abbreviations Ac acetyl - AcN acetonitrile - Ac₂O acetic anhydride - AcOH acetic acid - Boc t-butyloxycarbonyl - BOP benzotriazol-1-yl-oxy-tris-(dimethylamino)-phosphonium hexafluorophosphate - Bzl benzyl - cHex cyclohexyl - DBU 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene - DCC N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide - DCM dichloromethane - DIEA diisopropylethylamine - DMF dimethylformamide - DMS dimethylsulfide - HOB 1-hydroxybenzotriazole - MBzl 4-methyl benzyl - MeOH methanol - TEA triethylamine - TEAP triethylammonium phosphate - TFA trifluoroacetic acid     

Total Stepwise Solid-Phase Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugate Synthesis on Macroporous Polystyrene

Abstract

An efficient total stepwise solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotide-peptide conjugates on a macroporous polystyrene is described. Extending our homoserine linker approach, we prepared a range of fluorescein-labelled conjugates containing one of two different peptides together with oligonucleotides containing 2′-deoxynucleoside or 2′-O-methylribonucleoside phosphodiesters, or gapmers containing 2′-deoxyphosphorothioate sequences flanked by 2′-O-methyl wings.     

Design and synthesis of new types of oligonucleopeptides

Summary Design and synthesis of oligonucleopeptides (ONPs), structural analogues of oligonucleotides, where the phosphodiester backbone is substituted by a peptide chain, are described. Oligonucleopeptides, in which the number of ordinary bonds between the nucleobases is six and the number of bonds between the backbone and nucleobase is two or four were constructed using two different approaches. The first way is based on incorporation of thyminylalanine residues into the peptide chain alternatively with glycine residues. Experimental studies of the stability of oligonucleotide-oligonucleopeptide complexes as well as model estimations of their potential surfaces indicated the low DNA binding efficiency of this type of reagents. The second approach consists of synthesis of ω-ornithine peptides followed by modification of the backbone with thyminylacetaldehyde attached to an α-amino function of ornithine residues through Schiff bases. ONPs were synthesized using the solid-phase method.     

Synthesis of Poly d(G-C) Oligonucleotides

Model sequences for evaluation of the GC dimer sequence repetition on synthesis success were prepared and analyzed by HPLC. Contiguous d(G-C) or d(C-G) sequences have a deleterious effect on DNA oligonucleotide synthesis. The critical number seems to be about 6 GCs in a row. If the GCs are separated by other nucleotides, the effect is not as severe.     

用混合氨基酸接肽的方法合成OX型肽亚库

肽库合成是药物研究组合化学策略的重要技术之一。建立合成OX型肽亚库的固相合成方法 ,接肽反应采用等摩尔的Fmoc氨基酸混合物和DIC HOBt缩合方法 ,以高浓度的缩合剂和不断缩减溶剂的策略促进偶联反应进行完全。产物的氨基酸组成分析结果显示 ,所使用的常见氨基酸都能以相近的摩尔比例接肽至X位置。推测经多次接肽后最终形成的肽亚库中 ,含低活力氨基酸较多的肽其浓度虽然会较低一些 ,但影响不会太大 ,且本合成方法成本相对较低 ,故可为抗原表位分析、多肽药物筛选及构效关系分析提供一种有用的工具。     

Design and synthesis of new types of oligonucleopeptides

Design and synthesis of oligonucleopeptides (ONPs),structural analogues of oligonucleotides, where the phosphodiester backbone is substituted by a peptidechain, are described. Oligonucleopeptides, in whichthe number of ordinary bonds between the nucleobasesis six and the number of bonds between the backboneand nucleobase is two or four were constructed usingtwo different approaches. The first way is based onincorporation of thyminylalanine residues into the peptidechain alternatively with glycine residues.Experimental studies of the stability ofoligonucleotide–oligonucleopeptide complexes as wellas model estimations of their potential surfacesindicated the low DNA binding efficiency of this typeof reagents. The second approach consists of synthesis of-ornithine peptides followed by modification of thebackbone with thyminylacetaldehyde attached to an-amino function of ornithine residues through Schiffbases. ONPs were synthesized using the solid-phase method.     

Optimization of time-resolved fluorescence assay for detection of europium-tetraazacyclododecyltetraacetic acid-labeled ligand-receptor interactions

Lanthanide-based luminescent ligand binding assays are superior to traditional radiolabel assays due to improving sensitivity and affordability in high-throughput screening while eliminating the use of radioactivity. Despite significant progress using lanthanide(III)-coordinated chelators such as diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) derivatives, dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassays (DELFIAs) have not yet been successfully used with more stable chelators (e.g., tetraazacyclododecyltetraacetic acid [DOTA] derivatives) due to the incomplete release of lanthanide(III) ions from the complex. Here a modified and optimized DELFIA procedure incorporating an acid treatment protocol is introduced for use with Eu(III)-DOTA-labeled peptides. Complete release of Eu(III) ions from DOTA-labeled ligands was observed using hydrochloric acid (2.0 M) prior to the luminescent enhancement step. [Nle⁴,d-Phe⁷]-α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (NDP-α-MSH) labeled with Eu(III)-DOTA was synthesized, and the binding affinity to cells overexpressing the human melanocortin-4 (hMC4) receptor was evaluated using the modified protocol. Binding data indicate that the Eu(III)-DOTA-linked peptide bound to these cells with an affinity similar to its DTPA analogue. The modified DELFIA procedure was further used to monitor the binding of an Eu(III)-DOTA-labeled heterobivalent peptide to the cells expressing both hMC4 and cholecystokinin-2 (CCK-2) receptors. The modified assay provides superior results and is appropriate for high-throughput screening of ligand libraries.     

The engineering of membrane-permeable peptides

Reversible lipid attachment was investigated as a means to deliver small peptides into cells. Two labile straight chain alkyl motifs were developed: a cysteine dodecane disulfide (Cdd) building block and a tyrosine- or serine-myristate ester. Both moieties are cleaved on cell internalization and are compatible with Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis. A series of fluorophore-labeled peptides that varied in lipophilic content, net charge, and charge distribution were synthesized. The peptides were screened for cellular uptake efficiency as monitored by fluorescence microscopy. Effective peptide transport is based on a distributed net positive charge introduced as lysine residues at the C and/or N terminus of the peptide and the presence of a hydrophobic domain exhibiting an estimated log P4.0. The incorporation of labile lipid motifs into peptides enhances lipophilic character of the peptides and contributes to cellular uptake with minimal alteration to the native sequence.     

Synthesis and inhibitory evaluation of 3-linked imipramines for the exploration of the S2 site of the human serotonin transporter

The human serotonin transporter is the primary target of several antidepressant drugs, and the importance of a primary, high affinity binding site (S1) for antidepressant binding is well documented. The existence of a lower affinity, secondary binding site (S2) has, however, been debated. Herein we report the synthesis of 3-position coupled imipramine ligands from clomipramine using a copper free Sonogashira reaction. Ligand design was inspired by results from docking and steered molecular dynamics simulations, and the ligands were utilized in a structure–activity relationship study of the positional relationship between the S1 and S2 sites. The computer simulations suggested that the S2 site does indeed exist although with lower affinity for imipramine than observed within the S1 site. Additionally, it was possible to dock the 3-linked imipramine analogs into positions which occupy the S1 and the S2 site simultaneously. The structure activity relationship study showed that the shortest ligands were the most potent, and mutations enlarging the proposed S2 site were found to affect the larger ligands positively, while the smaller ligands were mostly unaffected.     

Human Epidermal Melanocyte and Keratinocyte Melanocortin Receptors: Visualization by Melanotropic Peptide Conjugated Microspheres (Latex Beads)

The objectives of this research were to determine whether melanocortin receptors are characteristic (constant) membrane markers of human epidermal melanocytes. Methodologies were developed to visualize melanotropin receptors by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Multiple copies (up to a hundred) of [Nle⁴,D-Phe⁷]α-MSH, a superpotent analog of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), were conjugated to a macromo-lecular carrier (latex beads: microspheres). Incubation in the presence of the melanotropin-conjugated microspheres resulted in binding of human normal epidermal melanocytes to the beads. Almost every (possibly all) melanocyte possesses melanocortin receptors as visualized by SEM. Specificity of binding of the macromolecular conjugate was demonstrated by several studies: 1) Binding of melanocytes to the microspheres was specific since it could be blocked by prior incubation of the cells in the presence of the unconjugated hormone analog; 2) microspheres lacking bound ligand did not bind to the melanocytes; 3) micro-spheres that were first treated with reducing agents (e.g., dithiothreitol) did not subsequently bind to melanocytes; 4) another peptide hormone ligand (e.g., a substance-P analog) attached to the latex beads failed to bind to the cells; 5) B16/F10 mouse melanoma cells known to express melanocortin receptors bound to the microspheres; and 6) cells of nonmelanocyte origin (e.g., mammary cancer cells, small-cell lung cancer cells, fibroblasts) did not bind to the macromolecular conjugate. One exception was that human epidermal keratinocytes also expressed melanocortin receptors as determined by all the criteria established above for epidermal melanocytes. Thus, cell specific melanocortin receptors appear to be characteristic cell surface markers of epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes.     

Polymer-Assisted Structural Modification on Nucleosides and Nucleotides

Nucleosides and their analogues play important roles in biological research and clinical therapeutics. Polymer-assisted structural modifications of nucleosides and nucleotides enable parallel and rapid construction of nucleoside library. For some nucleosides, higher chemical selectivity and regioselectivity can be achieved using solid-phase synthesis when compared to classic solution-phase synthesis.