Oxytocin receptor mimetics prepared by molecular imprinting

Summary Oxytocin receptor mimetics were prepared by molecular imprinting using Z-oxytocin as the template. Comparative binding studies with reference polymers showed that the imprinted polymers recognized both Z-oxytocin and unprotected oxytocin selectively. The dissociation constants were 47 μM and 102 μM, respectively, and the density of binding sites was 12 μmol/g. The synthetic oxytocin receptors were easily prepared, possessed high mechanical and chemical stability, and were reused without loss of selectivity and capacity after regeneration by extraction. Abbreviations: B_max, number of binding sites; CLEAR, Cross-Linked Ethoxylate Acrylate Resin; EDMA, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate; FABMS, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry; Fmoc, 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl; HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; K_D, dissociation constant; MAA, methacrylic acid; MIP, molecularly imprinted polymer; SPPS, solid-phase peptide synthesis; TRIM, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate; Z, benzyloxycarbonyl. Abbreviations used for amino acids and the designation of peptides follow the rules of the IUPAC-IUB Commission of Biochemical Nomenclature J. Biol. Chem., 247 (1972) 977–983]. All amino acids were of thel-configuration.