title: Biofunctional evaluation of a hydrogen bond linking the ring and tail beta-turns of oxytocin.
abstract: Deamino-[8-N-methylleucine]oxytocin and deamino-[8-alpha-hydroxyisocaproic acid]oxytocin were synthesized to study the importance of hydrogen bonding between the carboxamide carbonyl of asparagine and the peptide N-H of leucine in stabilizing the biologically active conformation of oxytocin. The analogs were synthesized by coupling deaminotocinoic acid with Pro-Leu(Me)-Gly-NH2 and Pro-HyIc-Gly-NH2, respectively. (HyIc is alpha-hydroxyisocaproic acid). Deamino-[8-N-methylleucine]oxytocin was found to possess 48 +/- 7 units of uterotonic activity, 33 +/- 5 units of avian vasodepressor activity, and 3.15 +/- 1.5 units of antidiuretic activity per mg; deamino-[8-alpha-hydroxyisocaproic acid]oxytocin possessed 134 +/- 12 units of uterotonic activity, 31 +/- 3 units of avian vasodepressor activity, 9.6 +/- 3.0 units of antidiuretic activity, and 0.26 +/- 0.02 unit of pressor activity per mg. Neither of the analogs possesses the peptide N-H at residue 8 required for the formation of a hydrogen bond with the asparagine carboxamide; however, both can assume the conformation needed to evoke the characteristic biological activities of oxytocin although in lower potency. It is concluded that such a hydrogen bond does not constitute a conformational constraint that is essential for hormone action.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D004231:Diuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008297:Male; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin