title: Synthesis and in vitro and in vivo activity of analogs of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) with C-terminal agmatine.
abstract: In the search for more active analogs of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH), 37 new compounds were synthesized by solid phase methodology, purified, and tested biologically. Most of the analogs contained a sequence of 27 amino acids and N-terminal desaminotyrosine (Dat) and C-terminal agmatine (Agm), which are not amino acids. In addition to Dat in position 1 and Agm in position 29, the majority of the analogs had Ala15 and Nle27 substitutions and one or more additional L- or D-amino acid modifications. [Dat1, Ala15, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)Agm (MZ-2-51) was the most active analog. Its in vitro GH-releasing potency was 10.5 times higher than that of GH-RH(1-29)NH2 and in the i.v. in vivo assay, MZ-2-51 was 4-5 times more active than the standard. After s.c. administration to rats. MZ-2-51 showed an activity 34 times higher at 15 min and 179 times greater at 30 min than GH-RH(1-29)NH2 and also displayed a prolonged activity. D-Tyr10, D-Lys12, and D-Lys21 homologs of MZ-2-51 also showed enhanced activities. Thus, [Dat1, D-Tyr10, Ala15, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)Agm (MZ-2-159), [Dat1, D-Lys12, Ala15, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)AGM (MZ-2-57), and [Dat1, Ala15, D-Lys21, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)Agm (MZ-2-75) were 4-6 times more active in vitro than GH-RH(1-29)NH2. In vivo, after i.v. administration, analog MZ-2-75 was equipotent and analogs MZ-2-159 and MZ-2-57 about twice as potent as the standard.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Administration Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarandi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Csernus
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bokser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bajusz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Groot
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Schally
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000737:chemistry*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000376:Agmatine; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D001120:Arginine