title: A study of the relationship between biological activity and prolyl amide isomer geometry in oxytocin using 5-tert-butylproline to augment the Cys(6)-Pro(7) amide cis-isomer population.
abstract: Three [5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin analogues were synthesized by substituting (2S,5R)-5-tert-butylproline for proline in oxytocin, [Mpa(1)]oxytocin, and [dPen(1)]oxytocin. Relative to oxytocin, [5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin and [Mpa(1),5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin exhibited strongly reduced binding affinity to the receptor; however, both peptides maintained the pharmacophore characteristics responsible for signal transfer evoking the same maximal response as oxytocin in the single-dose procedure and exhibiting partial agonistic activity in the cumulative dose-response procedure. Although [dPen(1)]oxytocin exhibited inhibitory as well as partial agonistic activity, [dPen(1),5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin exhibited only inhibitory potency with a similar in vitro pA(2) value of 7.50 in the absence of magnesium. In the presence of magnesium, [dPen(1), 5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin exhibited stronger inhibitory potency than [dPen(1)]oxytocin and no partial agonism. Assignment of the proton signals for the 5-tert-butylprolyl amide cis- and trans-isomers by two-dimensional NMR experiments in water indicated that the Cys(6)-Pro(7) peptide bond cis-isomer population was augmented relative to the prolyl peptides and measured respectively at 35%, 33%, and 20% in the 5-tert-butylproline(7) analogues of oxytocin, [Mpa(1)]oxytocin and [dPen(1)]oxytocin. Although caution must be taken when relating the increase in cis-isomer population with an influence on biological activity in [5-t-BuPro(7)]oxytocin analogues, the synthesis and evaluation of analogues 1-3 have provided additional evidence that can be used to support the hypothesis that the prolyl amide cis-isomer may favor antagonism and the trans-isomer is necessary for agonist activity.
authors.affiliation: Département de chimie, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bélec
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slaninova
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lubell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C407508:5-tert-butylproline; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D010121:Oxytocin; D011392:Proline