title: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new class of small molecule peptide mimetics targeting the melanocortin receptors.
abstract: A new bicyclic template has been developed for the synthesis of peptide mimetics. Straightforward synthetic steps, starting from amino acids, allow the facile construction of a wide range of analogs. This system was designed to target the melanocortin receptors (MCRs), with functional group selection based on a known pharmacophore and guidance from molecular modeling to rationally identify positional and stereochemical isomers likely to be active. The functions of hMCRs are critical to myriad biological activities, including pigmentation, steroidogenesis, energy homeostasis, erectile activity, and inflammation. These G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are targets for drug discovery in a number of areas, including cancer, pain, and obesity therapeutics. All compounds from this series tested to date are antagonists which bind with high affinity. Importantly, many are highly selective for a particular MCR subtype, including some of the first completely hMC5R-selective antagonists reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Mayorov
authors.forename: Minying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: YeonSun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ravil R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.forename: Dev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hruby
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin