title: Potent and selective agonists of alpha-melanotropin (alphaMSH) action at human melanocortin receptor 5; linear analogs of alpha-melanotropin.
abstract: Alpha-melanotropin, Ac-Ser(1)-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His(6)-Phe(7)-Arg(8)-Trp(9)-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val(13)-NH(2)(1), is a non-selective endogenous agonist for the melanocortin receptor 5; the receptor present in various peripheral tissues and in the brain, cortex and cerebellum. Most of the synthetic analogs of alphaMSH, including a broadly used and more potent the NDP-alphaMSH peptide, Ac-Ser(1)-Tyr-Ser-Nle(4)-Glu-His(6)-D-Phe(7)-Arg(8)-Trp(9)-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val(13)-NH(2), are also not particularly selective for MC5R. To elucidate physiological functions of the melanocortin receptor 5 in rodents and humans, the receptor subtype selective research tools are needed. We report herein syntheses and pharmacological evaluation in vitro of several analogs of NDP-alphaMSH which are highly potent and specific agonists for the human MC5R. The new linear peptides, of structures and solubility properties similar to those of the endogenous ligand alphaMSH, are exemplified by compound 7, Ac-Ser(1)-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-Oic(6)-D-4,4'-Bip(7)-Pip(8)-Trp(9)-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val(13)-NH(2) (Oic: octahydroindole-2-COOH, 4,4'-Bip: 4,4'-biphenylalanine, Pip: pipecolic acid), shortly NODBP-alphaMSH, which has an IC(50)=0.74 nM (binding assay) and EC(50)=0.41 (cAMP production assay) at hMC5R nM and greater than 3500-fold selectivity with respect to the melanocortin receptors 1b, 3 and 4. A shorter peptide derived from NODBP-alphaMSH: Ac-Nle-Glu-Oic(6)-D-4,4'-Bip(7)-Pip(8)-Trp(9) -NH(2) (17) was measured to be an agonist only 10-fold less potent at hMC5R than the full length parent peptide. In the structure of this smaller analog, the Nle-Glu-Oic(6)-D-4,4'-Bip(7)-Pip(8) segment was found to be critical for high agonist potency, while the C-terminal Trp(9) residue was shown to be required for high hMC5R selectivity versus hMC1b,3,4R.
authors: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Merck Research Laboratories, R50G-140, PO Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. maria_bednarek@merck.com
authors: Maria A
authors: MA
authors: Bednarek
authors: Tanya
authors: T
authors: MacNeil
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Tang
authors: Tung M
authors: TM
authors: Fong
authors: M Angeles
authors: MA
authors: Cabello
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Maroto
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Teran
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; C086971:melanocortin 5 receptor; D000521:alpha-MSH; D000242:Cyclic AMP