Azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane amino acids are tools for constructing mimics of peptide structure and templates for generating combinatorial libraries for drug discovery. Our methodology for synthesizing these conformationally rigid dipeptides has been elaborated such that alkyl groups can be appended onto the heterocycle to generate mimics of peptide backbone and side-chain structure. Inexpensive glutamic acid was employed as chiral educt in a Claisen condensation/ketone alkylation/reductive amination/lactam cyclization sequence that furnished alkyl-branched azabicyclo[4.3.0]alkane amino acid. Enantiopure 5-benzyl-, 7-benzyl-, and 5,7-dibenzylindolizidinone amino acids 2-4 were stereoselectively synthesized via efficient reaction sequences featuring the alkylation of di-tert-butyl alpha,omega-di-[N-(PhF)amino]azelate delta-ketone 5. A variety of alkyl halides were readily added to the enolate of ketone 5 to provide mono- and dialkylated ketones 6 and 7. Hydride additions to 6 and 7, methanesulfonations, and intramolecular S(N)2 displacements by the PhF amine gave 5-alkylprolines that were converted by lactam cyclizations into 7- and 5-benzyl-, as well as 5,7-dibenzyl-2-oxo-3-N-(BOC)amino-1-azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-9-carboxylate methyl esters 10, 11, and 14. Epimerization of the alkyl-branched stereocenter via an iminium-enaminium equilibrium proved effective for controlling diastereoselectivity in reductive aminations with 6 and 7 in order to furnish 5-alkylprolines that were similarly converted to 7- benzyl- and 5,7-dibenzylindolizidinone N-(BOC)amino esters 10 and 14. Ester hydrolysis with hydroxide ion and potassium trimethylsilanolate then gave enantiopure indolizidinone amino acids 2-4. Epimerization at C-9 of benzylindolizidinone amino esters was also used to provide alternative diastereomers of 10, 11, and 14. This practical methodology for introducing side-chain groups onto the heterocycle with regioselective and diastereoselective control is designed to enhance the use of alkyl-branched azabicycloalkane amino acids for the exploration of conformation-activity relationships of various biologically active peptides.

The prostaglandin-F2α (PGF2α) receptor (FP) was targeted to develop tocolytic agents for inhibiting preterm labor. Azabicycloalkane and azapeptide mimics 2-10 were synthesized based on the (3S,6S,9S)-indolizidin-2-one amino acid analogue PDC113.824 (1), which was shown to modulate FP by a biased allosteric mechanism, involving both Gαq- and Gα12-mediated signaling pathways, and exhibited significant tocolytic activity delaying preterm labor in a mouse model ( Goupil ; et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2010 , 285 , 25624 - 25636 ). Although changes in azabicycloalkane stereochemistry and ring size caused loss of activity, replacement of the indolizidin-2-one amino acid with azaGly-Pro and azaPhe-Pro gave azapeptides 6 and 8, which reduced PGF2α-induced myometrial contractions, potentiated the effect of PGF2α on Gαq-mediated ERK1/2 activation, and inhibited FP modulation of cell ruffling, a response dependent on the Gα12/RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Revealing complementarities of azabicycloalkane and azapeptide mimics, novel probes, and efficient tocolytic agents were made to study allosteric modulation of the FP receptor.

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Indolizidinone amino acids possessing various heteroatomic side chains at their 5- and 7-positions have been synthesized through modification of hydroxymethyl indolizidinone amino acids 5 and 6. Displacements of the methanesulfonates from alcohols 5 and 6 with sodium azide, as well as oxidation of alcohol 5, have been used to furnish orthogonally protected indolizidin-2-one diamino carboxylates 7 and 8, and indolizidin-2-one amino dicarboxylate 9. Both 5- and 7-hydroxymethylindolizidinone amino acids 5 and 6 were obtained from sequences commencing with the Claisen condensation of alpha-tert-butyl gamma-methyl l-N-(PhF)-L-glutamate to furnish di-tert-butyl 4-carbomethoxy-5-oxo-2,8-di-[N-(PhF)amino]azelate 10 (PhF = 9-(9-phenylfluorenyl)). Subsequent hydride reduction of 10 to an isomeric mixture of diols 12, selective protection of the primary alcohol as tert-butyldimethylsilyl ether 14 and oxidation of the secondary alcohol gave di-tert-butyl 4-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxymethyl-5-oxo-2,8-di-[N-(PhF)amino]azelate 15 as a separable diastereomeric mixture. Linear ketone 15 and alcohol 14 were then converted to the indolizidinone heterocycles by routes featuring reductive aminations, methanesulfonate displacements, and lactam cyclizations. A series of rigid scaffolds designed to mimic the conformations of dipeptides possessing serine, lysine, and glutamate residues has thus been synthesized by this new route for installing heteroatomic side-chain functional groups onto the indolizidin-2-one system.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) causes progressive cystic degeneration of the renal tubules, the nephrons, eventually severely compromising kidney function. ADPKD is incurable, with half of the patients eventually needing renal replacement. Treatments for ADPKD patients are limited and new effective therapeutics are needed. Melatonin, a central metabolic regulator conserved across all life kingdoms, exhibits oncostatic and oncoprotective activity and no detected toxicity. Here, we used the Bicaudal C (BicC) Drosophila model of polycystic kidney disease to test the cyst-reducing potential of melatonin. Significant cyst reduction was found in the renal (Malpighian) tubules upon melatonin administration and suggest mechanistic sophistication. Similar to vertebrate PKD, the BicC fly PKD model responds to the antiproliferative drugs rapamycin and mimics of the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac). Melatonin appears to be a new cyst-reducing molecule with attractive properties as a potential candidate for PKD treatment.