We report the synthesis and biological activity of a series of analogues of the vasopressin antagonists [Pmp1,D-Tyr(Et)2,Val4]arginine-vasopressin (1) and [Pmp1,D-Tyr(Et)2,Val4,desGly9]arginine-vasopressin (2), where part or all of the tripeptide tail has been replaced by a simple alkyldiamine [NH(CH2)nNH2] or (aminoalkyl)guanidine [NH(CH2)nNHC(= NH)NH2] in order to examine the effects that variation of the length and orientation of the tripeptide tail have on renal vasopressin (V2) receptor antagonist activity. The results show that the entire tripeptide tail (Pro-Arg-Gly-NH2) can be replaced by an alkyldiamine or an (aminoalkyl)guanidine, compounds 15 and 16, respectively, indicating that there is no orientational requirement for the basic functional group coming off the cyclic hexapeptide ring. Also, there seems to be an "optimal" distance between the basic functional group and the hexapeptide ring since receptor affinity of the antagonists begins to fall off when the basic functional group is too close (compound 13) or extends too far (compounds 8-10) from the hexapeptide ring. These results suggest all that is necessary for retention of antagonist affinity and potency is a basic functional group, amine or guanidine, extended an optimal distance from the hexapeptide ring.
As part of a program to design potent antidiuretic vasopressin antagonists and to define the minimum effective pharmacophore requirements for vasopressin (VP) antagonist activity, we studied the importance of the C-terminal tripeptide of a previously reported peptide antagonist of arginine-vasopressin (AVP,1). The proline residue at position 7 in AVP is proposed to impart a conformational constraint to the peptide backbone that is essential for V2-receptor agonist activity. Since the structure-activity relationships for VP agonists and antagonists are different, we investigated the effect of proline on antagonist activity, by synthesizing analogue 3 lacking this residue. This analogue was found to retain a high degree of antidiuretic antagonist activity. Since deletion of the Gly residue at position 9 of the antagonist did not adversely affect VP antagonist potency, several vasopressin antagonist analogues (4-7 and 9) that lacked both the Pro and Gly residues were also studied. These, too, were found to block vasopressin V2-receptor activity. Our results indicate that neither the proline nor glycine residues are essential for antagonism of the V2 receptor.
7,8-Dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (SK&F 64139) is a potent inhibitor of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (IC50 = 10 muM) that may have therapeutic utility in man. A series of related compounds in which two 7,8-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline molecules have been bridged from nitrogen to nitrogen by an unbranched alkyl chain have been prepared and have demonstrated potent inhibitory properties (0.08 to 2 muM). In contrast simple substitution on the nitrogen of 7,8-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline with a variety of substituents gives compounds with greatly diminished inhibitory potencies (IC50 = 2 to greater than 100 muM) relative to SK&F 64139. Kinetic studies with a C6 analogue have shown that it is competitive with respect to phenylethanolamine and uncompetitive with respect to S-adenosylmethionine. The increased potency of some of the bis analogues relative to that seen with the tetrahydroisoquinolines having larger alkyl groups on nitrogen suggests that several of the bis compounds show supplemented or cooperative binding to the enzyme, presumably as a result of the second tetrahydroisoquinoline moiety.
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