Synthesis and pharmacological activity of deltorphin and dermorphin-related glycopeptides

J Med Chem. 1997 Aug 29;40(18):2948-52. doi: 10.1021/jm970119r.

Abstract

The solid phase procedure, based on the Fmoc chemistry, was used to prepare some opioid deltorphin (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Asp-Val-Val-Gly-NH2, DEL C) and dermorphin (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2, DER) analogues in which a D-glucopyranosyl moiety is beta-O-glycosidically linked to a Thr4 or Thr7 side chain. Their activities were determined in binding studies based on displacement of mu- and delta-receptor selective radiolabels from rat brain membrane synaptosomes, in guinea pig ileum and rabbit jejenum bioassays, and, in vivo, by a mouse tail-flick test after intracerebroventricular (icv) and subcutaneous (sc) administrations. The glyco analogues modified at position 4 displayed low opioid properties, while Thr7-glycosylated peptides retained high delta- or mu-selectivity and remarkable activity in vivo. In particular, as systemic antinociceptive agents, the latter glucoside-bearing compounds were more potent than the parent unglycosylated peptide counterparts, showing a high blood to brain rate of influx which may be due to the glucose transporter GLUT-1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Analgesics, Opioid / chemical synthesis*
  • Analgesics, Opioid / chemistry
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-
  • Enkephalins / metabolism
  • Glycopeptides / chemical synthesis*
  • Glycopeptides / chemistry
  • Glycopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Ileum
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Jejunum
  • Kinetics
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Muscle Contraction / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth / physiology
  • Oligopeptides / chemical synthesis
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Pain
  • Rabbits
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Opioid / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Enkephalins
  • Glycopeptides
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Oligopeptides
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Receptors, Opioid
  • Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-
  • deltorphin
  • dermorphin