High Affinity Agonists of the Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y4 Receptor Derived from the C-Terminal Pentapeptide of Human Pancreatic Polypeptide (hPP): Synthesis, Stereochemical Discrimination, and Radiolabeling

J Med Chem. 2016 Jul 14;59(13):6045-58. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00309. Epub 2016 Jun 22.

Abstract

The diastereomeric mixture of d/l-2,7-diaminooctanedioyl-bis(YRLRY-NH2) (BVD-74D, 2) was described in the literature as a high affinity Y4 receptor agonist. Here we report on the synthesis and pharmacological characterization of the pure diastereomers (2R,7R)- and (2S,7S)-2 and a series of homo- and heterodimeric analogues in which octanedioic acid was used as an achiral linker. To investigate the role of the Arg residues, one or two arginines were replaced by Ala. Moreover, N(ω)-(6-aminohexylaminocarbonyl)Arg was introduced as an arginine replacement (17). (2R,7R)-2 was superior to (2S,7S)-2 in binding and functional cellular assays and equipotent with 17. [(3)H]Propionylation of one amino group in the linker of (2R,7R)-2 or at the primary amino group in 17 resulted in high affinity Y4R radioligands ([(3)H]-(2R,7R)-10, [(3)H]18) with subnanomolar Kd values.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • CHO Cells
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cricetulus
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Pancreatic Polypeptide / chemical synthesis
  • Pancreatic Polypeptide / chemistry*
  • Pancreatic Polypeptide / pharmacology*
  • Protein Precursors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Precursors / chemistry*
  • Protein Precursors / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / agonists*
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / metabolism
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • PPY protein, human
  • Protein Precursors
  • Receptors, Neuropeptide Y
  • neuropeptide Y4 receptor
  • Pancreatic Polypeptide