Synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of a stereoisomer library of the phytophthora mating hormone α1 and derived bis-Mosher esters.

Fluorous mixture synthesis provided all eight diastereomers of the phytophthora hormone α1 with the R configuration at C11 as individual samples after demixing and detagging. The library of all possible bis-Mosher esters (16) was then made by esterification. Complete sets of (1)H, (13)C, and (for the Mosher esters) (19)F NMR spectra were recorded, assigned, and compared with each other and with published spectra. Not all of the spectra are unique, and the (1)H NMR spectra of the Mosher esters provided the most information. The previous assignment of the natural sample as an "all-R" stereoisomer mixed with its 3S-epimer was confirmed.

A Photohormone for Light-Dependent Control of PPARα in Live Cells.

Photopharmacology enables the optical control of several biochemical processes using small-molecule photoswitches that exhibit different bioactivities in their cis- and trans-conformations. Such tool compounds allow for high spatiotemporal control of biological signaling, and the approach also holds promise for the development of drug molecules that can be locally activated to reduce target-mediated adverse effects. Herein, we present the expansion of the photopharmacological arsenal to two new members of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family, PPARα and PPARδ. We have developed a set of highly potent PPARα and PPARδ targeting photohormones derived from the weak pan-PPAR agonist GL479 that can be deactivated by light. The photohormone 6 selectively activated PPARα in its trans-conformation with high selectivity over the related PPAR subtypes and was used in live cells to switch PPARα activity on and off in a light- and time-dependent fashion.

Difluoromethyl analogs of the natural hormone 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3: Design, synthesis, and preliminary biological evaluation.

Three new Vitamin D analogs 3-5 incorporating a -CHF(2) group as an -OH surrogate have been prepared. Two of these new analogs (3 and 5) are strongly antiproliferative toward murine keratinocytes and are approximately 50 times less calciuric in vivo than the natural hormone calcitriol. The transcriptional activity of the 25-CHF(2) analog 3 is higher than that of the 1-CHF(2) analog 4.

A Scalable and Versatile Synthesis of Oxime-Based Hormone Dimers and Gels for Sustained Release.

Well-defined steroid hormone dimers and organogels were produced via a facile and scalable synthesis using oxime click chemistry. The versatile synthetic procedure extends to a wide range of hormones and linker groups exemplified here through the synthesis of cortisol- and progesterone-dimers linked via hydrophobic, hydrophilic or functional groups. This method was also extended to the synthesis of cortisone-based organogels. Owing to the dynamic nature of the oxime bond, the hormone-based materials are degradable via acidic hydrolysis and transoximination representing new materials for the controlled release of steroid hormones.

Synthesis and chemical reactions of the steroidal hormone 17α-methyltestosterone.

Structural modifications of natural products with complex structures like steroids require great synthetic effort. A review of literature is presented on the chemistry of the steroidal hormone 17α-methyltestosterone that is approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States as an androgen for estrogen-androgen hormone replacement therapy treatment. The analog also offers special possibilities for the prevention/treatment of hormone-sensitive cancers. The testosterone skeleton has important functionalities in the molecule that can act as a carbonyl component, an active methylene compound, α,ß-unsaturated enone and tertiary hydroxyl group in various chemical reactions to access stereoisomeric steroidal compounds with potent activity. In addition, microbiological methods of synthesis and transformation of this hormone are presented.

Selective thyromimetics: tissue-selective thyroid hormone analogs.

Thyroid hormone coordinates a diverse array of physiological events in development and homeostasis. Many of the actions of thyroid hormone are tissue-specific and are primarily mediated by a panel of thyroid hormone receptor isoforms that are expressed in different ratios in different tissues. Because these tissue-specific hormone signaling pathways are linked to a number of metabolic diseases, the development of synthetic thyroid hormone analogs that have tissue-selective hormone actions (i.e., selective thyromimetics) is highly desirable. There is a powerful collection of tools available today for this pursuit including efficient receptor binding and activation assays, receptor structures and a variety of thyroid hormone receptor knockout mice. The medicinal chemistry efforts in this area demonstrate that selective thyromimetics can be produced from a variety of approaches. These compounds are proving useful as probes to better define thyroid hormone actions and may one day find use in the clinic for the treatment of metabolic disorders.

Cyclic melanotropins. 5. Importance of the C-terminal tripeptide (Lys-Pro-Val).

In previous work we reported that [Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH (II) and Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-13-NH2 (III) were superpotent melanotropins. Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-10-NH2 (VI), which constitutes the cyclic analogue of the putative active site sequence -Met4-Glu5-His6-Phe7-Arg8-Trp9-Gly10- of alpha-MSH, was much less active. In the present investigation the contribution of the Lys11 and Pro12 residues of the C-terminal carboxamide tripeptide -Lys11-Pro12-Val13-NH2 to the potency of Cys4,Cys10 containing cyclic melanotropins was studied. Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-11-NH2 (V) was less potent than alpha-MSH in the frog and lizard skin bioassays and the mouse S-91 (Cloudman) melanoma adenylate cyclase assay but more potent than Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-10-NH2 in the three assays studied. Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-12-NH2 (IV) was considerably more potent than the cyclic 4-11 melanotropin and was, in fact, equipotent or even slightly more potent than [Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH and Ac-[Cys4,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-13-NH2 over the linear portion of the dose-response in all three bioassays. These results demonstrate that Lys11 and Pro12 but to a lesser extent Val13 of the C-terminal tripeptide sequence contributes to the potency of the cyclic melanotropins. The further substitution of a D-Phe7 for the L-Phe7 residue into the cyclic 4-12 analogue resulted in a highly potent compound Ac-[Cys4,D-Phe7,Cys10]-alpha-MSH4-12-NH2 (VII) that exhibited highly prolonged biological activity.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antagonists containing very hydrophobic amino acids.

In a continuation of our studies on the effects of hydrophobic substitutions in analogues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), we have synthesized LH-RH antagonists containing the very hydrophobic amino acid 3-(2-naphthyl)-D-alanine (D-Nal(2)). The D-Nal(2) substitution was found to be effective when incorporated in positions 3 and 6. The most potent analogue containing two D-Nal(2) residues was [N-Ac-Pro,D-pF-Phe,D-Nal(2)]LH-RH (ED50 = 2.2 micrograms, rat antiovulatory assay, propylene glycol-saline vehicle). This analogue also demonstrates that the N-Ac-Pro substitution is as effective as the more costly N-Ac-delta-Pro modification. Analogues containing D-Nal(2) in combination with the hydrophilic D-Arg residue in position 6 were prepared. Neither N-Ac-Pro at position 1 nor D-Nal(2) at position 3 was effective in combination with D-Arg. N-Ac-D-Nal(2) at position 1 gave a highly potent antagonist ([N-Ac-D-Nal(2),D-pF-Phe,D-Trp,D-Arg]LH-RH; ED50 = 2.4 micrograms) that exhibited a prolonged duration of action (ED50 = 9.0 micrograms, corn oil vehicle, dosing on diestrus II).

A new series of highly potent growth hormone-releasing peptides derived from ipamorelin.

A new series of GH secretagogues derived from ipamorelin is described. In an attempt to obtain oral bioavailability, by reducing the size and the number of potential hydrogen-bonding sites of the compounds, a strategy using the peptidomimetic fragment 3-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid and sequential backbone N-methylations was applied. Several compounds from this series release GH with high in vitro potency and efficacy in a rat pituitary cell assay and high in vivo potency and efficacy in anesthetized rats. The tetrapeptide NNC 26-0235 (3-(aminomethyl)benzoyl-D-2Nal-N-Me-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) shows, following iv administration, comparable in vivo potency to ipamorelin, GHRP-2, and GHRP-6 with an ED50 in swine at 2 nmol/kg. NNC 26-0235 demonstrated a 10% oral bioavailability in dogs, and NNC 26-0235 and ipamorelin were able to increase basal GH level by more than 10-fold after oral administration of a dose of 1.8 and 2.7 mg/kg, respectively. The tripeptide NNC 26-0323 (3-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid-N-Me-D-2Nal-N-Me-D-Phe-ol) which showed moderate in vitro potency but lacked in vivo potency demonstrated a 20% oral bioavailability in rats.

Novel orally active growth hormone secretagogues.

A novel class of growth hormone-releasing compounds with a molecular weight in the range from 500 to 650 has been discovered. The aim of this study was to obtain growth hormone secretagogues with oral bioavailability. By a rational approach we were able to reduce the size of the lead compound ipamorelin (4) and simultaneously to reduce hydrogen-bonding potential by incorporation of backbone isosters while retaining in vivo potency in swine. A rat pituitary assay was used for screening of all compounds and to evaluate which compounds should be tested further for in vivo potency in swine and oral bioavailability, fpo, in dogs. Most of the tested compounds had fpo in the range of 10-55%. In vivo potency in swine after iv dosing is reported, and ED50 was found to be 30 nmol/kg of body weight for the most potent compound.

3'-Acetyl-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine: a novel highly active thyromimetic with low receptor affinity.

The 4'-phenolic hydroxyl group of thyroid hormones plays an important role in receptor binding, and it has been suggested that the interaction of this hydroxyl group with the receptor involves hydrogen bonding via donation of the acidic hydrogen in a trans disposition to the 3'-substituent of the hormones. In order to test this hypothesis we have synthesised, and measured the hepatic receptor affinity and thyromimetic activity of 3'-acetyl-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (3'-Ac-T2), a compound in which the formation of such a receptor-phenol hydrogen bond is precluded by the presence of a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond between the 3'-acetyl- and 4'-hydroxyl groups. In confirmation of the hypothesis, 3'-Ac-T2 has a low affinity (0.5% of that of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine, T3) for the T3-receptor in isolated rat hepatic nuclei. By contrast the thyromimetic activity (assessed by its ability to induce rat hepatic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and increase the qO2 of liver slices) was roughly equal to that of T3. This apparent discrepancy was resolved when it was found that the capacity of 3'-Ac-T2 to occupy hepatic receptors after in vivo administration, was about 100 times greater than predicted from its in vitro affinity. The reason for this difference between in vivo and in vitro nuclear binding is unknown at the present time.

Conformational restrictions of biologically active peptides via amino acid side chain groups.

Determining the relationships between conformation and biological activity in peptide hormones and neurotransmitters is an important goal of contemporary biology. A major difficulty in these studies is the conformational flexibility of most peptides and the high dependence of the conformations on environment. The question arises whether conformations determined in solution are relevant to those important to the peptide at the membrane receptor(s). One recent approach to overcome these difficulties has been the use of conformational constraints by covalent bonding of side chain groups of residues in the peptide. In this manner linear peptides are rendered cyclic, and cyclic peptides are further conformationally constrained either by ring contractions or by other conformational constraints. Biologically active peptides specifically designed by this approach have been found to possess several useful properties including: 1) greater conformational integrity; 2) increased agonist or antagonist potency; 3) prolonged biological activity; 4) increased enzymatic stability; and 5) increased specificity for a particular receptor. Careful applications of this approach have provided important new designs features for peptide structure-function studies, and new insights into peptide conformation-activity relationships for oxytocin, somatostatin, enkephalin, bradykinin, vasopressin, and other biologically active peptides.

Multidimensional screening and design of pharmaceuticals by using endocrine pharmacophores.

A novel computational technology derived from gene structure has been developed for screening, selecting, and designing pharmaceutical candidates. Pharmacophores, or three-dimensional molecular blueprints, were created by docking known active structures into specific sites in partially unwound DNA. The pharmacophores are composites of the van der Waals surfaces and hydrogen bonding functional groups of active molecules. Once created, molecules can be inserted into the pharmacophores and degree of fit quantitated by the volume of the molecule that fits within the composite surface and the magnitude of electrostatic interactions with charged atoms on the pharmacophore. Here, we describe endocrine pharmacophores and in particular the estrogen pharmacophore derived by docking active ligands into partially unwound DNA. Fit of candidate structures into the estrogen pharmacophore correlated with estrogenic (uterotropic) activity. For example, the super active estrogens moxestrol and 11beta-acetoxyestradiol fit better within the site than estradiol. Bisphenol A, a putative endocrine disrupter with suspected estrogenic activity, was a poor fit in the pharmacophore. Consistent with this prediction, bisphenol A was recently shown to lack uterotropic activity. The capacity of the endocrine pharmacophores to predict certain nontarget activities was demonstrated by using the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate that did not fit the estrogen or thyroid pharmacophores but fit partially into the progestin and glucocorticoid pharmacophores. Cyproterone acetate has been reported to have weak progestational and glucocorticoid activities. The pharmacophores provide for the first time a multidimensional computational method that can simultaneously predict multiple activities of diverse molecular structures.

Growth hormone secretagogues derived from NN703 with hydrazidesas c-terminal.

A series of GH secretagogues based on modifications in the C-terminal of NN703 is reported. The C-terminal N-methyl amide of NN703 has been replaced with alkylated hydrazides in order to decrease the volume of distribution and identify GH secretagogues with shorter duration of action. Most of the prepared compounds show high potency in a rat pituitary assay. Subsequent to an initial in vivo screening in dogs, four compounds were selected for further pharmacological and pharmacokinetic evaluation. The four compounds showed oral bioavailability around 35% and equipotency in vitro compared to NN703. The relationship between lipophilicity and volume of distribution is discussed and it is speculated whether the lower volume of distribution is attributed to the observed higher in vivo potency and shorter plasma elimination half-life.

C-terminal amidated peptides: production by the in vitro enzymatic amidation of glycine-extended peptides and the importance of the amide to bioactivity.

Peptidylglycine alpha-amidating enzyme (alpha-AE) can be used in an in vitro reaction to convert C-terminal glycine-extended peptides to peptide hormones with a C-terminal amino acid amide. Structure-activity data for 45 bioactive peptides show that the C-terminal amide is required for the full biological activity of most amidated peptide hormones. These data emphasize the role alpha-AE can have in amidated peptide production.

Biologically active peptides and enzymatic approaches to their production.

This review briefly surveys various classes of biologically active and flavor peptides that have been isolated and characterized in recent years, and analyzes emerging trends and advances in biotechnological methods for their production.

Research on synthetic peptides of pharmaceutical interest at IDR.

Research on synthetic peptides at the Institute for Drug Research (IDR) is exemplified by an overview of the projects that resulted in significant results.

[Hormones and antihormones. The steroidal model]. / Hormones et antihormones le modèle stéroïdien.

Antiglucocorticoids despite very limited clinical application (in contrast with other antisteroids) are extensively studied, since the glucocorticoid receptor, present in numerous target cells, constitute a very convenient experimental model. Structure activity relationships of a series of 17 beta-carboxamide derivatives of dexamethasone are described. The affinity of these compounds for the glucocorticoid receptor depends on the nature of the 17 beta-side chain substituent. An effect is observed at a rather large distance from the steroid nucleus. Maximal affinity is obtained with aromatic substituents. Antiglucocorticoid activity seems to be correlated with a high dissociation rate constant of the steroid receptor complexes and probably exclude the existence of a very active antiglucocorticoid in these series. Dexamethasone 17 beta-carboxamide derivates share with all other antiglucocorticoids tested the same ability to stabilize a high molecular form of the receptor associated to HSP90, a heat shock protein, in intact cells.

[Overview on synthetic steroid hormone-chemistry and definition].

Synthetic steroids are reviewed in terms on "synthetic", "steroid" and hormone. Natural steroids are also synthesized but, are not included in this review, because "synthetic" is rather well defined by the term "not natural". A short history of development of "not natural" steroids are described for the better understanding. "Hormone" is defined more broad in this review. Finally, a classification of steroids under use are proposed. It should be stressed that some of the synthetic steroids are no more hormones and regarded as a foreign substance to the human.