Multitarget µ-Opioid Receptor Agonists─Neuropeptide FF Receptor Antagonists Induce Potent Antinociception with Reduced Adverse Side Effects.

The design of bifunctional compounds is a promising approach toward the development of strong analgesics with reduced side effects. We here report the optimization of the previously published lead peptide KGFF09, which contains opioid receptor agonist and neuropeptide FF receptor antagonist pharmacophores and is shown to induce potent antinociception and reduced side effects. We evaluated the novel hybrid peptides for their in vitro activity at MOP, NPFFR1, and NPFFR2 and selected four of them (DP08/14/32/50) for assessment of their acute antinociceptive activity in mice. We further selected DP32 and DP50 and observed that their antinociceptive activity is mostly peripherally mediated; they produced no respiratory depression, no hyperalgesia, significantly less tolerance, and strongly attenuated withdrawal syndrome, as compared to morphine and the recently FDA-approved TRV130. Overall, these data suggest that MOP agonist/NPFF receptor antagonist hybrids might represent an interesting strategy to develop novel analgesics with reduced side effects.

Preparation of N-Substituted N-Arylsulfonylglycines and Their Use in Peptoid Synthesis.

To increase the chemical diversity accessible with peptoids and peptide-peptoid hybrids, N-alkylated arylsulfonamides were used to prepare side chain protected N-substituted glycines compatible with solid-phase synthesis. The described procedures give access to peptoid monomers bearing a wide variety of functional groups from commercially available amines in four straightforward steps. The prepared N-substituted N-arylsulfonylglycines were used as monomers in solid-phase synthesis to introduce relevant functionalized side chains into peptoid oligomers and peptide-peptoid hybrids.