Structure determination and by-product profile of the NK(2) receptor antagonist nepadutant, a bicyclic glycopeptide.

We have synthesized and fully characterized the NK(2) receptor antagonist nepadutant and its by-products using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and restrained molecular dynamics. The agent consists of an active bicyclic hexapeptide combined with a sugar residue. Analysis of the high-performance liquid chromatogram and the mass spectroscopy spectra yields traces of three by-products with the same molecular weight as the main product. The conformation of the molecules in the bicyclic hexapeptide segment, the active region, is well defined, whereas the sugar moiety is disordered. For the peptide region of nepadutant and all of its by-products, the NMR observables can be described by a single backbone conformation, more specifically a betaI, betaII-turn arrangement. The active dipeptide unit Trp-Phe occupies the i+1 and i+2 position of a betaI-turn. The by-product profile is characterized by different forms of sugars which are caused mainly by isomerization in the process of ring opening.

Comparison of proline and N-methylnorleucine induced conformational equilibria in cyclic pentapeptides.

The cyclic, imido acid containing pentapeptides cyclo(Asp-Trp-(NMe)Nle-Asp-Phe) (cpp[NMeNle(3)]) and cyclo(Asp-Trp-Pro-Asp-Phe) (cpp[Pro(3)]) have been investigated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in DMSO and by restrained molecular dynamics methods. The spectra indicate the existence of at least four cis/trans isomers for cpp[NMeNle(3)] and two cis/trans isomers for cpp[Pro(3)]. In addition to the imido peptide bonds, cpp[NMeNle(3)] shows cis/trans isomerization of the Asp4-Phe5 and Phe5-Asp1 peptide bonds whereas only the Phe5-Asp1 peptide bond isomerizes in the Pro-containing peptide. In cpp[Pro(3)] all cis bonds are centred in betaVIb turns. Also, cpp[NMeNle(3)] prefers backbone angles around the cis bonds which are rather similar to the angles of a betaVIb turn. The higher number of cis/trans isomers and slight deviations in the backbone angles of comparable isomers of both peptides are caused by an enhanced flexibility of cpp[NMeNle(3)] due to the possibility of the phi-(NMe)Nle rotation.

Novel disulfide-constrained pentapeptides as models for beta-VIa turns in proteins.

The conformational behavior of cyclic peptides of the amino acid sequence Cys-Phe/Ala-Pro-Ala-Cys has been investigated through the combined use of molecular simulation methods and NMR experiments to find models for beta-VIa turns of proteins. Both oxidized (cyclic) peptides and reduced (linear) forms were investigated. At least 95% of the cyclic peptides show a cis conformation of the Xaa-Pro bond in solution in DMSO or water, whereas all other peptide bonds are trans. Furthermore, we observed a hydrogen bond between the NH group of residue Ala4 and the C = O group of residue Cys1. Both properties are indicative of beta-VIa turns. After reduction of the disulfide bridge, the all-trans form of the peptide bonds predominates.

Mimicry of beta II'-turns of proteins in cyclic pentapeptides with one and without D-amino acids.

The solution structure of eight cyclic pentapeptides has been determined by two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy combined with spectra simulations and restrained molecular dynamic simulations. Six of the cyclic pentapeptides were derived from the C-terminal cholecystokinin fragment CCK-4 enlarged with Asp1 resulting in the sequence (Asp-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe), one L-amino acid after the other was substituted by its D-analog. In addition, two peptides, including an all-L-amino-acid-containing cyclic pentapeptide, cyclo(Asp-Phe-Lys-Ala-Thr) and cyclo(Asp-Phe-Lys-Ala-D-Thr) were investigated. All D-amino-acid-containing peptides show beta II'-turn conformations with the D-amino acid in the i + 1 position, excepting the D-aspartic-acid-containing peptides. These two peptides are characterized by the lack of beta-turns at pH values less than 4, suggesting that D-aspartic acid in the full-protonized state avoids the formation of beta-turns in these compounds. At pH values greater than 5, a conformational change into the beta II'-turn conformation was also observed for these peptides. Conformations without beta-turns are expected for cyclic all-L pentapeptides, but both cyclo(Asp-Phe-Lys-Ala-Thr) and the D-Thr analog cyclo(Asp-Phe-Lys-Ala-D-Thr) exhibit beta II'-turn conformations around Thr-Asp and D-Thr-Asp. Thus cyclic all-L pentapeptides and those with one D-amino acid are able to form similar structures preferably with a beta II'-turn. The beta-turn formation in cyclic pentapeptides containing a D-aspartic acid is dependent on the ionization state. The relevance of the work to the design of beta'-turn mimetics is discussed.

Cyclic cholecystokinin-analog pentapeptide cyclo (Asp-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe): an unexpected solution conformation.

The conformational analysis of the CCK-B binding peptide cyclo (Asp-Trp-Met-Asp-Phe) has been carried out in DMSO-d6 and in a mixture of H2O/DMSO-d6 by NMR spectroscopy and by restrained molecular dynamics methods. In the NMR spectra, only one set of resonance signals was found. The NOE analyses proved the existence of an all-trans conformation for this peptide. Distance constraints of 1H pairs derived from NOE data were used for restrained molecular dynamics simulations, resulting in one conformational family with a very regular orientation of the amino acids and similar dihedral angles for each residue. The dihedrals and the absence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond indicate that there is no common turn formation in the peptide backbone. A submicromolar binding constant for CCK-B receptors point to a similarity with the bioactive conformation.

Temperature coefficients of amide proton NMR resonance frequencies in trifluoroethanol: a monitor of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in helical peptides.

2D 1H NMR spectroscopy of two alpha-helical peptides which differ in their amphipathicity has been used to investigate the relationships between amide-proton chemical shifts, amide-proton exchange rates, temperature, and trifluoroethanol (TFE) concentration. In 50% TFE, in which the peptides are maximally helical, the amide-proton chemical shift and temperature coefficient patterns are very similar to each other in each peptide. Temperature coefficients from -10 to -6 ppb/K, usually indicative of the lack of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, were observed even for hydrophobic amino acids in the center of the alpha-helices. However, slow hydrogen isotope exchange for residues from 4 to 16 in both 18-mer helices indicates intact intramolecular hydrogen bonds over most of the length of these peptides. Based on these anomalous observations, we suggest that the pattern of amide-proton shifts in alpha-helices in H20/TFE solvents is dominated by bifurcated intermolecular hydrogen-bond formation between the backbone carbonyl groups and TFE. The amide-proton chemical shift changes with increasing temperature may be interpreted by a disruption of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between carbonyl groups and the TFE in TFE/water rather than by the length of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in alpha-helices.