Structure-activity relationships of novel vasopressin antagonists containing C-terminal diaminoalkanes and (aminoalkyl)guanidines.

We report the synthesis and biological activity of a series of analogues of the vasopressin antagonists [Pmp1,D-Tyr(Et)2,Val4]arginine-vasopressin (1) and [Pmp1,D-Tyr(Et)2,Val4,desGly9]arginine-vasopressin (2), where part or all of the tripeptide tail has been replaced by a simple alkyldiamine [NH(CH2)nNH2] or (aminoalkyl)guanidine [NH(CH2)nNHC(= NH)NH2] in order to examine the effects that variation of the length and orientation of the tripeptide tail have on renal vasopressin (V2) receptor antagonist activity. The results show that the entire tripeptide tail (Pro-Arg-Gly-NH2) can be replaced by an alkyldiamine or an (aminoalkyl)guanidine, compounds 15 and 16, respectively, indicating that there is no orientational requirement for the basic functional group coming off the cyclic hexapeptide ring. Also, there seems to be an "optimal" distance between the basic functional group and the hexapeptide ring since receptor affinity of the antagonists begins to fall off when the basic functional group is too close (compound 13) or extends too far (compounds 8-10) from the hexapeptide ring. These results suggest all that is necessary for retention of antagonist affinity and potency is a basic functional group, amine or guanidine, extended an optimal distance from the hexapeptide ring.

Induction of functional beta-adrenergic receptors in rat aortic smooth muscle cells by sodium butyrate.

Rat aortic smooth muscle cells in culture (A-10; ATCC CRL 1476) exhibited low levels of beta-adrenergic receptors as determined by specific binding of [125I]cyanopindolol ([125I]CYP) and marginal stimulation of adenylate cyclase in plasma membranes by (-)isoproterenol. When these cells were exposed to 5 mM sodium butyrate, the number of beta-adrenergic receptors and the beta-agonist-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity increased markedly. However, basal, GTP, Gpp(NH)p, and fluoride-stimulated activities did not change. The induction of beta-adrenergic receptors and beta-agonist stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was time- and dose-dependent, and was relatively specific for sodium butyrate. Propionate and valerate were less effective than butyrate, while isobutyrate, succinate, and malonate were ineffective. The induction involved RNA and protein synthesis because induction was prevented by treatment with cycloheximide, puromycin, and actinomycin D. Butyrate did not cause a general increase in cell surface receptors, because the number of vasopressin receptors did not change. The sustained presence of butyrate appeared to be necessary for the maintenance of the induced beta-receptors. When butyrate was removed, receptor number and beta-agonist-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity were decreased by 90% over 24 hr. We conclude that the poor response of rat aortic smooth muscle cell plasma membranes to beta-adrenergic agonists is due to the presence of a low number of beta-adrenergic receptors. Butyrate markedly increased the number of beta-receptors which resulted in a proportional increase in beta-agonist-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. The increase in receptor number was dependent on RNA and protein synthesis. Butyrate treatment did not affect the activity of the cyclase unit and the efficiency of coupling between the receptors and the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein, Ns.

Characterization of ascorbic acid transport by adrenomedullary chromaffin cells. Evidence for Na+-dependent co-transport.

Ascorbic acid transport by bovine adrenomedullary chromaffin cells in primary cultures has been characterized. Ascorbic acid uptake can be measured by either high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection or radiometric techniques with L-[1-14C]ascorbic acid. The transport system is temperature- and energy-dependent and exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km of 29 microM when the external Na+ concentration is 150 mM. Uptake of ascorbate by chromaffin cells is ouabain-sensitive and dependent on the presence of external Na+. Ascorbate transport by chromaffin cells is, thus, an active process driven by the Na+ electrochemical gradient. The kinetics of this co-transport system fits an "affinity type" model where binding of Na+ to the carrier increases the affinity to ascorbate and vice versa. Thus, the data suggest that binding of either Na+ or ascorbate induces a conformational change in the transporter, which results in a change in the association constant for the second ligand while the mobility of the carrier remains unchanged. Cellular uptake of ascorbate into adrenomedullary chromaffin cells appears to be followed by its distribution into several subcellular compartments. One subcellular compartment for concentration of ascorbate is the chromaffin vesicle where it accumulates at a relatively slow rate. The interrelationships between ascorbate transport and other aspects of ascorbate metabolism and chromaffin vesicle function and dopamine beta-hydroxylation are also considered.

Antidiuretic hormone antagonists and aquaresis in dogs: different vasopressin sensitivity and antagonist potency in renal cortex and papilla.

To understand the molecular mechanism of action of the novel class of diuretic agents, the antidiuretic hormone antagonists ["aquaretics" (specific water-losing activity as caused by vasopressin antagonists, as distinguished from the saluresis of conventional diuretics)], in the dog studies were made of the properties of the vasopressin-responsive adenylate cyclase system and the antagonist potencies of the vasopressin analogs [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid), 2-(O-ethyl)tyrosine,4-valine,8-arginine]vasopressin; [1-(beta-mercapto-beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid), 2-D-phenylalanine,4-valine,8-arginine]vasopressin; and [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopenta-methylenepropionic acid), 2-D-(O-ethyl)tyrosine,4-valine,8-arginine]vasopressin (SK&F 100398, 101071 and 101498, respectively) using plasma membranes prepared from cortex, medulla and papilla of dog kidney. It was observed that the greatest sensitivity for vasopressin was in the papilla (concentration of 8-arginine vasopressin required for 50% activation of adenylate cyclase [Kact] was 2.0 X 10(-9)M, 1.1 X 10(-9)M and 5.1 X 10(-10) M in the cortex, medulla and papilla, respectively). The addition of 10(-5)M GTP did not alter the Kact of the cortex but enhanced 10-fold the vasopressin sensitivity of the papilla to 5.2 X 10(-11) M. The vasopressin analogs were competitive antagonists of vasopressin-stimulated adenylate cyclase of cortex and papilla with the greatest potency for the papillary enzyme (Ki in papilla was 3.6 X 10(-9)M, 4.6 X 10(-9)M and 1.0 X 10(-9)M for SK&F 100398, 101071 and 101498, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)