Membrane association and activity of 15/16-membered peptide antibiotics: zervamicin IIB, ampullosporin A and antiamoebin I.

Permeabilization of the phospholipid membrane, induced by the antibiotic peptides zervamicin IIB (ZER), ampullosporin A (AMP) and antiamoebin I (ANT) was investigated in a vesicular model system. Membrane-perturbing properties of these 15/16 residue peptides were examined by measuring the K(+) transport across phosphatidyl choline (PC) membrane and by dissipation of the transmembrane potential. The membrane activities are found to decrease in the order ZER>AMP>>ANT, which correlates with the sequence of their binding affinities. To follow the insertion of the N-terminal Trp residue of ZER and AMP, the environmental sensitivity of its fluorescence was explored as well as the fluorescence quenching by water-soluble (iodide) and membrane-bound (5- and 16-doxyl stearic acids) quenchers. In contrast to AMP, the binding affinity of ZER as well as the depth of its Trp penetration is strongly influenced by the thickness of the membrane (diC(16:1)PC, diC(18:1)PC, C(16:0)/C(18:1)PC, diC(20:1)PC). In thin membranes, ZER shows a higher tendency to transmembrane alignment. In thick membranes, the in-plane surface association of these peptaibols results in a deeper insertion of the Trp residue of AMP which is in agreement with model calculations on the localization of both peptide molecules at the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface. The observed differences between the membrane affinities/activities of the studied peptaibols are discussed in relation to their hydrophobic and amphipathic properties.

Highly selective bradykinin agonists and antagonists with replacement of proline residues by N-methyl-D- and L-phenylalanine.

For further studies on the structural and conformational requirements of positions 2,3, and 7 in the bradykinin sequence, we replaced the proline residues by the more hydrophobic and conformationally restricted N-methyl-L- and D-phenylalanine (NMF). The biological activities of the new analogs were evaluated on rat uterus, guinea pig ileum, and guinea pig lung strip. Receptor binding of the analogs was studied in membranes from rat uterus and guinea pig ileum. Influence of bradykinin analogs on the release of cytokines from mouse spleen cell cultures was also measured. Bradykinin analogs were synthesized by the solid phase method, using Boc strategy on PAM or Merrifield resins. The best results in the formation of the N-methylamide bond were obtained with the coupling reagent PyBrop. In position 7 the substitution of D-Phe by D-NMF, retaining the configuration of the amino acid, converts bradykinin antagonists into agonists. The bradykinin analogs with D-NMF at position 7 gave the highest known tissue selectivity for rat uterus among agonists. [L-NMF(2)]bradykinin has moderate agonist activity on rat uterus but antagonist activity on guinea pig lung strip. It represents a new antagonist for B(2) receptors without any replacement at position 7. The same analog completely inhibits bradykinin-evoked cytokine expression by mononuclear cells.

Induction of histamine release from rat mast cells by bradykinin analogues.

Independently of their agonistic or antagonistic activity on different isolated tissue preparations, the kinin analogues investigated induce histamine release on rat peritoneal mast cells. The effectivity of most compounds is 10 to 100 times higher than that of bradykinin. Beside the positively charged amino acids, the elongation at the N-terminus with hydrophobic amino acids and the replacement of amino acids in the bradykinin sequence (especially at position 7) with aromatic residues is important for a high histamine-releasing activity.

Structure activity relationships for bradykinin antagonists on the inhibition of cytokine release and the release of histamine.

Highly potent bradykinin antagonists were found to inhibit bradykinin-induced release of cytokines but to stimulate histamine release. Both actions show structural requirements completely different from those for bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors, indicating that the release of some cytokines from spleen mononuclear cells and of histamine from rat mast cells is not mediated by these receptors. Most potent bradykinin antagonists release histamine at lower concentrations than does bradykinin itself. Dimers of bradykinin antagonists are the most potent compounds for histamine release. In contrast to enhanced histamine release, potent inhibition of cytokine release enhances the applicability of these compounds as anti-inflammatory drugs. Many of the peptides designed for high B2-receptor antagonism were found to be compared by their concentrations far more potent for inhibition of cytokine release than for smooth muscle contraction. Thus, for some antagonists inhibition of cytokine release was detected at concentrations as low as 10(-15) M. The rational design of peptide and nonpeptide bradykinin antagonists for therapeutic use requires not only knowledge about the potency but also knowledge about the structure-activity relationships of such important side effects as cytokine and histamine release.

Effects of bradykinin and bradykinin analogues on spleen cells of mice.

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of bradykinin and selected bradykinin analogues on mononuclear cells derived from mouse spleen. Bradykinin as well as des-Arg9-bradykinin, a bradykinin B1 receptor agonist, were able to induce the release of so-called charge-changing lymphokines, which could be identified as interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-2 and as interleukin-2 receptor. The cytokine release evoked by bradykinin and all analogues showed a bell-shaped dose dependence in a range of 10(-8) M to 10(-6) M and could be inhibited by the specific bradykinin receptor antagonist, D-Arg0[Hyp3,Thi5,D-Tic7,Oic8]bradykinin (HOE140), and by bradykinin analogues with N-methyl-phenylalanine at position 2 in concentrations as low as 10(-12) M and 10(-13) M, respectively. Obviously the N-terminus of bradykinin seems to be responsible for the interaction with the mononuclear cells concerning all peptides investigated.

Antagonist binding reveals two heterogenous B2 bradykinin receptors in rat myometrial membranes.

In rat myometrial membranes, two bradykinin binding sites with K1 values of 18 pM and 5.6 nM were identified. Three potent bradykinin antagonists were tested for their ability to compete for [3H]bradykinin binding. Two of them, D-Arg[Hyp3,Thi5.8,D-Phe7]bradykinin and [Hyp3,Thi5.8,D-Phe7]bradykinin, also bound to both the high- (KH) and the low-affinity (KL) site whereas [Thi5.8,D-Phe7]bradykinin identified only the low-affinity bradykinin receptor. There is a close correlation between the antagonistic potencies and the KL site affinities.

[On the mode of action of bradykinin on smooth muscle (author's transl)]. / Zum Wirkungsmechanismus von Bradykinin an glatten Muskeln.

At extremely low concentrations, in the picomole and the nanomole range, bradykinin produces contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle in the gastrointestinal and the urogenital tract. At the target organ, bradykinin interacts with discriminator proteins of the plasma membranes and triggers, via changes in certain membrane functions, its biological response:--The binding to the discriminator makes specific conformative and constitutional demands on the nonapeptide. The binding results from an angular conformation which exists in the solution. The complete sequence is responsible for this specific conformation. Consequently, the biological activity of partial sequences is low. The conformational analysis of analogues used in studies on the mechanism of action showed but slight differences from bradykinin. The interaction of these analogues with the discriminator protein is disturbed to a varying extent by modifications at positions 1, 5, 8 and 9 in the side chains. The affinity for the discriminator is affected, dependently on the respective configuration, by substitution on the beta-C atom in the two phenylalanine residues.--Bradykinin is not only bound to, but also degraded at, the plasma membranes of the rat uterus and duodenum. The bradykinin-degrading enzyme has been characterized as a kininase II with the aid of various inhibitors. The conformative and configurative prerequisites decisive for enzymatic degradation are others than those decisive for binding to the discriminator.--The changes in the activities of the membrane-bound adenylate and guanylate cyclases (produced by the bradykinin-discriminator complex) that take place at the rat duodenum and uterus in the presence of extracellular calcium ions contrast with each other: At the duodenum, the ratio between these two cyclic nucleotides is changed in favour of adenylate cyclase; and at the uterus, in favour of guanylate cyclase; Substances which increase or decrease the cAMP level may also potentiate or inhibit the relaxation of the duodenum. These bradykinin-induced changes in enzyme activity must be considered in connection with other effectors, e.g. prostaglandins and calcium ions.--The calcium-ion-dependence of the effect of bradykinin on the guinea-pig ileum and the rat uterus indicates the importance of these ions as additional second messengers. Bradykinin stimulates the influx of calcium ions into the ileum; it is ineffective if no extracellular calcium ions into the ileum; it is ineffective if no extracellular calcium ions are available. It seems that intracellular and membranal calcium is mobilized in the uterus, which is evidenced by results from experiments with EGTA on the isolated organ and by the release of calcium from plasma membranes after application of bradykinin. It is assumed that the observed changes in membrane functions are induced by the peptide-discriminator complex simultaneously and not in the form of a causal chain.

[Peptide inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system. 2. Polymer-bound tri-, penta- and nonapeptide inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme]. / Peptidinhibitoren des Renin-Angiotensin-Systems. 2. Mitteilung: Polymergebundene Tri-, Penta- und Nonapeptid-Inhibitoren des Angiotensin-Coverting-Enzyms.

Inhibitors of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1) are important in the treatment of the high blood pressure. The therapeutically used drugs captopril, enalapril and ramipril are enzymatic stable short pseudo-peptides. They are stabilized against enzymatic degradation and therefore usefully for oral application. But for some indications e.g. post operative treatment and shock therapy well dosed infusions are needed. For this purpose we attached nona-, penta- and tripeptide inhibitors of the ACE to immunologically inert dextran polymers. The inhibitors are derived as well from the bradykinin potentiating nonapeptide BPP9 alpha (Pyr-Trp-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gln-Ile-Pro-Pro) and the bradykinin potentiating pentapeptide BPP5 alpha (Pyr-Lys-Trp-Ala-Pro), both originally isolated from snake venoms, as from acylated tripeptides with the structure Acyl-AA1-Arg-Pro. We estimated the influence on the biological activity of two different linkers to the dextran polymers. The coupling to the polymer was achieved on the one hand via the aldehyd moiety (DAD-AK) and on the other hand by the carboxyl residue (KMD). In the case of DAD-AK-polymers the condensation of the peptides was performed by the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of the polymer. Because of the instability of the KMD-OSU in this case water soluble carbodiimides are used. The polymer bound peptides inhibit the isolated ACE, but in the most cases with a reduced activity. Only the tripeptide DPhe-Arg-Pro has a enhanced activity in the polymer bound state. The polymer bound inhibitors show a prolongated action on normotensive rats by intravenous application.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Synthesis and effect of affinity-labeled analogs and partial sequences of the bradykinin potentiating nonapeptide BPP9 alpha (teprotide)]. / Synthese und Wirkung affinitätsmarkierter Analoga und Partialsequenzen des Bradykinin potenzierenden Nonapeptides BPP9 alpha (Teprotide).

Affinity labeled analogues and partial sequences of the bradykinin potentiating nonapeptide BPP9 alpha inhibit the BPP9 alpha induced potentiation of the bradykinin action on the isolated guinea pig ileum. The labeled nonapeptides are more active than the labeled partial sequences. The inhibition of the potentiating action of BPP9 alpha demonstrates, that the influence on bradykinin action is not only a result of the inhibition of peptidyl dipeptide hydrolase.

[Synthesis and analysis of conformationally restricted analogs of peptide inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme]. / Sintez i issledovanie konformatsionno ogranichennykh analogov peptidnykh ingibitorov angiotenzinprevrashchaiushchego fermenta.

To investigate conformations of peptide inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme in the enzyme-inhibitor complex, the synthesis, studies of inhibitory activity, and conformational calculations of analogues of bradykinin-potentiating peptides with N-methylalanine or D-alanine in place of L-proline or L-alanine residues have been carried out. All the analogues showed a sharp decrease of inhibitory activity in comparison with the natural peptides, that might be considered as an indirect confirmation of the earlier proposed "conformation of inhibition" of the above-mentioned peptides.

Bradykinin inhibits rat myometrial adenylate cyclase activity via a high-affinity receptor.

Bradykinin (BK) which contracts the rat uterus inhibited at subnanomolar concentrations rat myometrial adenylate cyclase stimulated by NaF or guanyl nucleotides by about 40%. The effect was maximal at about 10 to 100 pM. At a higher concentration (100 nM), bradykinin was ineffective. Together with recently presented results these data suggest that in rat myometrium the adenylate cyclase may be coupled by a G12/G13-type G-protein to a high-affinity BK receptor.

Bradykinin action in the rat duodenum: influence of a duodenum contracting bradykinin partial sequence on the cAMP level.

A modified bradykinin partial sequence (PP) contracts the isolated rat duodenum, inhibits the adenylate cyclase activity and decreases the cAMP level. These effects are dependent on the presence of free Ca++. The PP acts in contrast to bradykinin itself, which relaxes the rat duodenum and stimulates adenylate cyclase. The results further support the involvement of both cAMP and Ca++ in bradykinin action on rat duodenum smooth muscle.

Hydrolysis of peptide esters by different enzymes.

The combined use in peptide synthesis of the Fmoc-group with methyl, benzyl or p-nitro benzyl esters is not practical because of the elimination of the Fmoc-group under basic conditions and by catalytic hydrogenation. Nevertheless the solution synthesis of peptides requires those combinations in some cases. For this purpose we have investigated enzymatic hydrolysis of some tri and tetrapeptide esters. The hydrolysis were carried out under pH-control. We measured deprotection of the carboxyl group by thermitase, porcine liver esterase, carboxypeptidase A and alpha-chymotrypsin. The main problems are to suppress proteolytic degradation of the peptide bond and to bring the protected peptides into solution. To solve both problems we used dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide as cosolvents. The ratios between esterolytic and proteolytic activity were estimated under various cosolvent concentrations. Advantages of this method are to avoid side reactions of alkaline instable side chains (e.g. asparagine, glutamine), cleavage of base labile protecting groups and racemization by alkaline saponification. The enzymatic deprotection was followed by HPLC, HPTLC and titration. On a preparative scale this method gives good yields and sufficiently pure products.

[Calcium-dependence of bradykinin-induced contraction in the isolated longitudinal muscle of the guinea pig ileum]. / Befunde zur Kalziumabhängigkeit der Bradykininwirkung am isolierten Längsmuskel des M-erschweinchenileums

The calcium-dependence of the bradykinin-induced contraction was demonstrated on the isolated logitudinal smooth muscle of the guinea-pig ileum. Using the "La-method" for measuring 45Ca entry into smooth muscle cells we were able to show, that bradykinin significantly increases the intracellular Ca-concentration. This effect of bradykinin was dose-dependent.

Bradykinin action in the rat duodenum: Ca2(+)-dependent effects of bradykinin on the activity of particulate guanylate cyclase.

The nonapeptide bradykinin has been found to exert opposite effects on cGMP synthesis in a plasma membrane fraction from the rat duodenum. In the absence of exogenous Ca2+ BK increased the activity of the duodenal particulate guanylate cyclase which is decreased, in contrast, in a medium containing 1 mM exogenous Ca2+. In a Ca2(+)-free medium, on the other hand, both BK effects are completely prevented. The results suggest a presumable role of pGC in BK signal transmission in the rat duodenum with calcium ions as a mediator and/or essential cofactor.

[The effect of potentiating factors on the bradykinine effect in vitro]. / Der Einfluss potenzierender Faktoren (BPF) auf die Bradykininwirkung in vitro

Bradykinin potentiating factors from the venom of Bothrops jajaraca and Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii potentiate the action of bradykinin at several smooth muscles. This potentiation is specific for bradykinin and has to be distinguished from an unspecific potentiation. The potentiation induced by BPF is not due to an indirect cholinergic mechanism or to a kininase inhibition in vitro. The results suggest that there would be an allosteric transition of the bradykinin receptor.

Conformational properties of a cyclic peptide bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist using experimental and theoretical methods.

The solution conformation of the cyclic peptide J324 (cyclo0,6-[Lys0,Glu6,D-Phe7]BK), an antagonist targeted at the bradykinin (BK) B2 receptor, has been investigated using experimental and theoretical methods. In order to gain insight into the structural requirements essential for BK antagonism, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using simulated annealing as the sampling protocol. Following a free MD simulation we performed simulations using nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) distance constraints determined by NMR experiments. The low-energy structures obtained were compared with each other, grouped into families and analyzed with respect to the presence of secondary structural elements in their backbone. We also introduced new ways of plotting structural data for a more comprehensive analysis of large conformational sets. Finally, the relationship between characteristic backbone conformations and the spatial arrangement of specific pharmacophore centers was investigated.

[Studies on bradykinin-binding cell fractions. 1. Characterization of kininase activity of the microsomal and membrane fraction from the rat uterus]. / Untersuchungen an bradykininbindenden Zellfraktionen 1. Charakterisierung der Kininaseaktivität der Mikrosomen- und Membrankraktion aus dem Rattenuterus

In the membrane fraction of rat uterus, kinin-destroying activity was found and characterized as kininase II by means of several kininase inhibitors. It could be shown that sudies of bradykinin-receptor interactions requires the use of kininase inhibitors like phenanthroline or the use of a stable bradykinin analogue like [8-erythro-alpha-amino-beta-phenylbutyric acid]-bradykinin.