On-resin Cyclization Research Articles

Solid-Phase Syntheses of Loloatins A−C

The cyclic decapeptides Loloatin A (cyclic L-valyl-L-ornithyl-L-leucyl-D-tyrosyl-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl-D-phenylalanyl-L-asparaginyl-L-aspartyl-L-tyrosyl), loloatin B (cyclic L-valyl-Lornithyl-L-leucyl-D-tyrosyl-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl-Dphenylalanyl-L-asparaginyl-L-aspartyl-L-trytophanyl) and loloatin C (cyclic L-valyl-L-ornithyl-L-leucyl-D-tyrosyl-L-prolylL-tryptophanyl-D-phenylalanyl-L-asparaginyl-L-aspartyl-Ltryptophanyl) have been synthesized by Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis, commencing with Asp linked to polystyrene RAM resin through its side chain, and by on-resin cyclization of the linear decapeptide through Asp and Asn, followed by cleavage of Asp from the resin. Through the use of a unique combination of DMF/dichloroethane solvent mixture in the coupling steps, and careful monitoring of both coupling and Fmoc deprotection steps, the final cyclic peptides were obtained in overall yields of 31−37%. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002)

Human somatostatin receptor specificity of backbone-cyclic analogues containing novel sulfur building units.

Somatostatin-14 (somatostatin) and its clinically available analogues octreotide, lanreotide, and vapreotide are potent inhibitors of growth hormone, insulin, and glucagon release. Recently, a novel backbone cyclic somatostatin analogue c(GABA-Phe-Trp-(D)Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe-GlyC3-NH(2)) (analogue 1, PTR 3173) that possesses in vivo endocrine selectivity was described. This long-acting octapeptide exhibits high affinity to human recombinant somatostatin receptors (hsst) hsst2, hsst4, and hsst5. Its novel binding profile resulted in potent in vivo inhibition of growth hormone but not of insulin release. We report the synthesis, bioactivity, and structure-activity relationship studies of compounds related to 1. In these analogues, the lactam bridge of 1 was replaced by a backbone disulfide bridge. We present a novel approach for conformational constraint of peptides by utilizing sulfur-containing building units for on-resin backbone cyclization. These disulfide backbone cyclic analogues of 1 showed significant metabolic stability as tested in various enzyme mixtures. Receptor binding assays revealed different receptor selectivity profiles for these analogues in comparison to their prototype. It was found that analogues of 1, bearing a disulfide bridge, had increased selectivity to hsst2 and hsst5; however, they exhibited weaker affinity to hsst4 as compared to 1. These studies imply that ring chemistry, ring size, and ring position of the peptide template may affect the receptor binding selectivity.

Solid-phase synthesis of c(RGDfK) derivatives: on-resin cyclisation and lysine functionalisation

The cyclic pentapeptide c(RGDfK), a selective ligand for the α vβ 3 integrin, was synthesised on solid phase. All synthetic operations including the cyclisation step and the appendage of the Bolton–Hunter reagent was conducted on-resin.

Mass spectrometry analysis for the determination of side reactions for cyclic peptides prepared from an Fmoc/t}Bu/Dmab protecting group strategy

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) Peptide Synthesis Research Group (PSRG) proposed for their annual study that laboratory members prepare cyclo(Tyr-Glu-Ala-Ala-Arg-DPhe-Pro-Glu-Asp-Asn) according to the following synthetic pathway: (i) side-chain anchoring Fmoc-Asp(OH)-ODmab to a Rink amide resin; (ii) linear assembly; (iii) Dmab and Fmoc removal, respectively; (iv) on-resin cyclization with an uronium-based coupling reagent; (v) final cleavage/deprotection with TFA. Based upon this protocol, a variety of side-products were identified:(i) N-terminal guanidine formation; (ii) C-terminal piperidyl amide formation; and (iii) a novel C-terminal benzyl amide-guanidine derivative that formed due to a chemical reaction between the Dmab protecting group and the uronium-based coupling agent. The elemental composition and subsequent structure determination of this unexpected derivative was established by tandem mass spectrometry, i.e. low energy collision-induced dissociation experiments with fragment mass determination within 5 ppm.

A Backbone Linker for BOC-Based Peptide Synthesis and On-Resin Cyclization: Synthesis of Stylostatin 1(,).

We have developed a new 4-alkoxybenzyl-derived linker that anchors the C-terminal amino acid to the resin through the alpha-nitrogen atom. The linker allows BOC solid-phase peptide assembly and peptide cleavage using standard HF protocols. This linking strategy provides a versatile on-resin route to cyclic peptides and avoids the diketopiperazine formation that is prominent when using FMOC chemistry on backbone linkers. The linker was prepared by forming the aryl ether from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and bromovaleric acid. Subsequent reductive amination of the aldehyde with an allyl-protected amino acid ester and acylation of the resulting secondary amine provided the tertiary amide. After linking the amide to the resin, standard BOC SPPS, followed by allyl deprotection, cyclization, and HF cleavage gave cyclic peptides in high purity. To exemplify the strategy, the cytotoxic heptapeptide, stylostatin 1, was synthesized from two linear precursors. For comparison purposes, the yields of the on-resin and solution-phase cyclization were determined and found to be dependent upon the linear precursor. This linker technology provides new solid-phase avenues in accessing libraries of cyclic peptides.

Solid-phase synthesis and on-resin cyclization of a disulfide bond peptide and lactam analogues corresponding to the major antigenic site of HIV gp41 protein.

A cyclic peptide that spans the major antigenic determinant of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) glycoprotein 41 (gp41) has been synthesized according to various strategies. For immunodiagnostic applications, biotin was added at the N-terminus of the peptide and aminohexanoic acid was used as a spacer. Polymer-supported oxidations were carried out in a variety of ways with thallium (III) trifluoroacetate. The biotinylcyclic peptide was released from the support using trimethylsilyl trifluoromethane sulfonate and various scavengers. The efficacy of these different cyclization and cleavage procedures was compared. Side reactions were studied, and a simple and efficient procedure was set up to monitor peptide cyclization by mass spectrometry. In a second series of syntheses the disulfide bridge was replaced by an amide bond. For this purpose, an aspartic acid derivative and a diaminopropionic acid were introduced during the synthesis in place of the two cysteine residues in the parent sequence. On-resin cyclization was performed and led to a major side-product identified as a piperidide. This undesired base-mediated side reaction was prevented when, instead of piperidine, 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]undec-7-ene was used for fluorenylmethyl ester deprotection. Reactivity of these peptides with different patients' sera and with a monoclonal antibody directed against the whole gp41 was tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Selection of Chymotrypsin Inhibitors from a Conformationally-constrained Combinatorial Peptide Library

A synthetic library of cyclic peptides was constructed utilizing the anti-tryptic loop region of the Bowman-Birk inhibitor, D4 from Macrotyloma axillare, as a template. The loop region of this proteinase inhibitor was reproduced by an 11 residue sequence, conformationally constrained by the presence of a disulfide bridge, to act as a mimetic of the functional reactive site region of this protein. This sequence, plus a pentaglycine spacer arm, was used to create a “one bead, one peptide” combinatorial library after on-resin deprotection and cyclization. Randomization at three positions considered to be important for proteinase specificity (P 2, P 1and P′ 2) with the genetically coded amino acids (minus cysteine) plus norleucine generated 8000 permutations. Screening this library with biotinylated α-chymotrypsin under appropriate con ditions revealed a small number (<0.05%) of beads that selectively bound the labeled proteinase. The sequences present on these active beads were determined, and found to have a well-defined consensus. Analysis of chymotrypsin inhibition in solution using re-synthesized peptides reveals that the sequences identified are potent inhibitors with K ivalues in the nanomolar range. These results show that directed randomization of the canonical loop is a powerful way of generating proteinase inhibitors with targeted specificities. Incorporation of selective random changes within a defined structural framework is found to be an effective means of generating variation in large synthetic systems. The functional basis for inhibition by the identified sequences is discussed.

Probing the functional conformation of the tridecapeptide mating pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through study of disulfide-constrained analogs.

Analogs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-mating factor, Trp-His-Trp-Leu-Gln-Leu-Lys-Pro-Gly-Gln-Pro-Met-Tyr, where Lys7 and Gln10 were replaced with Cys, Cys(CH3), or Ser, were synthesized using solid-phase procedures on a phenylacetamidomethyl resin. Cyclo7,10[Cys7,X9,Cys10,Nle12]alpha-factor , where X=D-Val, D-Ala, L-Ala and Gly, were prepared by on-resin cyclization using thallic trifluoroacetate in yields of 20-30%. Linear sulfhydryl-containing peptides were generated from their corresponding cyclic peptide by treatment with dithioerythritol in basic solution. In the linear analogs, replacement of both Lys7 and Gln10 with a cysteine residue resulted in an over 100-fold loss of the biological activity when compared with the native pheromone. The corresponding cyclic disulfides were 5-10-fold more active than their sulfhydryl-containing homologs, and cyclo7,10[Cys7,L-Ala9,Cys10,Nle12] alpha-factor was 50-fold more potent than linear analogs containing Ser or Cys(CH3) in positions 7 and 10. Binding competition studies indicated that all analogs had low affinity for the alpha-factor receptor and there was a poor correlation between binding and activity in a growth arrest assay. A cyclic analog in which residues 8 and 9 were replaced by 5-aminopentanoic acid was not biologically active. Based on NMR studies, all cyclic peptides have a higher tendency to form beta-turns spanning residues 7-10 than their less active linear counterparts. The results provide strong evidence that this beta-turn is important for optimal signal transduction by alpha-factor.

Studies on conformational consequences of i to i+ 3 side‐chain cyclization in model cyclic tetrapeptides

In an effort to explore the effect of ring size on the biologically active conformation of cyclic analogs of the mating pheromone alpha-factor (WHWLQLKPGQPMY) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, eight cyclic tetrapeptides corresponding to the KPGQ portion of alpha-factor were synthesized. These N-alpha-acetyl/carboxyl amide terminal cyclic tetrapeptides were prepared on a 4-methylbenzhydrylamine resin using orthogonal Boc, Fmoc, OFm and OtBut protecting groups and HOBt-DIPC accelerated active esters or urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides. On-resin cyclization of the side-chain amino and carboxyl groups of the first and fourth residues, respectively, was performed with the BOP reagent to generate lactams containing 14-18 atoms. HF cleavage resulted in two products, the desired cyclic tetrapeptide and a major side product. All peptides were purified to near homogeneity (> 99%) by using reversed-phase HPLC and were characterized by FBMS and 1H NMR. Certain constrained cyclic tetrapeptides appear to be a mixture of isomers at room temperature as evidenced by HPLC and NMR. The major side product has been identified as a cyclo dimer, obtained as a consequence of interchain cyclization on the resin. CD analysis in several solvents gives evidence that some of the cyclic tetrapeptides exist in beta-turn conformations.

Peptide cyclization on TFA labile resin using the trimethylsilyl (TMSE) ester as an orthogonal protecting group

The trimethylsilylethyl ester group was used as an orthogonal protecting group to perform an on-resin cyclization of a peptide prepared by conventional Fmoc protection strategy. Fmoc-Asp(OTMSE)OH was prepared, incorporated into a peptide, deprotected in the presence of fluoride, cyclized in the presence of BOP, and cleaved from the resin to afford directly a head-to-sidechain cyclic peptide.