Barbara Rzeszotarska

Metal complexes of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Potentiometric and spectroscopic studies

The results are reported of a potentiometric and spectroscopic study of the H+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ complexes of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH, HL) at 25 degrees C and an ionic strength 0.10 mol dm-3 (KNO3), since there is much evidence that the in vivo release of LHRH is influenced by the concentration of copper ions. With Cu2+ the hormone has been shown to behave similarly to the thyrotropin releasing factor, forming a very stable [CuH-1L] complex involving coordination of three nitrogen donors: the Nim atom of the imidazole side chain and the two amido-N atoms of the pyroglutamylhistidyl unit. With Ni2+, coordination proceeds differently to give four nitrogen coordination.

Binding of Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+GnRH complexes with the rat pituitary receptor

Complex of copper with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, GnRH, competed more efficiently for the GnRH receptor than native GVRH, while complexes of nickel with GnRH and zinc with GnRH had slightly lower affinity. Copper ion added to the incubation mixture inhibited the buserelin binding to the receptor.

Increased LH and FSH release from the anterior pituitary of ovariectomized rat, in vivo, by copper-, nickel-, and zinc-LHRH complexes

The effect of Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+ and their complexes with LHRH on the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was estimated in in vivo experiments with the use of the method proposed by Ramirez and McCann. Ovariectomized, estradiol, and progesterone pretreated rats were injected intravenously either with LHRH alone, a metal ion alone, a mixture of metal and hormone, or a metal-LHRH complex. A metal alone or a mixture of it with LHRH did not affect gonadotropin release at all or no more than LHRH alone. However, the complex of Cu2+ with LHRH brought about a high release of LH and even higher release of FSH. This indicates that copper complex is more effective than metal-free LHRH. The nickel complex showed a similar although lesser effect. The zinc complex had similar potency to free LHRH though higher FSH-releasing ability was noticed. We conclude that copper-, nickel-, and zinc-LHRH complexes were more potent than the peptide hormone itself and promoted the FSH release in the ovariectomized, estradiol, and progesterone pretreated rats.

Ovulation-inducing activity of luliberin (LHRH) complexed by copper(II), nickel(II), and zinc(II) ions

We have shown that the complexation of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, luliberin (LHRH), a hypothalamic neurohormone, by Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) may affect its basic, ovulation-inducing potency in the dose responsive manner. Some explanation of the obtained results are offered here.

The conformational properties of dehydrobutyrine and dehydrovaline: theoretical and solid-state conformational studies.

Dehydrobutyrine is the most naturally occurring dehydroamino acid. It is also the simplest dehydroamino acid having the geometrical isomers E/Z. To investigate its conformational properties, a theoretical analysis was performed on N‐acetyl‐α,β‐dehydrobutyrine N′‐methylamides, Ac‐(E)‐ΔAbu‐NHMe and Ac‐(Z)‐ΔAbu‐NHMe, as well as the dehydrovaline derivative Ac‐ΔVal‐NHMe. The ϕ, ψ potential energy surfaces and the localised conformers were calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311 + + G(d,p) level of theory both in vacuo and with inclusion of the solvent (chloroform, water) effect (SCRF method). The X‐ray crystal structures of Ac‐(Z)‐ΔAbu‐NHMe and Ac‐ΔVal‐NHMe were determined at 85 and 100 K, respectively. The solid‐state conformational preferences for the studied residues have been analysed and compared with the other related structures. Despite the limitations imposed by the Cα = Cβ double bond on the topography of the side chains, the main chains of the studied dehydroamino acids are more flexible than in standard alanine. The studied dehydroamino acids differ in their conformational preferences, which depend on the polarity of the environment. This might be a reason why the nature quite precisely differentiates between ΔVal and each of the ΔAbu isomers, and why, particularly so with the latter, they are used as a conformational tool to influence the biological action of usually small, cyclic dehydropeptides. Copyright

Peptide Synthesis with 5‐Amino‐1‐methyl‐1H‐[1,2,4]triazole‐3‐carboxylic Acid

Abstract In the search for the peptide synthesis of new potential lexitropsins, starting with methyl 5‐amino‐1‐methyl‐1H‐[1,2,4]triazole‐3‐carboxylate 1a, we synthesized the chloroacetyl derivative of 2a, which was hydrolyzed to acid 2b and ammonolyzed to the peptide 2c. A more effective route was the use of (t‐butoxycarbonyl)glycyl‐benzotriazolide 3 to the acylation 1a, which leads the N/C protected peptide 4. This peptide was selectively N‐deprotected to be the useful segment 5 for further peptide syntheses to the N‐terminus. It was also C‐deprotected, that is hydrolyzed to give peptide 2c for further C‐extension. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first peptide that is a derivative of amino‐1‐methyl‐1H‐[1,2,4]triazole‐carboxylic acid.

Coordination of copper(II) ions by α,β-dehydro-dipeptides. Potentiometric and spectroscopic study

Abstract Potentiometric and spectroscopic data have shown that the double bond within dehydro-peptides considerably affects their behaviour as ligands relative to their saturated parents, with proton and copper(II) ions.

The effect of β‐methylation on the conformation of α, β‐dehydrophenylalanine: a DFT study

Dehydroamino acids are non‐coded amino acids that offer unique conformational properties. Dehydrophenylalanine (ΔPhe) is most commonly used to modify bioactive peptides to constrain the topography of the phenyl ring in the side chain, which commonly serves as a pharmacophore. The Ramachandran maps (in the gas phase and in CHCl3 mimicking environments) of ΔPhe analogues with methyl groups at the β position of the side chain as well as at the C‐terminal amide were calculated using the B3LYP/6‐31 + G** method. Unexpectedly, β‐methylation alone results in an increase of conformational freedom of the affected ΔPhe residue. However, further modification by introducing an additional methyl group at C‐terminal methyl amide results in a steric crowding that fixes the torsion angle ψ of all conformers to the value 123°, regardless of the Z or E position of the phenyl ring. The number of conformers is reduced and the accessible conformational space of the residues is very limited. In particular, (Z)‐Δ(βMe)Phe with the tertiary C‐terminal amide can be classified as the amino acid derivative that has a single conformational state as it seems to adopt only the β conformation. Copyright

Sulfamide antifolates inhibiting thymidylate synthase: synthesis, enzyme inhibition and cytotoxicity

Synthesis and biological evaluation are described of seven new analogues (3-9) of two potent thymidylate synthase inhibitors, 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (1) and its 2-methyl-2-deamino congener ICI 198583 (2). While the new compunds 3 and 4 were analogues of 1 and 2, respectively, containing a p-aminobenzenesulfonyl residue in place of the p-aminobenzoic acid residue, the remaining 5 new compounds were analogues of 4 with the L-glutamic acid residue replaced by glycine (5), L-valine (6), L-alanine (7), L-phenylglycine (8) or L-norvaline (9). The new analogues were tested as inhibitors of thymidylate synthases isolated from tumour (Ehrlich carcinoma), parasite (Hymenolepis diminuta) and normal tissue (regenerating rat liver) and found to be weaker inhibitors than the parent 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid. Selected new analogues, tested as inhibitors of growth of mouse leukemia L 5178Y cells, were less potent than the parent 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid. Substitution of the glutamyl residue in compound 4 with L-norvaline (9) resulted in only a 5-fold stronger thymidylate synthase inhibitor, but a 40-fold weaker cell growth inhibitor.

Susceptibility of Methyl 3-Amino-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylate to Acylation

Abstract In the search for a new method of synthesis of hybrid peptides with aminopyrazole carboxylic acid, we tried to force selective acylation at the aromatic amino group instead of at the ring nitrogen atom with fairly gentle acylating agents. The acylating agents used were acid anhydrides: acetic anhydride, tert-butyl pyrocarbonate, and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxyacetic acid/dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. We succceded in acylation at this amino group with almost none at the ring nitrogen atom. Sometimes, however, acylation in small quantities at the ring nitrogen atom was observed as a by-product. To remove this by-product, imidazole was used. Thus, we were able to obtain the hybrid peptides in question with no protection and subsequent removal required. We synthesized a few these free peptides with no protection of the pyrazole ring. This is a simpler method than that being used currently.