Kaname Koyama

Structure-Activity Relationships of Gastrointestinal Hormones: Motilin, Gip, And [27-Tyr]CCK-PZ

The docosapeptide and the tritetracontapeptide corresponding to the entire amino acid sequence of porcine motilin and gastric inhibitory peptide were synthesized, and in addition, an unsulfated form of cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ) was prepared to cast some light on the structure-activity relationships of these gastrointestinal hormones. In a series of motilin peptides, elimination of the pentapeptide from the amino terminus decreased the activity (in vitro contraction of rabbit duodenal muscle) to 1/250 of the whole molecule, and subsequent removal of the tripeptide Thr-Tyr-Gly resulted in the complete loss of its effects, In a series of gastric inhibitory peptides, two fragments corresponding to positions 1 to 28 and 26 to 43 were both inactive. However, the nonacosapeptide (15 to 43) retained one-fourth of the activity of the tritetracontapeptide (suppression of the gastric acid secretion stimulated by tetragastrin in Heidenhain pouch dogs). Synthetic [27-Tyr]CCK-PZ exhibited 1/250 of the activity of natural CCK-PZ (amylase release from rat pancreas). This compound was smoothly and efficiently labeled with 125I (specific activity 200 to 250 muc per mug).

Studies on peptides. LXXXVII. Synthesis of an octacosapeptide amide corresponding to the entire amino acid sequence of chicken vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP).

The octacosapeptide amide corresponding to the entire amino acid sequence of chicken VIP was synthesized in a conventional manner, using a new arginine derivative, NG-mesitylene-2-sulfonylarginine, Arg(Mts). Treatment of a fragment, Z(OMe)-Thr-Asp-Asn-Tyr-NHNH2 with methanesulfonic acid or HBr was found to give a product with a low recovery of Asp, after aminopeptidase digestion. Ring closure of the Asp-Asn unit seemed to be responsible for this phenomenon. Deprotection with HF or TFA exhibited definitely less such a tendency. In the final step of the synthesis, all protecting groups, including the Mts group, were removed by HF in the presence of m-cresol and the deprotected peptide was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose followed by isoelectric focusing in Ampholine pH 9--1. Synthetic peptide exhibited the identical Rf value with that of natural chicken VIP and was active as the natural peptide.