Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new class of small molecule peptide mimetics targeting the melanocortin receptors

James P. Cain, Alexander V. Mayorov, Minying Cai, Hui Wang, Bahar Tan, Kevin Chandler, Yeon Sun Lee, Ravil R. Petrov, Dev Trivedi, Victor J Hruby

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new bicyclic template has been developed for the synthesis of peptide mimetics. Straightforward synthetic steps, starting from amino acids, allow the facile construction of a wide range of analogs. This system was designed to target the melanocortin receptors (MCRs), with functional group selection based on a known pharmacophore and guidance from molecular modeling to rationally identify positional and stereochemical isomers likely to be active. The functions of hMCRs are critical to myriad biological activities, including pigmentation, steroidogenesis, energy homeostasis, erectile activity, and inflammation. These G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are targets for drug discovery in a number of areas, including cancer, pain, and obesity therapeutics. All compounds from this series tested to date are antagonists which bind with high affinity. Importantly, many are highly selective for a particular MCR subtype, including some of the first completely hMC5R-selective antagonists reported.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5462-5467
Number of pages6
JournalBioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters
Volume16
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 15 2006

Keywords

  • GPCRs
  • Melanocortins
  • Peptide mimetics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Drug Discovery
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Organic Chemistry

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