Effect of the CH2NH and CH2NAc peptide bond isosteres on the antagonistic and histamine releasing activities of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue.

The effect of the CH2NH and CH2NAc peptide bond isosteres on the antagonistic and histamine releasing activities of the LH-RH antagonist [N-Ac-D-Nal1,D-Phe2,3,D-Arg6,Phe7,D-Ala10] LH-RH was investigated. The moieties were introduced by facile, racemization-free solid-phase synthesis in an attempt to reduce the histamine releasing activity inherent to the most potent analogues while retaining high antiovulatory activity. The psi [CH2NH] isostere was incorporated at each CONH site with the exception of 8-9, which involves Pro, by reductive alkylation with a protected amino acid aldehyde in the presence of NaBH3CN during conventional solid-phase peptide synthesis. The psi [CH2NH] group was extremely resistant to derivatization and could only be partially acetylated to give psi [CH2NAc]. The analogues were cleaved from the resin with simultaneous deprotection by anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and purified to homogeneity in two stages: gel permeation followed by preparative reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The analogues were assayed in standard rat antiovulatory and in vitro histamine release assays. The isosteres caused a loss of the antiovulatory activity of the antagonist at the 50-microgram dose when incorporated at the positions 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 7-8. Incorporation at the other positions resulted in a less marked reduction in activity relative to the unmodified parent analogue. No significant effect was noted on the potent histamine releasing activity of the analogues.