Design and bioactivities of melanotropic peptide agonists and antagonists: Design based on a conformationally constrained somatostatin template

Victor J. Hruby*, Guoxia Han, Mac E. Hadley

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

α-Melanotropin and ACTH, POMC peptides, initiate biological activity by interaction with the classical pigment cell (α-MSH receptor, MC1R) and adrenal gland (ACTH receptor, MC2R) melanocortin receptors, respectively. The recently discovered MC3R, MC4R and MC5R receptors provide new targets and new biological functions for POMC peptides. We have developed conformationally constrained α-melanotropin peptides that interact with all of these receptors as agonists and antagonists and are examining new approaches to obtain highly selective ligands for each of these melanocortin receptors. Previously, we had converted somatostatin-derived peptides into potent and highly selective analogues that act as antagonists at the μ opioid receptors. Using the reverse turn template that came out of these studies, we have designed, de novo, agonist and antagonist peptide analogues that interact with melanocortin receptors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)117-120
Number of pages4
JournalLetters in Peptide Science
Volume5
Issue number2-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Agonists
  • Antagonists
  • De novo design
  • Melanocortin receptors
  • Melanotropins
  • Opioids
  • Somatostatin template

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