Systematic screening for bioactive peptides.
Using simultaneous multiple peptide synthesis by the multipin approach, the feasibility of systematic large-scale pharmacological screening of peptide ligands was investigated. The method involves the assembly of small quantities of peptides (ca. 50 nmol) on plastic pins derivatized with an ester linker based on glycolate and 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzoate. These esters are stable under peptide synthesis and side-chain deprotection conditions but cleave under relatively mild basic conditions to generate peptides having C-terminal acid, amide and methylamide. A two-step approach to side-chain deprotection and cleavage from the solid support allows potentially toxic reagents to be removed (washed) from the peptide prior to cleavage. Consequently, the resulting peptide solutions can be used in bioassays with minimal processing. A series of angiotensin II and substance P analogs were synthesized and evaluated in an in vivo rat model and in vitro radioreceptor assay, respectively. Structure-activity studies on analogs of these bioactive peptides are well documented. The data obtained were consistent with that reported in the literature.