renin-inhibitory-peptide and pepstatin

Although renin was identified as playing a part in cardiovascular homeostasis by the experiments of Goldblatt in the 1930s, neither its physiological role in organs other than the kidney nor its contribution to the genesis of essential hypertension have been defined. It is difficult to interpret studies with converting enzyme inhibitors because of their multiple pharmacological effects. Specific inhibitors of renin appropriate for clinical investigation would help to resolve many questions. Four classes of compounds have been shown to be renin inhibitors of high potency: specific antibody, general peptide inhibitors of acid proteases, analogues of angiotensinogens and peptides that are related to the amino-terminal sequence of prorenin. Of these, it is likely that angiotensinogen analogues will be the first applied in human studies. The minimal substrate for renin has the sequence: His-Pro-Phe-His-Leu-Val-Tyr. Variants of this sequence have yielded competitive inhibitors. Remarkably active compounds have recently been synthesized by reducing the peptide bond that is cleaved by renin, or by incorporating the amino acid statine, found in pepstatin. These compounds have been shown to be effective in dogs, rats and monkeys and, most recently, preliminary studies have reported their efficacy in man. Recent studies with one of these inhibitors, RIP, raise questions concerning both its specificity and site of action.

Topics: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Angiotensinogen; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antihypertensive Agents; Blood Pressure; Heart Rate; Humans; Hypertension; Oligopeptides; Pepstatins; Renin

Seven active tetrapeptide amides characterized by a C-terminal phenylalanyl aminoadamantane (PheNHAd) sequence, were identified by selective testing for human renin inhibitory activity among compounds with adjacent hydrophobic groups and molecular size equivalent to 3-5 amino acid residues. The new inhibitors were compared with known renin inhibitors (RIP, pepstatin, H-77) and opioid analgesic agents (Met-enkephalin, morphine), with the following results: The new inhibitors were active against human renin (IC50 approximately 10-5M), but inactive against rat renin and pepsin. Although active in opiate receptor binding studies (IC50 approximately 10(-7)M), they were, with few exceptions, inactive in the mouse writhing and hot plate tests for analgesia. SAR studies suggested a separation of the renin inhibitory from the analgesic activity of enkephalin analogs. Preliminary experiments with sodium-depleted rhesus monkeys indicated hypotensive activity for three of the new inhibitors at 3 mg/kg i.v., and RIP at 1 mg/kg. The recently reported clinical hypotensive properties of RIP (Zusman et al., Trans. Assoc. Am. Physicians 96:365, 1983) along with the present comparative studies suggest that the new inhibitors may lead to clinically useful agents.

Topics: Amantadine; Analgesics; Animals; Antihypertensive Agents; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Macaca mulatta; Oligopeptides; Pepsin A; Pepstatins; Rats; Receptors, Opioid; Renin; Species Specificity; Structure-Activity Relationship