Analogs of thymosin &agr;1

Details Analogs of thymosin &agr;1 Analogs of thymosin &agr;1

1994-01-28

2001-07-17

Wessendorf, T. (Department: 1627)

Chemistry: natural resins or derivatives; peptides or proteins;

Peptides of 3 to 100 amino acid residues

25 or more amino acid residues in defined sequence

C530S326000, C530S334000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06262230

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention involves new synthetic compounds related to thymosin &agr;
1
and novel methods for the synthesis thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thymosins are polypeptide immune modifiers derived from the thymus gland. Thymosins have been shown to induce T-cell differentiation and enhance immunological functions.
A partially purified extract of calf thymus, called thymosin fraction 5, contains a number of peptide products of the thymus gland, including a component referred to as thymosin &agr;
1
.
Thymosin &agr;
1
was initially isolated from thymosin fraction 5, and has been sequenced and chemically synthesized (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,127; 4,148,788; and 4,855,407).
The sequence of thymosin &agr;
1
is highly analogous in mice, calves, and humans. Thymosin &agr;
1
has 28 amino acids and has been shown to have activity in modulating the immune system. The immunological activity of thymosin &agr;
1
includes stimulation of alpha- and gamma-interferon production, increasing macrophage migration inhibitory factor production, inducing expression of T-cell markers, including interleukin-2 receptors, and improving helper T-cell activity.
There remains a need in the art for new synthetic compounds which can function like natural products of the thymus gland, are stable, and are easy to synthesize.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compounds of the formula:
X-Ser-Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-  (I)
Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Z
wherein X is an acetyl or pyroglutamyl group and Z is —NH
2
, -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn-Pro-NH
2
, -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn-Gly-NH
2
, or -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn with the proviso that when X is a pyroglutamyl group, Z is -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn, and when X is an acetyl group, Z is other than -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn and methods for the production thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The compounds of the invention are related to thymosin &agr;
1
, and are immune system modulators that are useful in the treatment of various diseases and indications which are responsive to immune system modulators. The immune potentiating compounds of the present invention can be utilized to reconstitute immune functions in immuno-deprived and immuno-depressed patients, and can be utilized for the treatment of immuno-deficiency diseases.
One specific example of an inventive compound of the formula (I) above is thymosin &agr;
1
-N
16
amide (SEQ ID NO:1), wherein X is an acetyl group and Z is —NH
2
. Further examples in accordance with the present invention are thymosin &agr;
1
-Pro amide (SEQ ID NO:2), wherein X is an acetyl group and Z is -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn-Pro-NH
2
and thymosin &agr;
1
-Gly amide (SEQ ID NO:3), wherein X is an acetyl group and Z is
-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn-Gly-NH
2
. The invention also is applicable to pyroglutamyl-desacetyl-thymosin &agr;
1
(SEQ ID NO:4), wherein X is a pyroglutamyl group and Z is -Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn.
The invention also includes novel intermediates and precursors of compounds in accordance with formula (I) above.
Examples of intermediates and precursors include compounds of the formula:
X
1
-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-NH
2
  (II)
wherein X
1
is Thr, Ile-Thr, Glu-Ile-Thr, Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, or Ser-Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr, compounds of the formula:
X
2
-Ala-Glu-Asn-Pro-NH
2
  (III)
wherein X
2
is Glu, Glu-Glu, Val-Glu-Glu, Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, or Ser-Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, and compounds of the formula:
X
3
-Ala-Glu-Asn-Gly-NH
2
  (IV)
wherein X
3
is Glu, Glu-Glu, Val-Glu-Glu, Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu, or Ser-Asp-Ala-Ala-Val-Asp-Thr-Ser-Ser-Glu-Ile-Thr-Thr-Lys-Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Lys-Glu-Val-Val-Glu-Glu.
Compounds of formulas III and IV can be described as:
X
2
-Ala-Glu-Asn-Y  (IVa)
wherein Y is Pro-NH
2
or Gly-NH
2
, and X
2
is as defined above for formula (III).
The compounds, intermediates, and precursors of the present invention, collectively referred to herein as thymosin peptides, and including analogs and derivatives of thymosin &agr;
1
, can be provided by any suitable method of peptide synthesis. The compounds are preferably synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis and most preferably by solid phase synthesis on 4-methylbenzhydrylamine resin.
Cleavage of the peptide from the resin can be achieved by any suitable method, for example, by acidolysis. Acids such as hydrofluoric acid and trifluoromethane sulfonic acid (CF
3
SO
3
H) are suitable. Most preferably, the acid used is trifluoromethane sulfonic acid. Preferably, protected peptide resin is mixed with at solution of anisole (about 5% to about 25%) and thioanisole (about 5% to about 25%) in trifluoroacetic acid, and acidolysis is achieved by treatment with about 5% to about 10% trifluoromethane sulfonic acid (CF
3
SO
3
H). Most preferably, trifluoromethane sulfonic acid is used as a 50% solution in trifluoroacetic acid in approximately equal proportion to the amount of peptide resin to be cleaved.
The invention is further illustrated by the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4079127 (1978-03-01), Goldstein
patent: 4116951 (1978-09-01), Wang
patent: 4148788 (197

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