The invention provides novel peptide derivatives which are designed to deliver pharmacologically active peptides into the central nervous system by sequential metabolism. The peptide is placed in a molecular environment which disguises its peptide nature and provides biolabile, lipophilic functions to penetrate the blood-brain barrier by passive transport. The design incorporates a dihydropyridine-type redox targetor moiety, an amino acid or di- or -tripeptide spacer inserted between the targetor and N-terminal amino acid unit of the peptide and a bulky, lipophilic substituent protecting the C-terminal amino acid unit of the peptide. The dihydropyridine-type targetor undergoes an enzymatically mediated oxidation to a hydrophilic, membrane-impermeable pyridinium salt. That polar targetor-peptide conjugate is trapped behind the lipoidal blood-brain barrier. Over time, cleavage of the lipophilic ester from the peptide by esterase and or lipase enzymes and enzymatic cleavage of the targetor-spacer from the peptide results in release of the desired peptide in the brain.
本发明提供了新型肽衍
生物,旨在通过顺序代谢将药理活性肽递送到中枢神经系统。该肽置于分子环境中,掩盖其肽性质,并提供
生物可降解、亲脂性功能以通过被动转运穿透血脑屏障。该设计包括一种
二氢吡啶型氧化还原靶标基团、插入在靶标基团和肽的N-末端
氨基酸单元之间的
氨基酸或二肽/三肽间隔子,以及保护肽的C-末端
氨基酸单元的笨重、亲脂性取代基。
二氢吡啶型靶标基团经过酶介导的氧化作用,转化为亲
水性、膜不透性的
吡啶盐。这种极性的靶标-肽共轭物被困在脂质型血脑屏障后。随着时间的推移,
酯酶和/或
脂肪酶酶解肽中的亲脂性酯基团和靶标-间隔子,导致所需的肽在大脑中释放。