Structure-activity relationship for ETB agonism in truncated endothelin-1 analogs

The essential part of the ETB-selective agonist N-acetyl-GluAlaValTyrPheAlaHisLeuAspIleIleTrp (N-Ac-4AlaET-1(10-21)) for ETB agonism was studied by single amino acid replacement. Single L-alanine substitutions at positions 14, 17, 20 and 21 and the corresponding D-amino acid substitutions at positions 14 and 16-21 resulted in remarkable decreases in ETB binding activity. Furthermore, these analogs elicited endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in parallel with ETB binding activity. These data indicate that the amino acid residues of Phe14, Leu17, Ile20 and Trp21 and the backbone structure at Phe14 and His16-Trp21 in ET-1 are important for ETB agonism.