A ureido group containing analogue of oxytocin comprising eight amino acid residues

A new analogue of oxytocin was constructed from L-tyrosyl-L-isoleucyl-L-glutaminyl-L-asparaginyl-L-lysyl-L-prolyl-L-leucyglycinamide. Reaction of this 8-peptide amide with di-p-nitrophenyl carbonate yielded a cyclic compound, in which the -CH2SSCH2-bridging portion of oxytocin formed by the oxidative linking of the two cysteine side chains was replaced by the -CH2CH2CH2CH2-group of lysine, while the epsilon-NH2 group of the same residue took the place of the alpha-CH of cysteine-1. The N-terminal amino group of oxytocin, which is not necessary for its hormonal activities, was omitted. The new analogue, referred to as [1,6-Nepsilon-carbonyl-L-lysine]oxytocin, possessed a rat uterotonic activity in vitro of 3.9 +/- 0.3 units/mg, less than 0.5 unit/mg of rat antidiuretic activity, and caused a marked tachyphylaxis in the rat pressor assay. Moreover, the analogue was a strong competitive inhibitor, with a pA2 value of 7.27 +/- 0.13 of the oxytocin induced vasodepressor response in chickens.