Academic literature on the topic 'Aminopeptidases Synthesis'

Human peripheral lymphocytes were found to contain at least two distinct aminopeptidases, designated cytosol aminopeptidase and microsomal aminopeptidase, which differed from one another with respect to intracellular localization, substrate specificity, metal-ion activation, Km value and electrophoretic mobility. No change in these aminopeptidase activities was observed in cultured lymphocytes in the absence of mitogen throughout the cultivation period. The addition of phytohaemagglutinin or concanavalin A to the culture medium caused, in dose-dependent manner, a significant increase in cytosol aminopeptidase activity in lymphocytes. On the other hand, no increase in microsomal aminopeptidase activity was observed under the same conditions. The biochemical properties of aminopeptidases in stimulated cultured lymphocytes were identical with those of the enzymes in peripheral lymphocytes and unstimulated cultured lymphocyte. The phytohaemagglutinin dose-response curves for lymphocyte activation as measured by the DNA synthesis rate and for cytosol aminopeptidase activity were observed to be similar. However, when DNA synthesis was temporarily blocked by hydroxyurea, the rate of increase of aminopeptidase activity was unaffected. Pokeweed mitogen only slightly increased the cytosol aminopeptidase activity in cultured lymphocytes, although the lymphocytes were highly activated.

ABSTRACT During its intraerythrocytic phase, the most lethal human malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, digests host cell hemoglobin as a source of some of the amino acids required for its own protein synthesis. A number of parasite endopeptidases (including plasmepsins and falcipains) process the globin into small peptides. These peptides appear to be further digested to free amino acids by aminopeptidases, enzymes that catalyze the sequential cleavage of N-terminal amino acids from peptides. Aminopeptidases are classified into different evolutionary families according to their sequence motifs and preferred substrates. The aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin can disrupt parasite development, suggesting that this group of enzymes might be a chemotherapeutic target. Two bestatin-susceptible aminopeptidase activities, associated with gene products belonging to the M1 and M17 families, have been described in blood-stage P. falciparum parasites, but it is not known whether one or both are required for parasite development. To establish whether inhibition of the M17 aminopeptidase is sufficient to confer antimalarial activity, we evaluated 35 aminoalkylphosphonate and phosphonopeptide compounds designed to be specific inhibitors of M17 aminopeptidases. The compounds had a range of activities against cultured P. falciparum parasites with 50% inhibitory concentrations down to 14 μM. Some of the compounds were also potent inhibitors of parasite aminopeptidase activity, though it appeared that many were capable of inhibiting the M1 as well as the M17 enzyme. There was a strong correlation between the potencies of the compounds against whole parasites and against the enzyme, suggesting that M17 and/or M1 aminopeptidases may be valid antimalarial drug targets.

The synthesis of racemic substituted 7-amino-5,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzocyclohepten-6-one hydrochlorides was optimized to enhance reproducibility and increase the overall yield. In order to investigate their specificity, series of enzyme inhibition assays were carried out against a diversity of proteases, covering representative members of aspartic, cysteine, metallo and serine endopeptidases and including eight members of the monometallic M1 family of aminopeptidases as well as two members of the bimetallic M17 and M28 aminopeptidase families. This aminobenzosuberone scaffold indeed demonstrated selective inhibition of M1 aminopeptidases to the exclusion of other tested protease families; it was particularly potent against mammalian APN and its bacterial/parasitic orthologues EcPepN and PfAM1.

The initiator methionine residue of proteins is removed during synthesis by a specific and ubiquitous enzyme, methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP). Prokaryotes have a single gene, while eukaryotes have two isoforms. This family of metalloenzymes generally cleaves substrates in which the penultimate residue is one of the seven smaller amino acids (glycine, alanine, serine, threonine, proline, cysteine and valine). One of the eukaryotic isoforms (MetAP2) has an additional non-proteolytic function and is the principle target of a family of anti-angiogenic drugs that are related to fumagillin. The resulting covalent modification inhibits the protease activity of MetAP2 and blocks cell-cycle function in endothelial and some cancer cells. The role of MetAP2 in the mitogenic activity of these cells is unknown.

TPS471 Background: Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a dismal prognosis. Recent advances with fluorouracil in combination with oxaliplatin and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX) and nab-paclitaxel combined with gemcitabine (AG) have improved survival in patients with PDAC. A fluorouracil-based regimen is recommended for patients who progress after a gemcitabine-based regimen. Tosedostat is an oral aminopeptidase inhibitor shown to have anti-proliferative effects in malignancies. Aminopeptidase inhibitors disrupt the cleavage of amino acids from peptides downstream of proteasomal degradation, preventing the recycling of amino acids needed for new protein synthesis. This leads to intracellular depletion of amino acids, resulting in a cellular stress response known as the amino acid deprivation response, which leads to apoptosis. Because pancreatic cancer cells frequently upregulate expression of these aminopeptidases, aminopeptidases inhibitors hold therapeutic promise. Methods: This is a single institution phase I/II open-label trial to evaluate the safety and tolerability of tosedostat plus capecitabine in patients with metastatic PDAC that have progressed after a gemcitabine-based regimen. The phase I part will be conducted in a dose de-escalation fashion, with two planned dose levels of tosedostat (120mg or 60mg) p.o. daily on days 1 to 21 with capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 p.o. BID on days 1 to 14 of a 21-day cycle. If more than one patient in the tosedostat (120 mg) cohort experiences a dose limiting toxicity (DLT), then 6 more patient will be enrolled to the tosedostat (60 mg) cohort. A total of 36 patients will be enrolled in the phase II portion. Primary objective of the phase I portion is to determine the maximum tolerated dose and DLTs of tosedostat and capecitabine combination therapy. Primary objective of the phase II portion is to determine the progression-free survival at 3 months. Secondary objectives are to determine the overall response rate, time-to-progression, overall survival and CA 19-9 response. Exploratory objectives are to explore the predictive molecular biomarkers for treatment response and to explore the prognostic biomarkers. Clinical trial: NCT02352831. Clinical trial information: NCT02352831.

ABSTRACT Proteases are implicated in several aspects of the physiology of microorganisms, as well as in host-pathogen interactions. Aminopeptidases are also emerging as novel drug targets in infectious agents. In this study, we have characterized an aminopeptidase from the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. The aminopeptidolytic activity was identified in cell extracts from B. burgdorferi by using the substrate leucine-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin. A protein displaying this activity was purified from B. burgdorferi by a two-step chromatographic procedure, yielding a ∼300-kDa homo-oligomeric enzyme formed by monomers of ∼50 kDa. Gel enzymography experiments showed that enzymatic activity depends on the oligomeric structure of the protease but does not involve interchain disulfide bonds. The enzyme was identified by peptide mass fingerprinting as the putative aminopeptidase II of B. burgdorferi, encoded by the gene BB0069. It shares significant identity to members of the M29/T family of metallopeptidase, is sensitive to bestatin, has a neutral pH optimum, and displays maximal activity at 60°C. Its activity is 1.75-fold higher at the temperature of the mammalian host than at that of the insect host of the pathogen. The activity of this thermophilic aminopeptidase of B. burgdorferi (TAPBb) depends on Zn2+, and temperatures over 70°C promoted its inactivation through a transition from the hexameric state to the monomeric state. Since B. burgdorferi is deficient in pathways for amino acid synthesis, TAPBb could play a role in supplying required amino acids. Alternatively, the enzyme could be involved in peptide and/or protein processing.

A library of novel phosphonic acid analogues of homophenylalanine and phenylalanine, containing fluorine and bromine atoms in the phenyl ring, have been synthesized. Their inhibitory properties against two important alanine aminopeptidases, of human (hAPN, CD13) and porcine (pAPN) origin, were evaluated. Enzymatic studies and comparison with literature data indicated the higher inhibitory potential of the homophenylalanine over phenylalanine derivatives towards both enzymes. Their inhibition constants were in the submicromolar range for hAPN and the micromolar range for pAPN, with 1-amino-3-(3-fluorophenyl) propylphosphonic acid (compound 15c) being one of the best low-molecular inhibitors of both enzymes. To the best of our knowledge, P1 homophenylalanine analogues are the most active inhibitors of the APN among phosphonic and phosphinic derivatives described in the literature. Therefore, they constitute interesting building blocks for the further design of chemically more complex inhibitors. Based on molecular modeling simulations and SAR (structure-activity relationship) analysis, the optimal architecture of enzyme-inhibitor complexes for hAPN and pAPN were determined.

ABSTRACT The nutritional requirements of Lactobacillus helveticus CRL 1062 were determined with a simplified chemically defined medium (SCDM) and compared with those of L. helveticus CRL 974 (ATCC 15009). Both strains were found to be prototrophic for alanine, glycine, asparagine, glutamine, and cysteine. In addition, CRL 1062 also showed prototrophy for lysine and serine. The microorganisms also required riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxal, nicotinic acid, and uracil for growth in liquid SCDM. The growth rate and the synthesis of their cell membrane-bound serine proteinases, but not of their intracellular leucyl-aminopeptidases, were influenced by the peptide content of the medium. The highest proteinase levels were found during cell growth in basal SCDM, while the synthesis of this enzyme was inhibited in SCDM supplemented with Casitone, Casamino Acids, or β-casein. Low-molecular-mass peptides (<3,000 Da), extracted from Casitone, and the dipeptide leucylproline (final concentration, 5 mM) play important roles in the medium-dependent regulation of proteinase activity. The addition of the dipeptide leucylproline (5 mM) to SCDM reduced proteinase activity by 25%.

La synthèse guidée par la cible de ligands protéiques est une stratégie innovante pour découvrir des composés bioactifs. En particulier, la Kinetic Target-Guided Synthesis (KTGS) and the Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry (DCC) ont permis, ces dernières années, de découvrir des ligands originaux pour des cibles thérapeutiques mal explorées, ce qui a permis de lancer des projets de découverte de médicaments. Ce projet de thèse vise à utiliser la KTGS pour découvrir, puis optimiser des ligands de deux classes de métalloenzymes que sont les aminopeptidases du réticulum endoplasmiques (ERAP) et l’élastase LasB de la bactérie Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Les ERAPs (1 et 2) participent au processus de maturation des antigènes. Ces enzymes clivent les précurseurs peptidiques en peptides antigéniques matures afin que ceux-ci disposent d’une taille optimale pour leur complexation au complexe majeur d’histocompatibilité de classe I et ainsi initient ou non la réponse immunitaire adaptative. Les niveaux d’expression de ces protéases ainsi que des polymorphismes d’un seul nucléotide ont été associé au développement de cancers et de maladies auto-immunes. Ainsi, la modulation de ces enzymes permettrait de lutter contre les pathologies associées au système immunitaire. P. aeruginosa est une bactérie Gram negative dotée d’une virulence et d’une résistance aux antimicrobiens remarquable. Aujourd’hui, la résistance aux antibiotiques représente un enjeu de santé publique majeur et il y a un besoin urgent en nouvelles thérapeutiques. Afin de satisfaire ce besoin, de nouvelles stratégies sont apparues comme celle consistant à cibler la virulence des bactéries afin de « désarmer » celles-ci. LasB représente une cible thérapeutique de choix de par sa localisation extracellulaire et ses implications physiopathologiques (colonisation, invasion, évasion à la réponse immunitaire, formation de biofilm, etc.). Bien qu'il y ait un besoin médical évident non satisfait dans ces deux aires thérapeutiques, aucun modulateur des ERAPs ni de LasB n'a atteint le marché. Ainsi, l’utilisation de la stratégie KTGS suivie de phases d’optimisation nous ont permis d’identifier et optimiser de nouvelles familles de ligands de ces enzymes. Ces composés peuvent être considérés comme des leads prometteurs puisqu’ils présentent des affinités nanomolaires pour leurs cibles respectives, des profils de sélectivité et de toxicité ainsi que des propriétés physicochimiques remarquables
Target-guided synthesis of protein ligands is an innovative strategy to discover bioactive compounds. In particular, the Kinetic Target-Guided Synthesis (KTGS) and the Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry (DCC) have allowed, in recent years, the discovery of novel ligands for poorly explored therapeutic targets, which has enabled drug-discovery projects. This thesis project aims at using KTGS to discover and optimize ligands for two classes of metalloenzymes, namely endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidases (ERAPs) and elastase LasB from the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ERAPs (1 and 2) are involved in the process of antigen maturation. These enzymes cleave peptide precursors into mature antigenic peptides so that they have an optimal size for their complexation to the major histocompatibility complex of class I and thus initiate or not the adaptive immune response. The expression levels of these proteases as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms have been associated with the development of cancers and autoimmune diseases. Thus, the modulation of these enzymes would allow to fight against pathologies associated with the immune system. P. aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium with remarkable virulence and antimicrobial resistance. Today, antibiotic resistance represents a major public health issue and there is an urgent need for new therapeutics. In order to meet this need, new strategies have emerged such as targeting the virulence of bacteria to "disarm" them. LasB represents a therapeutic target of choice due to its extracellular localization and its physiopathological implications (colonization, invasion, evasion of immune response, biofilm formation, etc.). Although there is a clear unmet medical need in these two therapeutic areas, no modulator of ERAPs or LasB has reached the market. Thus, the use of the KTGS strategy followed by optimization phases allowed us to identify and optimize new families of ligands for these enzymes. These compounds can be considered as promising lead compounds since they present nanomolar affinities for their respective targets, selectivity and toxicity profiles as well as remarkable physicochemical properties

The need for alternative cognitive enhancers has risen due to the fact that clinical trial results of the drugs currently approved for treating these disorders have not been satisfactory. IRAP has become a possible drug target for treating cognitive impairment brought about by Alzheimer’s disease, head trauma or cerebral ischemia, among others. This came after the revelation that Angiotensin IV enhances memory and learning. Angiotensin IV, the endogenous ligand of IRAP has been structurally modified with the aim of producing potent IRAP inhibitors. However, the peptidic nature of these inhibitors restricts their use; they are not likely to cross the blood brain barrier. Other strategies for generating IRAP inhibitors have been through structure-based design and receptor based virtual screening. These drug-like molecules have exhibited positive results in animal studies. IRAP inhibitors have been identified via a HTS of 10500 low-molecular weight compounds to give the hit based on a spirooxindole dihydroquinazolinone scaffold, with an IC50 value of 1.5 µM. In this project, some analogues to this hit compound have successfully been synthesized using a known method, whereas others have been synthesized after additional method development. The application of the developed method was found to be limited, because poor yield was obtained when a compound with an electron withdrawing substituent on the aniline was synthesized. As a result of this, modification of this method may be required or new methods may have to be developed to synthesize these types of analogues. Inhibition capability of 5 new spirooxindole dihydroquinazolinones was tested through a biochemical assay. Compound 6e emerged as the most potent inhibitor in the series, with an IC50 value of 0.2 µM. This compound will now serve as a lead compound and should be used as a starting point for future optimization in order to generate more potent IRAP inhibitors.

Le but de ce travail etait d'etudier la possibilite et l'interet d'utiliser des aminopeptidases en synthese peptidique. Quatre aminopeptidases bacteriennes ont ete isolees et partiellement caracterisees. Deux d'entre elles, de specificite interessante, ont ete utilisees en synthese peptidique. Leur specificite et l'influence des parametres reactionnels ont ete etudies afin d'evaluer ces enzymes en tant qu'outils pour la synthese peptidique. L'aminopeptidase a (apa) est une metalloprotease qui libere de peptides l'acide amine n-terminal asp ou glu. Elle a ete utilisee pour effectuer la synthese sous controle thermodynamique de derives d'acides amines et de peptides. Mettant a profit le fait que l'apa accepte aussi l'acide malique n-terminal nous l'avons employee pour la protection des groupements alpha-amine de peptides. La x-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (pepx) est une protease a serine qui libere le dipeptide x-pro n-terminal de peptides. Cette enzyme a permis la synthese sous controle cinetique de liaisons peptidiques impliquant la proline. Des hypotheses concernant le mecanisme de la transpeptidation catalysee par pepx sont proposees. Notre travail demontre que des aminopeptidases sont des outils efficaces pour la synthese peptidique. Deux nouvelles enzymes de specificites interessantes s'ajoutent maintenant a l'arsenal restreint des proteases actuellement utilisees en synthese peptidique

Antimalarial drug discovery remains a challenging endeavour as malaria parasites continue to develop resistance to drugs, including those which are currently the last line of defence against the disease. Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent of the malaria parasites and it delivers its deadliest impact during the erythrocytic stages of the parasite’s life cycle; a stage characterised by elevated catabolism of haemoglobin and anabolism of parasite proteins. The present study investigates the use of nanotechnology in the form of metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against P. falciparum leucine aminopeptidase (PfLAP), a validated biomedical target involved in haemoglobin metabolism. AgNPs were also tested against the human homolog cytosolic Homo sapiens leucine aminopeptidase (HsLAP) to ascertain their selective abilities. PfLAP and HsLAP were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. PfLAP showed optimal thermal stability at 25 °C and optimal pH stability at pH 8.0 with a Km of 42.7 mM towards leucine-p-nitroanilide (LpNA) and a Vmax of 59.9 μmol.ml⁻¹.min⁻¹. HsLAP was optimally stable at 37 °C and at pH 7.0 with a Km of 16.7 mM and a Vmax of 17.2 μmol.ml⁻¹.min⁻¹. Both enzymes exhibited optimal activity in the presence of 2 mM Mn²⁺. On interaction with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilised AgNPs, both enzymes were inhibited to differing extents with PfLAP losing three fold of its catalytic efficiency relative to HsLAP. These results show the ability of AgNPs to selectively inhibit PfLAP whilst having much lesser effects on its human homolog. With the use of available targeting techniques, the present study shows the potential use of nanotechnology based approaches as “silver bullets” that can target PfLAP without adversely affecting the host. However further research needs to be conducted to better understand the mechanisms of AgNP action, drug targeting and the health and safety issues associated with nanotechnology use.

La lutte contre le cancer est l'un des défis majeurs du XXème siècle. Pour que les tumeurs puissent se développer dans l'organisme, elles ont besoin d'un apport en nutriment par le biais de vaisseaux sanguins pour se faire, elles vont avoir recours au processus angiogénique. Lors de ce processus, les cellules endothéliales qui tapissent la paroi des vaisseaux sanguins vont se multiplier et créer de nouveaux vaisseaux sanguins qui vont permettre la vascularisation des tumeurs. L'angiogenèse constitue donc aujourd'hui un axe de recherche pour la lutte contre la progression tumorale et donc contre le cancer. Lors de ce développement tumoral, une enzyme, l'aminopeptidase neutre APN est surexprimée sur les parois des cellules endothéliales. Différentes études ont été menées et montrent que l'inhibition de cette enzyme bloque la progression tumorale. Mon travail au sein de l'équipe du Pr Céline Tarnus consistait en la conception et la synthèse d'inhibiteurs de l'APN. Une relation structure activité de nos composés vis-à-vis de l'APN a tout d'abord été effectuée. Le développement de synthèse du composé le plus actif ont été faite, puis la synthèse d'inhibiteurs d'APN ayant pour objectif l'utilisation de la BNCT a été abordée
The fight against the cancer is one of the most important struggles of this century. For the development of the tumors inside the body, they need to receive nutriments by the blood vessels and they use the angiogenic process. During this process, the endothelial cells being shown on the wall of the blood vessel will multiply and design new blood vessel, which will allow the tumor's vascularisation. Today, the angiogenesis is an axis of research for the fight against the cancer. During the tumoral development, the aminopeptidase N (APN) is overexpressed on the wall of endothelial cells. Various studies have shown that the inhibition of this enzyme stops the tumoral progression. My work in the Pr. Céline Tarnus Team consists in the conception and the synthesis of APN's inhibitors. In a first time, a structure activity relationship has been realized. Syntheses of a subnamolar compound have been developed, and then the synthesis of APN's inhibitors with the use of BNCT has been got onto

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1986.
Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-149).

Nach einem Myokardinfarkt setzen Wundheilungsprozesse ein, um die Durchblutung wieder herzustellen und nekrotisches Muskelgewebe durch Narbengewebe zu ersetzen. Die Einsprossung neuer Kapillaren vom bestehenden Gefäßnetz aus wird als Angiogenese bezeichnet. Das dabei vermehrt exprimierte proteolytische Enzym Aminopeptidase N (APN) spielt eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Einsprossung von Endothelzellen. Beim kardialen Remodeling werden abgestorbene Myozyten mithilfe der Einwanderung von Fibroblasten durch Binde- oder Stützgewebe ersetzt, dabei übernimmt das Fibroblasten-Aktivierungs-Protein alpha (FAP) Aufgaben bei der Proliferation und Fortbewegung von Fibroblasten. Durch ihre erhöhte Expression bei den Wundheilungs- und Remodelingprozessen nach einem Herzinfarkt stellen die Metalloprotease APN und die Serinprotease FAP molekulare Targets für die Diagnostik und Therapie dar. Als Diagnosemethode besonders geeignet ist die Positronen-Emissions-Tomographie (PET), die es ermöglicht, biochemische Prozesse in Echtzeit im zu untersuchenden Organismus zu visualisieren und zu quantifizieren. Eine als Radiopharmakon oder Tracer bezeichnete biochemische Sonde kann im Falle eines Enzyms dessen radioaktiv markiertes Substrat oder ein Inhibitor sein. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, spezifische APN- und FAP-affine Tracer für die nicht-invasive Untersuchung der APN- und FAP-Expression mittels PET zu entwickeln und dadurch die Rolle von APN und FAP bei Remodelingprozessen nach Myokardinfarkt besser verstehen bzw. klären zu können. Um die Protease APN mittels PET zu untersuchen, wurden die für APN affine Verbindung NOTA-NGR (Komplexbildner + cyclisches Peptid inkl. Asparagin-Glycin-Arginin) mit dem Positronen-emittierenden Nuklid Gallium-68 (68Ga) markiert. Das Potential von 68Ga-NOTA-NGR als PET-Tracer wurde in vivo am Infarktmodell mittels Kleintier-PET untersucht und mit 68Ga-NOTA-RGD, einem zur Visualisierung des neo-angiogenetischen alphavbeta3-Integrins etablierten Tracer, verglichen. Untersuchungen ergaben, dass 68Ga-NOTA-NGR einen vielversprechenden neuen PET-Tracer für die Visualisierung und Quantifizierung der APN-Expression im Rahmen der Angiogenese nach einem Myokardinfarkt darstellt. 68Ga-NOTA-NGR zeigte eine erhöhte Aufnahme im Bereich des Myokardinfarkts im Sinne einer vermehrten Angiogenese. Die Aufnahme des Tracers in infarzierten Arealen war quantitativ höher als in der Untersuchung mit 68Ga-NOTA-RGD. In Autoradiographie-Experimenten wurde 68Ga-NOTA-NGR ex vivo untersucht. Die Akkumulation von 68Ga-NOTA-NGR im ischämischen Bereich war deutlich höher als im gesunden Myokard. Der Nachweis der unterschiedlichen Bereiche des Herzens erfolgte mit HE-Färbung. Die Expression von APN wurde immunohistochemisch mittels spezifischer Antikörper bestätigt. Zum Vergleich wurden ebenso einige andere an der Angiogenese beteiligte Faktoren untersucht. APN stellte sich auch hier als geeignetes Target zum Nachweis der Angiogenese heraus. Um die Protease FAP mittels PET zu untersuchen, wurden eine Reihe peptidomimetischer Inhibitoren, die die Erkennungssequenz Glycin-Prolin mit einer Carbonitril-Gruppe als elektrophiler Einheit zur kovalent-reversiblen Hemmung des Enzyms enthalten, entwickelt. Ausgehend vom N-Acetylglycin-pyrrolidin-(2S)-carbonitril als Leitstruktur wurden Inhibitoren und Vorstufen zur Radiomarkierung inkl. verschieden substituierter Benzoesäuren dargestellt. Zusätzlich wurden noch bereits bekannte Inhibitoren synthetisiert, die zum Vergleich in den Enzymassays dienten. Drei Verbindungen zeigten gute inhibitorische Wirkung an FAP und außerdem Selektivität gegenüber DPP IV. Keine der entwickelten Verbindungen zeigte einen KI-Wert im nanomolaren Bereich, erforderlich für einen potentiellen Tracer zur in-vivo-Visualisierung einer Enzymexpression mittels PET. Um die Inhibitoren mit der besten Hemmung an FAP zum PET-Tracer weiterzuentwickeln, mussten sie mit einem Positronenemitter markiert werden. Die Markierung erfolgte über Isotopenaustausch, bei dem nicht-radioaktives Iod am aromatischen Ring des Precursors durch das radioaktive Iod-124 (124I) substituiert wurde. Es konnten dadurch die radioiodierten Verbindungen 1-(2-[124I]Iodhippursäure)-pyrrolidin-(2S)-carbonitril und 1-(4-[124I]Iod-hippursäure)-pyrrolidin-(2S)-carbonitril synthetisiert werden. Trotz der relativ niedrigen Affinität für FAP wurde das neue 1-(2-[124I]Iodhippursäure)-pyrrolidin-(2S)-carbonitril in Ratten am Infarktmodell mittels Kleintier-PET getestet. Die Lage der ischämischen Zone wurde im Anschluss durch HE-Färbung bestimmt. In vivo zeigte sich eine nur sehr geringe Aufnahme des Radiopharmakons in der ischämischen Zone des Myokards. Damit ist 1-(2-[124I]Iod-hippursäure)-pyrrolidin-(2S)-carbonitril kein für den gewünschten Zweck geeigneter PET-Tracer. Nichtsdestotrotz war der Ansatz vielversprechend und es wurde zum ersten Mal ein PET-Tracer dieser Art zur Untersuchung des FAP im Myokardinfarkt hergestellt
After myocardial infarction, processes of wound healing are initiated in order to regain perfusion and to replace necrotic muscle tissue with soft tissue. The sprouting of new capillaries from the vasculature is called angiogenesis. During Angiogenesis, Aminopeptidase N (APN) plays an important role in the sprouting of endothelial cells. Cardiac remodeling is the process of replacement of necrotic myocytes with soft tissue through invasion of fibroblasts. For this cause, also a lot of proteases are activated. During the process of cardiac remodeling, fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP) is involved in proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts. Due to their increased expression during remodeling processes after myocardial infarction, the metalloprotease APN and the serine protease FAP have been identified as potential molecular targets for diagnosis and therapy. Diagnosis of the heart by nuclear imaging techniques is a well established method in clinical cardiology. Most of all positron emission tomopgraphy (PET) provides information on biochemical processes in vivo using specific radiotracers in real time. This imaging probe is labeled with a positron emitting radionuclide and is called radiopharmaceutical or tracer. In case of an enzyme, the tracer might for example be a labeled substrate or inhibitor of the enzyme. To visualize the protease APN with PET, NOTA-NGR (chelating agent + peptide sequence incl. asparagine-glycine-arginine), a compound that shows high affinity for APN, was labeled with the positron emitting nuclide Gallium-68 (68Ga). 68Ga-NOTA-NGR was developed including an improved synthesis, isolation and formulation of the tracer. Its potential as a PET-tracer was assessed in vivo using micro-PET and compared to the established tracer 68Ga-NOTA-RGD, used to visualize the integrin alphavbeta3 in angiogenesis. Studies in rats with ischemia/reperfusion showed high uptake of the new radiopharmaceutical 68Ga-NOTA-NGR in myocardial infarction area being used in diagnostic PET imaging of APN. The new tracer shows even a slightly higher uptake in angiogenetic areas compared with results obtained with 68Ga-NOTA-RGD. 68Ga-NOTA-NGR was also examined ex vivo using autoradiography, confirming the significant higher accumulation of the tracer in the ischemic area compared with the healthy myocardium. The different areas of the tissue were displayed by HE staining. For the purpose of immunohistochemistry, the expression of the enzyme APN was verified using antibody staining. Additionally several other factors that are involved in angiogenesis were stained. Through antibody staining APN was shown to be a suitable target for the evidence of angiogenesis. With 68Ga-NOTA-NGR, the development of a new PET-tracer for diagnosis of the expression of APN during angiogenesis after myocardial infarction was successful. In order to develop an imaging probe suitable for investigation of the protease FAP using PET, several peptidomimetic inhibitors containing the dipeptide motif glycine-proline and the electrophilic moiety carbonitrile were designed. With N-Acetylglycine-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile being the basic structure, modifications were introduced through a benzoylic residue at the N-terminus. In addition, some well-known inhibitors were synthesized for comparison to the new ones in enzymatic assay. To evaluate their inhibitory effect, the new inhibitors were tested in enzymatic assays using FAP and dipeptidyl peptidase IV, a prolyl peptidase from the same family in order to compare the results with regard to selectivity. None of the new compounds showed a KI-value in the nanomolar range, required for visualization of an enzyme expression using PET. In order to investigate a PET-Tracer, the best inhibitors against FAP had to be labeled with a positron emitter. The radioactive analogues of the inhibitors were obtained using isotopic exchange of the natural iodine-nuclide by iodine-124 (124I), resulting in 1-(2-[124I]Iodohippuric acid)-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile und 1-(4-[124I]Iodohippuric acid)-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile. 1-(2-[124I]Iodohippuric acid)-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile was tested in vivo using microPET in rats with myocardial infarction. Very low uptake of the radiopharmaceutical was observed in the ischemic area of the rat´s heart. Locations of ischemic and surviving parts of the myocardium were confirmed using HE staining. To our knowledge, 1-(2-[124I]Iodohippuric acid)-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile is the first FAP-affine tracer developed for PET investigation. However, its potential as tracer for the FAP-expression within the myocardial infarction in vivo using PET could not be proven in the present study. Therefore, developments based on the structure of 1-(2-[124I]Iodohippuric acid)-pyrrolidine-(2S)-carbonitrile are going on, with view to identify a PET-tracer suitable for in-vivo-investigation of FAP in healing processes and remodeling after myocardial infarction using PET