Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme and potentiation of bradykinin by retro-inverso analogues of short peptides and sequences related to angiotensin I and bradykinin.

There is pharmacological evidence indicating that, in addition to the inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE; EC 3.4.15.1), the potentiation of bradykinin (BK) responses may also involve the BK receptor or some binding site in the structures involved in the contractile response to this peptide. Dipeptides such as Val-Trp and some of its analogues as well as tripeptide homologues, including total and partial retro-inverso peptides, were synthesized and assayed for their ability to inhibit purified guinea pig plasma ACE and to potentiate the action of BK on the isolated ileum of the same species. The peptides containing the P2-P1, P1-P'1, and P'1-P'2 inverted amide bonds inhibited ACE, were resistant to hydrolysis, and, depending on the amino acid composition, some of them potentiated the contractile response to BK while others did not. Des-[Arg1]-BK, which has an intrinsic activity at concentrations higher than 10(-5) M, and the very dissimilar angiotensin I (AI) analogue [Cys5-Cys10]-angiotensin-I-(5-10)-amide, which has no detectable contractile activity, were able to inhibit ACE and potentiate BK. In contrast to these peptides, BPP5a and BPP9a from Bothrops jararaca venom, and Potentiators B and C from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffi venom were more effective as BK potentiators than as ACE inhibitors. In conclusion, we have synthesized and assayed compounds that preferentially inhibit ACE, e.g. retro-inverso tripeptides, or potentiate the response of smooth muscle to BK, e.g. snake venom peptides.