Analogues of [Dmt1]DALDA (H-Dmt-d-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2; Dmt = 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine), a potent μ opioid agonist peptide with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant activity were prepared by replacing Dmt with various 2′,6′-dialkylated Tyr analogues, including 2′,4′,6′-trimethyltyrosine (Tmt), 2′-ethyl-6′-methyltyrosine (Emt), 2′-isopropyl-6′-methyltyrosine (Imt) and 2′,6′-diethyltyrosine (Det). All compounds were selective μ opioid agonists and the Tmt1-, Emt1 and Det1-analogues showed subnanomolar μ opioid receptor binding affinities. The Tmt1- and Emt1-analogues showed improved antioxidant activity compared to the Dmt1-parent peptide in the DPPH radical-scavenging capacity assay, and thus are of interest as drug candidates for neuropathic pain treatment.

Analogues of [Dmt1]DALDA (H-Dmt-d-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2; Dmt = 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine), a potent μ opioid agonist peptide with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant activity, were prepared by replacing Phe3 with various 2′,6′-dialkylated Phe analogues, including 2′,6′-dimethylphenylalanine (Dmp), 2′,4′,6′-trimethylphenylalanine (Tmp), 2′-isopropyl-6′-methylphenylalanine (Imp) and 2′-ethyl-6′-methylphenylalanine (Emp), or with the bulky amino acids 3′-(1-naphthyl)alanine (1-Nal), 3′-(2-naphthyl)alanine (2-Nal) or Trp. Several compounds showed significantly increased μ agonist potency, retained μ receptor selectivity and are of interest as drug candidates for neuropathic pain treatment. Surprisingly, the Dmp3-, Imp3-, Emp3- and 1-Nal3-containing analogues showed much increased κ receptor binding affinity and had mixed μ/κ properties. In these cases, molecular dynamics studies indicated conformational preorganization of the unbound peptide ligands due to rotational restriction around the CβCγ bond of the Xxx3 residue, in correlation with the observed κ receptor binding enhancement. Compounds with a mixed μ/κ opioid activity profile are known to have therapeutic potential for treatment of cocaine abuse.

Analogues of endomorphin (Dmt-Pro-Xaa-Xaa-NH2) modified at position 4 or at positions 4 and 3, and tripeptides (Dmt-Pro-Xaa-NH2) modified at position 3, with various phenylalanine analogues (Xaa = Trp, 1-Nal, 2-Nal, Tmp, Dmp, Dmt) were synthesized and their effects on in vitro opioid activity were investigated. Most of the peptides exhibited high μ-opioid (MOP) receptor binding affinity (KiMOP = 0.13–0.81 nM), modest MOP-selectivity (Kiδ-opioid (DOP)/KiMOP = 3.5–316), and potent functional MOP agonism (GPI, IC50 = 0.274–249 nM) without DOP and κ-opioid (KOP) receptor agonism. Among them, compounds 7 (Dmt-Pro-Tmp-Tmp-NH2) and 9 (Dmt-Pro-1-Nal-NH2) were opioids with potent mixed MOP receptor agonism/DOP receptor antagonism and devoid of β-arrestin2 recruitment activity. They may offer a unique template for the discovery of potent analgesics that produce less respiratory depression, less gastrointestinal dysfunction and that have a lower propensity to induce tolerance and dependence compared with morphine.