Highly Conformationally Restricted Cyclopropane Tethers with Three-Dimensional Structural Diversity Drastically Enhance the Cell Permeability of Cyclic Peptides

Abstract

The conformation of cyclic peptides is closely related to their physicochemical and biological properties, but their rational design to obtain a conformation with the desired properties is difficult. Herein, we present a new strategy by using conformationally restricted cyclopropane tethers (CPTs) to control the conformation and improve the cell permeability of cyclic peptides regardless of the amino acid sequence. Newly designed cis- or trans-CPTs with three-dimensional structural diversity were introduced into a model cyclic peptide, and the relationship between the conformation of the cyclic peptides and their cell permeability was analyzed. Peptides containing a CPT exhibited conformational diversity due to the characteristic steric feature of cyclopropane, among which peptides containing a CPT, cis-NfCf had remarkably higher cell permeability than peptides containing other CPTs-even superior to that of cyclosporine A, a known permeable cyclic peptide.

Keywords: NMR spectroscopy; cell permeability; conformation analysis; cyclic peptides; cyclopropane.