Syntheses and biological activities of bombesin analogs modified in the C-terminal dipeptide part

Bombesin receptor antagonists are possible therapeutic agents due to their ability to act as inhibitors of cellular proliferation. On the basis of our hypothesis on the mechanism of action of gastrin associating an activating enzyme system to the receptor and on the results reported in the litterature, we have synthesized bombesin analogues which have been modified in the C-terminal Leu(13)-Leu(14) amide part. We have shown that modification in the C-terminal part of the bombesin strongly affected the biological activity in rat pancreatic acini. The most potent compound which is described here, H-D-Phe- Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Leu-psi(CH2)Leu-NH2, was able to recognize the bombesin receptor on rat pancreatic acini (Ki 4.3 nM) and antagonized the bombesin stimulated amylase secretion (Ki 7.7 nM).