Evidence indicates that neuronally released thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is selectively inactivated by TRH-degrading ectoenzyme (TRH-DE) (EC 3.4.19.6). TRH-DE inhibitors may be used to enhance the therapeutic actions of TRH and to investigate the functions of TRH and TRH-DE in the central nervous system.Although TRH-DE appears to exhibit a high degree of specificity toward TRH, systematic specificity studies, which would facilitate inhibitor design, have not been previously conducted for this enzyme. In this paper we present the first description of TRH-DE specificity across a directed peptide library in which the histidyl (P 1 ) residue of TRH was replaced by a series of amino acids. Peptides were synthesized using standard solid phase chemistry. Kinetic parameters were measured either by continuous or discontinuous fluorometric assays or by quantitative high pressure liquid chromatography. The P 1 residue was found to influence significantly both the ability of the peptides to bind to TRH-DE, as measured by their K i values, and the ability of TRH-DE to catalyze their hydrolysis. Moderately bulky, uncharged P 1 residues were found to bind preferentially to TRH-DE. Results from this screen provide valuable information for the development of TRH-DE inhibitors and have led to the identification of two potent, reversible TRH-DE inhibitors, L-pyroglutamyl-L-asparaginyl-L-prolineamide (K i ‫؍‬ 17.5 M) and Glp-AsnPro-7-amido-4-methyl coumarin (K i ‫؍‬ 0.97 M). Thyrotropin-releasinghormone-degrading ectoenzyme (TRH-DE) 1 (EC 3.4.19.6) is a type II cell surface peptidase located on synaptosomal membranes in the central nervous system (1Ϫ4). TRH-DE catalyzes the hydrolysis of the Glp-His bond in thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), a tripeptide with the amino acid sequence L-pyroglutamyl-L-histidyl-L-prolineamide (Glp-His-ProNH 2 ) (5Ϫ10). This enzyme is strategically placed to play a significant role in extracellular inactivation of TRH, and current evidence strongly indicates that TRH-DE is the principal enzyme responsible for terminating the actions of neuronally released TRH (11Ϫ14).Although first recognized as a hypothalamic regulatory hormone, TRH is now believed to function as a neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator within the central nervous system (15, 16) where it displays a broad spectrum of stimulatory actions independent of its neuroendocrine functions (15Ϫ17). Based on its central nervous system effects, TRH has been found to have potential use in the treatment of brain and spinal injury (18,19) and several central nervous system disorders, including spinocerebellar degeneration, cognitive deficits, and spinal cord pain transmission (16,17). The mechanisms by which TRH improves these conditions are not fully elucidated but appear to involve the potentiation by TRH of other neurotransmitter systems. Despite its promise, the use of TRH as a therapeutic agent is critically undermined by its susceptibility to proteolytic degradation (20).Compounds that potently and selectively inhibit TRH-DE may be use...

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Hardiman, O., First-in-class thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-based compound binds to a pharmacologically distinct TRH receptor subtype in human brain and is effective in neurodegenerative models, Neuropharmacology (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.09.024. This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPTABSTRACT JAK4D, a first-in-class thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-based compound, is a prospective therapeutic candidate offering a multifaceted approach to treating neurodegeneration and other CNS conditions. The purpose of these studies was to determine the ability of JAK4D to bind to TRH receptors in human brain and to evaluate its neuropharmacological effects in neurodegenerative animal models. Additionally, JAK4D brain permeation was examined in mouse, and initial toxicology was assessed in vivo and in vitro. We report that JAK4D bound selectively with nanomolar affinity to native TRH receptors in human hippocampal tissue and showed for the first time that these receptors are pharmacologically distinct from TRH receptors in human pituitary, thus revealing a new TRH receptor subtype which represents a promising neurotherapeutic target in human brain. Systemic administration of JAK4D elicited statistically significant and clinically-relevant neuroprotective effects in three established neurodegenerative animal models: JAK4D reduced cognitive deficits when administered post-insult in a kainate (KA)-induced rat model of neurodegeneration; it protected against free radical release and neuronal damage evoked by intrastriatal microdialysis of KA in rat; and it reduced motor decline, weight loss, and lumbar spinal cord neuronal loss in G93A-SOD1 transgenic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis mice. Ability to cross the blood-brain-barrier and a clean initial toxicology profile were also shown. In light of these findings, JAK4D is an important tool for investigating the hitherto-unidentified central TRH receptor subtype reported herein and an attractive therapeutic candidate for neurodegenerative disorders.

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Inhibitors of PPII (pyroglutamyl-peptidase II) (EC 3.4.19.6) have potential applications as investigative and therapeutic agents. The rational design of inhibitors is hindered, however, by the lack of an experimental structure for PPII. Previous studies have demonstrated that replacement of histidine in TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone) with asparagine produces a competitive PPII inhibitor (Ki 17.5 microM). To gain further insight into which functional groups are significant for inhibitory activity, we investigated the effects on inhibition of structural modifications to Glp-Asn-ProNH2 (pyroglutamyl-asparaginyl-prolineamide). Synthesis and kinetic analysis of a diverse series of carboxamide and C-terminally extended Glp-Asn-ProNH2 analogues were undertaken. Extensive quantitative structure-activity relationships were generated, which indicated that key functionalities in the basic molecular structure of the inhibitors combine in a unique way to cause PPII inhibition. Data from kinetic and molecular modelling studies suggest that hydrogen bonding between the asparagine side chain and PPII may provide a basis for the inhibitory properties of the asparagine-containing peptides. Prolineamide appeared to be important for interaction with the S2' subsite, but some modifications were tolerated. Extension of Glp-Asn-ProNH2 with hydrophobic amino acids at the C-terminus led to a novel set of PPII inhibitors active in vitro at nanomolar concentrations. Such inhibitors were shown to enhance recovery of TRH released from rat brain slices. Glp-Asn-Pro-Tyr-Trp-Trp-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin displayed a Ki of 1 nM, making it the most potent competitive PPII inhibitor described to date. PPII inhibitors with this level of potency should find application in exploring the biological functions of TRH and PPII, and potentially provide a basis for development of novel therapeutics.