Synthesis and biological evaluation of the superagonist [N alpha-chlorotriazinylaminofluorescein-Ser1,Nle4,D-Phe7]-al pha-MSH.

The fluorescein-labeled melanotropin [N alpha-chlorotriazinylaminofluorescein-Ser1,Nle4,D-Phe 7]-alpha-MSH, was prepared by solid-phase techniques of peptide synthesis. The biological actions of this analogue were determined in several melanocyte bioassays and were compared with the parent peptide [Nle4,D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH and the native hormone alpha-MSH. The fluorescein compound was a superpotent agonist with approximately 10 times more activity than alpha-MSH in both the frog and the lizard skin bioassays. Murine S91 melanoma cells assayed in vitro (tyrosinase bioassay) were as responsive to the fluorescein analogue as to alpha-MSH. The analogue exhibited ultraprolonged biological activity and the biological activities were unaffected by treatment of the analogue with alpha-chymotrypsin. The fluorescein-labeled melanotropin should prove useful for melanotropin receptor characterization.