Syntheses and effects of a thymopoietin II fragment and its analogs on the impaired T-cell transformation in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency.

A tetradecapeptide, H-Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr-Val-Glu-Leu-Tyr-Leu-Gln-Ser-Leu-Thr-OH, corresponding to amino acids 32 to 45 of thymopoietin II and its six analogs by replacing the amino acid residue in position 37, was prepared. These peptides were synthesized using conventional synthesis in solution and were tested for their effect on impaired T-cell transformation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in the common variable immunodeficiency. The tetradecapeptide had increasing activity on the T-cell transformation by PHA. Among the tetradecapeptide analogs, several analogs in which Val37 was replaced by Leu or Phe exhibited potent activity which was more than that of the parent peptide fragment. On the other hand, replacement of Val37 by Pro, beta Ala, or sarcosine had no effect at concentrations as high as 3.5 X 10(-4) M. One analog whose Val37 was replaced by Gly showed activity one-third that of the parent peptide fragment. On the basis of these results, the structure-activity relationship for the tetradecapeptide is discussed.