Pseudopeptides with a centrally positioned alkene -based disulphide bridge mimetic stimulate kallikrein-related peptidase 3 activity

Pseudopeptides based on the kallikrein-related peptidase 3 (KLK3) activating bicyclic peptide “C-4” comprising hydrocarbon-based disulphide bridge mimetics have been synthesized. After investigating different synthetic approaches, the pseudopeptides were successfully cyclized from two L-allylglycine side chains via an alkene ring-closing metathesis reaction during the peptide synthesis. The alkene-linker was formed in a 1 : 1 E/Z isomer ratio. The resulting pseudopeptides were almost as potent as the parent peptide, increasing the activity of KLK3 over four-fold at 200 μg ml−1 (130–140 μM) concentrations.