A new pseudo-peptide of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) with inhibitory effect on tumor metastasis and enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix

A series of pseudo-peptide analogs of the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence of fibronectin have been synthesized, and their anti-metastatic effects in mice and inhibitory effects of tumor cell invasion in vitro have been examined. The partially modified retro pseudo-peptide of RGD, R(rev)-COCH₂CO-D (FC- 63), was more effective in inhibiting tumor metastasis than the original RGDS peptide. Replacement of the malonyl moiety of FC-63 with a carboxyethylene linkage (R(rev)-COCH₂CH₂-D, FC-303) achieved more potent inhibition of lung metastasis of melanoma cells than FC-63. Among the analogs, FC-336, a p- xylylendiamine derivative having two FC-303 moieties, showed the most potent inhibitory effect on experimental lung metastasis produced by i.v. co- injection with B16-BL6 melanoma or colon 26 M3.1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Multiple administrations of FC-336 after tumor inoculation also showed efficient therapeutic potency against spontaneous lung metastasis of B16-BL6 melanoma in mice. Furthermore, FC-336 effectively inhibited the invasion, migration and adhesion of tumor cells in vitro, but its inhibitory effects were not more than those of RGDs peptide. Zymography analysis revealed that FC-336 inhibited the degradation of gelatin substrate by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) produced by tumor cells, while the RGDS peptide did not affect the enzymatic degradation. These findings indicate that the pseudo-peptides of the RGD sequence, possessing the inhibitory property of the degradation by MMPs differently from original RGD-containing peptides, may be advantageous and useful in preventing tumor metastasis.