Selective inhibition of trypsin by (2R,4R)-4-phenyl-1-[Nalpha-(7- methoxy-2-naphthalenesulfonyl)-L-arginyl]-2-piperidinecarboxylic acid.

Evidence is accumulating indicating that trypsin stimulates divergent cellular reactions through the proteinase-activated receptor, in addition to its role as the digestive enzyme. In this report, we introduce (2R,4R)- 4-phenyl-1-[N(alpha)-(7-methoxy-2-naphthalenesulfonyl)-l-arginyl]- 2-p iperidinecarboxylic acid as a potent and selective trypsin inhibitor. The agent inhibited trypsin competitively with the K(i) value of 0. 1 micrometer. It inhibited thrombin weakly (K(i) = 2 micrometer) and did not inhibit plasmin, plasma kallikrein, urokinase, and mast cell tryptase (K(i) values for these enzymes are >60 micrometer). Comparative studies with several established proteinase inhibitors revealed that the compound was the first small molecular weight trypsin inhibitor without tryptase inhibitory activity. A docking study has provided a plausible explanation for the molecular mechanism of the selective inhibition showing that the agent fits into the active site of trypsin without any severe collision but that it comes into clash at the 4-phenyl group of piperidine ring against the "60-insertion loop" of thrombin and at the 7-methoxy-2-naphthalenesulfonyl group against Gln(98) of tryptase.