Significant effects of Z-Gln-Val-Val-OMe, common sequences of thiol proteinase inhibitors on thiol proteinases

The first studies on a series of the small synthetic thiol proteinase inhibitors, conservative common sequences in several thiol proteinase inhibitors, are described. Among the many interesting findings with synthetic thiol proteinase inhibitors was the observation that the most effective analogue, Z-Gln-Val-Val-Ala-Gly-OMe, whose amino and carboxyl groups were protected with Z and OMe, respectively, showed inhibitory activity on papain and cathepsin B and protected papain from egg cystatin, human low-molecular-weight kininogen and T-kininogen-induced inhibition but not from leupeptin-induced inhibition. Moreover, it was revealed that Z-Gln-Val-Val-OMe was the smallest peptide to exhibit a protective effect on papain.