GROWTH OF CULTURED HUMAN BRONCHIOGENIC EPITHELIOID CCD-14 BR CELLS AND DERMAL FIBROBLASTS, NB1 RGB TREATED WITH GINSENG TETRAPEPTIDE AND ITS ISOMER

The configurations of the component amino acids in ginseng tetrapeptid e 1 isolated from Panax ginseng were determined by HPLC with an optica l resolution column and the structure of 1 was established to be H-L-V al-gamma-D-Glu-D-Arg-Glu-OH. Synthesis of the ginseng tetrapeptide, 1, and of the configuration and conjugation isomers, H-L-Val-gamma-L-Glu -L-Arg-Gly-OH (2), H-L-Val-D-Glu-D-Arg-Gly-OH (3), and H-L-Val-L-Glu-L -Arg-Gly-OH (4) was carried out by a solid-phase method using the Fmoc strategy. The effects of 1-4 on the proliferation of baby hamster kid ney (BHK)-21 cells, normal female bronchiogenic epithelioid (CCD-14 Br ) cells, and normal human epidermal fibroblast (NB1 RGB) were examined , Only 1 showed 32 and 23% enhancement of BHK-21 and human CCD-14 Br c ells growth, respectively, at a concentration of 13.6 mu M and 41% enh ancement of NB1 RGB cells growth at a concentration of 32 mu M under t he conditions employed. It was shown that both the configuration of th e component amino acids and the peptide conjugation at a gamma-positio n of D-Glu in 1 are important for proliferation of the cells. Compound 1 exerted a prominent effect on cell stimulation and growth rate with out any morphological change and showed no cytotoxicity.