Photoswitchable Probes of Oxytocin and Vasopressin

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) are related neuropeptides that regulate many biological processes. In humans, OT and VP act via four G protein-coupled receptors, OTR, V1aR, V1bR, and V2R (VPRs), which are associated with several disorders. To investigate the therapeutic potential of these receptors, particularly in the receptor-dense areas of the brain, molecular probes with a high temporal and spatial resolution are required. Such a spatiotemporal resolution can be achieved by incorporating photochromic moieties into OT and VP. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and (photo)pharmacological characterization of 12 OT- and VP-derived photoprobes using different modification strategies. Despite OT's and VP's sensitivity toward structural changes, we identified two photoprobes with good potency and photoswitch window for investigating the OTR and V1bR. These photoprobes should be of high value for producing cutting-edge photocontrollable peptide probes for the study of dynamic and kinetic receptor activation processes in specific regions of the brain.