Biologically active macromolecular forms of oxytocin. [8-Lysine]oxytocin as a suitable ligand.

[8-Lysine]oxytocin was synthesized on a solid support and possessed an oxytocic activity of 100 +/- 6 units mumol on the isolated rat uterus. The epsilon-carbamoyl, epsilon-3-carboxypropionyl and epsilon-3-carboxybutryl derivatives were prepared and had uterotonic activities of 400, 55 and 50 units/mumol respectively. [8-Lysine]oxytocin was coupled unambiguously through the epsilon-amino group to the carboxyl groups of carboxymethylated dextrans or epsilon-3-carboxypropionly-gelatin. The macromolecular oxytocins were water-soluble and retained signigicant oxytocic activity. [8-Lysine]oxytocin should prove a useful ligand for affinity chromatography of oxytocin-binding proteins.