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Schroer CG, Wille HC, Seeck OH, Bagschik K, Schulte-Schrepping H, Tischer M, Graafsma H, Laasch W, Baev K, Klumpp S, Bartolini R, Reichert H, Leemans W, Weckert E. The synchrotron radiation source PETRA III and its future ultra-low-emittance upgrade PETRA IV. EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS 2022; 137:1312. [PMID: 36532653 PMCID: PMC9734975 DOI: 10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03517-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PETRA III at DESY is one of the brightest synchrotron radiation sources worldwide. It serves a broad international multidisciplinary user community from academia to industry at currently 25 specialised beamlines. With a storage-ring energy of 6 GeV, it provides mainly hard to high-energy X-rays for versatile experiments in a very broad range of scientific fields. It is ideally suited for an upgrade to the ultra-low emittance source PETRA IV, owing to its large circumference of 2304 m. With a targeted storage ring emittance of 20 × 5 pm 2 rad 2 , PETRA IV will reach spectral brightnesses two to three orders of magnitude higher than today. The unique beam parameters will make PETRA IV the ultimate in situ 3D microscope for biological, chemical, and physical processes helping to address key questions in health, energy, mobility, information technology, and earth and environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian G. Schroer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department Physik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Oliver H. Seeck
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kai Bagschik
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Markus Tischer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heinz Graafsma
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wiebke Laasch
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karolin Baev
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Klumpp
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Riccardo Bartolini
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Harald Reichert
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wim Leemans
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Edgar Weckert
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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Lei S, Chen X, Wu J, Duan X, Men K. Small molecules in the treatment of COVID-19. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:387. [PMID: 36464706 PMCID: PMC9719906 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01249-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has become a global crisis, and brought severe disruptions to societies and economies. Until now, effective therapeutics against COVID-19 are in high demand. Along with our improved understanding of the structure, function, and pathogenic process of SARS-CoV-2, many small molecules with potential anti-COVID-19 effects have been developed. So far, several antiviral strategies were explored. Besides directly inhibition of viral proteins such as RdRp and Mpro, interference of host enzymes including ACE2 and proteases, and blocking relevant immunoregulatory pathways represented by JAK/STAT, BTK, NF-κB, and NLRP3 pathways, are regarded feasible in drug development. The development of small molecules to treat COVID-19 has been achieved by several strategies, including computer-aided lead compound design and screening, natural product discovery, drug repurposing, and combination therapy. Several small molecules representative by remdesivir and paxlovid have been proved or authorized emergency use in many countries. And many candidates have entered clinical-trial stage. Nevertheless, due to the epidemiological features and variability issues of SARS-CoV-2, it is necessary to continue exploring novel strategies against COVID-19. This review discusses the current findings in the development of small molecules for COVID-19 treatment. Moreover, their detailed mechanism of action, chemical structures, and preclinical and clinical efficacies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibei Lei
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohua Chen
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072 China
| | - Jieping Wu
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingmei Duan
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072 China
| | - Ke Men
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
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Chaves OA, Lima CR, Fintelman-Rodrigues N, Sacramento CQ, de Freitas CS, Vazquez L, Temerozo JR, Rocha ME, Dias SS, Carels N, Bozza PT, Castro-Faria-Neto HC, Souza TML. Agathisflavone, a natural biflavonoid that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by targeting its proteases. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 222:1015-1026. [PMID: 36183752 PMCID: PMC9525951 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fast development of vaccines, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) still circulates through variants of concern (VoC) and escape the humoral immune response. SARS-CoV-2 has provoked over 200,000 deaths/months since its emergence and only a few antiviral drugs showed clinical benefit up to this moment. Thus, chemical structures endowed with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity are important for continuous antiviral development and natural products represent a fruitful source of substances with biological activity. In the present study, agathisflavone (AGT), a biflavonoid from Anacardium occidentale was investigated as a candidate anti-SARS-CoV-2 compound. In silico and enzymatic analysis indicated that AGT may target mainly the viral main protease (Mpro) and not the papain-like protease (PLpro) in a non-competitive way. Cell-based assays in type II pneumocytes cell lineage (Calu-3) showed that SARS-CoV-2 is more susceptible to AGT than to apigenin (APG, monomer of AGT), in a dose-dependent manner, with an EC50 of 4.23 ± 0.21 μM and CC50 of 61.3 ± 0.1 μM and with a capacity to inhibit the level of pro-inflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). These results configure AGT as an interesting chemical scaffold for the development of novel semisynthetic antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.
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104
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Cao JF, Gong Y, Wu M, Xiong L, Chen S, Huang H, Zhou X, Peng YC, Shen XF, Qu J, Wang YL, Zhang X. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics study Lianhua Qingwen granules (LHQW) treats COVID-19 by inhibiting inflammatory response and regulating cell survival. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1044770. [PMID: 36506032 PMCID: PMC9729774 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1044770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is endangering health of populations worldwide. Latest research has proved that Lianhua Qingwen granules (LHQW) can reduce tissue damage caused by inflammatory reactions and relieve patients' clinical symptoms. However, the mechanism of LHQW treats COVID-19 is currently lacking. Therefore, we employed computer simulations to investigate the mechanism of LHQW treats COVID-19 by modulating inflammatory response. Methods We employed bioinformatics to screen active ingredients in LHQW and intersection gene targets. PPI, GO and KEGG was used to analyze relationship of intersection gene targets. Molecular dynamics simulations validated the binding stability of active ingredients and target proteins. Binding free energy, radius of gyration and the solvent accessible surface area were analyzed by supercomputer platform. Results COVID-19 had 4628 gene targets, LHQW had 1409 gene targets, intersection gene targets were 415. Bioinformatics analysis showed that intersection targets were closely related to inflammation and immunomodulatory. Molecular docking suggested that active ingredients (including: licopyranocoumarin, Glycyrol and 3-3-Oxopropanoic acid) in LHQW played a role in treating COVID-19 by acting on CSF2, CXCL8, CCR5, NLRP3, IFNG and TNF. Molecular dynamics was used to prove the binding stability of active ingredients and protein targets. Conclusion The mechanism of active ingredients in LHQW treats COVID-19 was investigated by computer simulations. We found that active ingredients in LHQW not only reduce cell damage and tissue destruction by inhibiting the inflammatory response through CSF2, CXCL8, CCR5 and IFNG, but also regulate cell survival and growth through NLRP3 and TNF thereby reducing apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Feng Cao
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,Chengdu Medical College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Mei Wu
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Xiong
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | | | | | | | - Ying-chun Peng
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,The First Affifiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue-fang Shen
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,The First Affifiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinyu Qu
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,The First Affifiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi-li Wang
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,The First Affifiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Yi-li Wang, ; Xiao Zhang,
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,Chengdu Medical College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Yi-li Wang, ; Xiao Zhang,
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105
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Discovery of TCMs and derivatives against the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 via high throughput screening, ADMET analysis, and inhibition assay in vitro. J Mol Struct 2022; 1268:133709. [PMID: 35846732 PMCID: PMC9273959 DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The rapidly evolving Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide with thousands of deaths and infected cases. For the identification of effective treatments against this disease, the main protease (Mpro) of SARS‑CoV‑2 was found to be an attractive drug target, as it played a central role in viral replication and transcription. Here, we report the results of high-throughput molecular docking with 1,045,468 ligands’ structures from 116 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Subsequently, 465 promising candidates were obtained, showing high binding affinities. The dynamic simulation, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) and drug-likeness properties were further analyzed the screened docking results. Basing on these simulation results, 23 kinds of Chinese herbal extracts were employed to study their inhibitory activity for Mpro of SARS‑CoV‑2. Plants extracts from Forsythiae Fructus, Radix Puerariae, Radix astragali, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma showed acceptable inhibitory efficiencies, which were over 70%. The best candidate was Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, reaching 78.9%.
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106
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Nabati F, kamyabiamineh A, Kosari R, Ghasemi F, Seyedebrahimi S, Mohammadi S, Moradi M. Virtual screening based on the structure of more than 105 compounds against four key proteins of SARS-CoV-2: MPro, SRBD, RdRp, and PLpro. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022; 35:101134. [PMID: 36406927 PMCID: PMC9652154 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.101134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background SARS-CoV-2 initially originated in Wuhan (China) around December 2019, and spread all over the world. Currently, WHO (Word Health Organization) has licensed several vaccines for this viral infection. However, not everyone can be vaccinated. People with underlying health conditions that weaken their immune systems or those with severe allergies to some vaccine components, may not be able to be vaccinated. Moreover, no vaccination is 100% safe, and the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations may reduce the efficacy of immunizations. Therefore, it is urgent to develop effective drugs to protect people against this virus. Material and method We performed structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) of a library that was built from ChemDiv and PubChem databases against four SARS-CoV-2 target proteins: S-protein (spike), main protease (MPro), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and PLpro. A virtual screening study was performed using PyRx and AutoDock tools. Results Our results suggest that twenty-five top-ranked drugs with the highest energy binding as the potential inhibitors against four SARS-CoV-2 targets, relative to the reference molecules. Based on the energy binding, we suggest that these compounds could be used to produce effective anti-viral drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion The discovery of novel compounds for COVID-19 using computer-aided drug discovery tools requires knowledge of the structure of coronavirus and various target proteins of the virus. These compounds should be further assessed in experimental assays and clinical trials to validate their actual activity against the disease. These findings may contribute to the drug design studies against COVID-19.
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107
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Promising SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor ligand-binding modes evaluated using LB-PaCS-MD/FMO. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17984. [PMID: 36289271 PMCID: PMC9606277 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22703-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Parallel cascade selection molecular dynamics-based ligand binding-path sampling (LB-PaCS-MD) was combined with fragment molecular orbital (FMO) calculations to reveal the ligand path from an aqueous solution to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) active site and to customise a ligand-binding pocket suitable for delivering a potent inhibitor. Rubraxanthone exhibited mixed-inhibition antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, relatively low cytotoxicity, and high cellular inhibition. However, the atomic inhibition mechanism remains ambiguous. LB-PaCS-MD/FMO is a hybrid ligand-binding evaluation method elucidating how rubraxanthone interacts with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In the first step, LB-PaCS-MD, which is regarded as a flexible docking, efficiently samples a set of ligand-binding pathways. After that, a reasonable docking pose of LB-PaCS-MD is evaluated by the FMO calculation to elucidate a set of protein-ligand interactions, enabling one to know the binding affinity of a specified ligand with respect to a target protein. A possible conformation was proposed for rubraxanthone binding to the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro active site, and allosteric inhibition was elucidated by combining blind docking with k-means clustering. The interaction profile, key binding residues, and considerable interaction were elucidated for rubraxanthone binding to both Mpro sites. Integrated LB-PaCS-MD/FMO provided a more reasonable complex structure for ligand binding at the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro active site, which is vital for discovering and designing antiviral drugs.
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108
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Elucidation of Binding Features and Dissociation Pathways of Inhibitors and Modulators in SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Multiple Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27206823. [PMID: 36296416 PMCID: PMC9609290 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27206823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 can cause different neurological symptoms in some people, including smell, inability to taste, dizziness, confusion, delirium, seizures, stroke, etc. Owing to the issue of vaccine effectiveness, update and coverage, we still need one or more diversified strategies as the backstop to manage illness. Characterizing the structural basis of ligand recognition in the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 will facilitate its rational design and development of potential drug candidates with high affinity and selectivity against COVID-19. Up to date, covalent-, non-covalent inhibitors and allosteric modulators have been reported to bind to different active sites of Mpro. In the present work, we applied the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to systematically characterize the potential binding features of catalytic active site and allosteric binding sites in Mpro using a dataset of 163 3D structures of Mpro-inhibitor complexes, in which our results are consistent with the current studies. In addition, umbrella sampling (US) simulations were used to explore the dissociation processes of substrate pathway and allosteric pathway. All the information provided new insights into the protein features of Mpro and will facilitate its rational drug design for COVID-19.
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109
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Fluorinated derivatives of tetrahydroaltersolanol molecule on COVID-19, HIV, and HTLV protease by DFT and molecular docking approaches. J Mol Model 2022; 28:350. [PMID: 36217060 PMCID: PMC9550597 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05340-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Structural, optoelectronic, and biological properties of tetrahydroaltersolanol (C16H20O7) and fluorinated derivatives are calculated using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular docking approaches. It is shown that the pure C16H20O7 molecule has a direct HOMO-LUMO energy gap about 3.1 eV. The substitution of F atom at A category decreases the electronic energy gap, while it is constant at B category. In A category, the behavior of the pure molecule changed from insulator to semiconductor with various substitution of F atom. The electronic properties were depended on the F sites in the pure molecule. The molecular electrical transport properties and charge-transfer possibilities increase with decreasing energy gap. The pure C16H20O7 molecule with high energy gap has low chemical reactivity and substitution of F atom at considered molecule increases chemical reactivity. Obtained results show that F-O bonds in trifurcation bonds of C16H19O7(F14), C16H19O7(F16), and C16H19O7(F17) molecules play a key role in confronting with COVID-19, HIV, and HTLV proteases, respectively. Optical spectra, such as the dielectric functions, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and reflection spectra show that fluorinated derivatives of C16H20O7 at B category can be used in the new drugs.
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Mahgoub RE, Mohamed FE, Alzyoud L, Ali BR, Ferreira J, Rabeh WM, AlNeyadi SS, Atatreh N, Ghattas MA. The Discovery of Small Allosteric and Active Site Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease via Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Biological Evaluation. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196710. [PMID: 36235244 PMCID: PMC9572942 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The main protease enzyme (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the most promising targets for COVID-19 treatment. Accordingly, in this work, a structure-based virtual screening of 3.8 million ligand libraries was carried out. After rigorous filtering, docking, and post screening assessments, 78 compounds were selected for biological evaluation, 3 of which showed promising inhibition of the Mpro enzyme. The obtained hits (CB03, GR04, and GR20) had reasonable potencies with Ki values in the medium to high micromolar range. Interestingly, while our most potent hit, GR20, was suggested to act via a reversible covalent mechanism, GR04 was confirmed as a noncompetitive inhibitor that seems to be one of a kind when compared to the other allosteric inhibitors discovered so far. Moreover, all three compounds have small sizes (~300 Da) with interesting fittings in their relevant binding sites, and they possess lead-like characteristics that can introduce them as very attractive candidates for the future development of COVID-19 treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radwa E. Mahgoub
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
| | - Feda E. Mohamed
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lara Alzyoud
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bassam R. Ali
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Juliana Ferreira
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael M. Rabeh
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shaikha S. AlNeyadi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noor Atatreh
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammad A. Ghattas
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +971-26133275
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111
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A multi-pronged evaluation of aldehyde-based tripeptidyl main protease inhibitors as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114570. [PMID: 35779291 PMCID: PMC9235293 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
As an essential enzyme of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 pathogen, main protease (MPro) is a viable target to develop antivirals for the treatment of COVID-19. By varying chemical compositions at both P2 and P3 positions and the N-terminal protection group, we synthesized 18 tripeptidyl MPro inhibitors that contained also an aldehyde warhead and β-(S-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-alaninal at the P1 position. Systematic characterizations of these inhibitors were conducted, including their in vitro enzymatic inhibition potency, X-ray crystal structures of their complexes with MPro, their inhibition of MPro transiently expressed in 293T cells, and cellular toxicity and SARS-CoV-2 antiviral potency of selected inhibitors. These inhibitors have a large variation of determined in vitro enzymatic inhibition IC50 values that range from 4.8 to 650 nM. The determined in vitro enzymatic inhibition IC50 values reveal that relatively small side chains at both P2 and P3 positions are favorable for achieving high in vitro MPro inhibition potency, the P3 position is tolerable toward unnatural amino acids with two alkyl substituents on the α-carbon, and the inhibition potency is sensitive toward the N-terminal protection group. X-ray crystal structures of MPro bound with 16 inhibitors were determined. In all structures, the MPro active site cysteine interacts covalently with the aldehyde warhead of the bound inhibitor to form a hemithioacetal that takes an S configuration. For all inhibitors, election density around the N-terminal protection group is weak indicating possible flexible binding of this group to MPro. In MPro, large structural variations were observed on residues N142 and Q189. Unlike their high in vitro enzymatic inhibition potency, most inhibitors showed low potency to inhibit MPro that was transiently expressed in 293T cells. Inhibitors that showed high potency to inhibit MPro transiently expressed in 293T cells all contain O-tert-butyl-threonine at the P3 position. These inhibitors also exhibited relatively low cytotoxicity and high antiviral potency. Overall, our current and previous studies indicate that O-tert-butyl-threonine at the P3 site is a key component to achieve high cellular and antiviral potency for tripeptidyl aldehyde inhibitors of MPro.
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112
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Alugubelli YR, Geng ZZ, Yang KS, Shaabani N, Khatua K, Ma XR, Vatansever EC, Cho CC, Ma Y, Xiao J, Blankenship LR, Yu G, Sankaran B, Li P, Allen R, Ji H, Xu S, Liu WR. A systematic exploration of boceprevir-based main protease inhibitors as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114596. [PMID: 35839690 PMCID: PMC9264725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Boceprevir is an HCV NSP3 inhibitor that was explored as a repurposed drug for COVID-19. It inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) and contains an α-ketoamide warhead, a P1 β-cyclobutylalanyl moiety, a P2 dimethylcyclopropylproline, a P3 tert-butylglycine, and a P4 N-terminal tert-butylcarbamide. By introducing modifications at all four positions, we synthesized 20 boceprevir-based MPro inhibitors including PF-07321332 and characterized their MPro inhibition potency in test tubes (in vitro) and 293T cells (in cellulo). Crystal structures of MPro bound with 10 inhibitors and cytotoxicity and antiviral potency of 4 inhibitors were characterized as well. Replacing the P1 site with a β-(S-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-alanyl (Opal) residue and the warhead with an aldehyde leads to high in vitro potency. The original moieties at P2, P3 and the P4 N-terminal cap positions in boceprevir are better than other tested chemical moieties for high in vitro potency. In crystal structures, all inhibitors form a covalent adduct with the MPro active site cysteine. The P1 Opal residue, P2 dimethylcyclopropylproline and P4 N-terminal tert-butylcarbamide make strong hydrophobic interactions with MPro, explaining high in vitro potency of inhibitors that contain these moieties. A unique observation was made with an inhibitor that contains a P4 N-terminal isovaleramide. In its MPro complex structure, the P4 N-terminal isovaleramide is tucked deep in a small pocket of MPro that originally recognizes a P4 alanine side chain in a substrate. Although all inhibitors show high in vitro potency, they have drastically different in cellulo potency to inhibit ectopically expressed MPro in human 293T cells. In general, inhibitors with a P4 N-terminal carbamide or amide have low in cellulo potency. This trend is reversed when the P4 N-terminal cap is changed to a carbamate. The installation of a P3 O-tert-butyl-threonine improves in cellulo potency. Three molecules that contain a P4 N-terminal carbamate were advanced to cytotoxicity tests on 293T cells and antiviral potency tests on three SARS-CoV-2 variants. They all have relatively low cytotoxicity and high antiviral potency with EC50 values around 1 μM. A control compound with a nitrile warhead and a P4 N-terminal amide has undetectable antiviral potency. Based on all observations, we conclude that a P4 N-terminal carbamate in a boceprevir derivative is key for high antiviral potency against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yugendar R Alugubelli
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Zhi Zachary Geng
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kai S Yang
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | | | - Kaustav Khatua
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Xinyu R Ma
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Erol C Vatansever
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chia-Chuan Cho
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Yuying Ma
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jing Xiao
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Lauren R Blankenship
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ge Yu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Banumathi Sankaran
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Berkeley Center for Structural Biology, Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Pingwei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Robert Allen
- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Henry Ji
- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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113
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Therapeutic use of calpeptin in COVID-19 infection. Clin Sci (Lond) 2022; 136:1439-1447. [PMID: 36268783 PMCID: PMC9594985 DOI: 10.1042/cs20220638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This perspective considers the benefits of the potential future use of the cell permeant calpain inhibitor, calpeptin, as a drug to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Recent work has reported calpeptin’s capacity to inhibit entry of the virus into cells. Elsewhere, several drugs, including calpeptin, were found to be able to inhibit extracellular vesicle (EV) biogenesis. Unsurprisingly, because of similarities between viral and EV release mechanisms, calpeptin has also been shown to inhibit viral egress. This approach, identifying calpeptin, through large-scale screening studies as a candidate drug to treat COVID-19, however, has not considered the longer term likely benefits of calpain inhibition, post-COVID-19. This perspective will reflect on the capacity of calpeptin for treating long COVID by inhibiting the overproduction of neutrophil extracellular traps potentially damaging lung cells and promoting clotting, together with limiting associated chronic inflammation, tissue damage and pulmonary fibrosis. It will also reflect on the tolerated and detrimental in vivo side-effects of calpain inhibition from various preclinical studies.
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114
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Beccari AR, Vistoli G. Exscalate4CoV: Innovative High Performing Computing (HPC) Strategies to Tackle Pandemic Crisis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911576. [PMID: 36232873 PMCID: PMC9569893 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R. Beccari
- EXSCALATE, Dompé Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Tommaso De Amicis 95, I-80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Giulio Vistoli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, I-20133 Milano, Italy
- Correspondence:
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115
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Strömich L, Wu N, Barahona M, Yaliraki SN. Allosteric Hotspots in the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167748. [PMID: 35843284 PMCID: PMC9288249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibiting the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 is of great interest in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the virus. Most efforts have been centred on inhibiting the binding site of the enzyme. However, considering allosteric sites, distant from the active or orthosteric site, broadens the search space for drug candidates and confers the advantages of allosteric drug targeting. Here, we report the allosteric communication pathways in the main protease dimer by using two novel fully atomistic graph-theoretical methods: Bond-to-bond propensity, which has been previously successful in identifying allosteric sites in extensive benchmark data sets without a priori knowledge, and Markov transient analysis, which has previously aided in finding novel drug targets in catalytic protein families. Using statistical bootstrapping, we score the highest ranking sites against random sites at similar distances, and we identify four statistically significant putative allosteric sites as good candidates for alternative drug targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léonie Strömich
- Department of Chemistry Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Chemistry Imperial College London, United Kingdom
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116
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Ebrahim A, Riley BT, Kumaran D, Andi B, Fuchs MR, McSweeney S, Keedy DA. The temperature-dependent conformational ensemble of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro). IUCRJ 2022; 9:682-694. [PMID: 36071812 PMCID: PMC9438506 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522007497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, instigated by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, continues to plague the globe. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease, or Mpro, is a promising target for the development of novel antiviral therapeutics. Previous X-ray crystal structures of Mpro were obtained at cryogenic tem-per-ature or room tem-per-ature only. Here we report a series of high-resolution crystal structures of unliganded Mpro across multiple tem-per-atures from cryogenic to physiological, and another at high humidity. We inter-rogate these data sets with parsimonious multiconformer models, multi-copy ensemble models, and isomorphous difference density maps. Our analysis reveals a perturbation-dependent conformational landscape for Mpro, including a mobile zinc ion inter-leaved between the catalytic dyad, mercurial conformational heterogeneity at various sites including a key substrate-binding loop, and a far-reaching intra-molecular network bridging the active site and dimer inter-face. Our results may inspire new strategies for antiviral drug development to aid preparation for future coronavirus pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ebrahim
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, England, United Kingdom
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Blake T. Riley
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Desigan Kumaran
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Babak Andi
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Martin R. Fuchs
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Sean McSweeney
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Daniel A. Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, and Chemistry, The Graduate Center–City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
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117
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Samrat SK, Xu J, Xie X, Gianti E, Chen H, Zou J, Pattis JG, Elokely K, Lee H, Li Z, Klein ML, Shi PY, Zhou J, Li H. Allosteric inhibitors of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2022; 205:105381. [PMID: 35835291 PMCID: PMC9272661 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has raised the alarm to search for effective therapy for this virus. To date several vaccines have been approved but few available drugs reported recently still need approval from FDA. Remdesivir was approved for emergency use only. In this report, the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro was expressed and purified. By using a FRET-based enzymatic assay, we have screened a library consisting of more than 300 different niclosamide derivatives and identified three molecules JMX0286, JMX0301, and JMX0941 as potent allosteric inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with IC50 values similar to that of known covalent inhibitor boceprevir. In a cell-based antiviral assay, these inhibitors can inhibit the virus growth with EC50 in the range of 2-3 μM. The mechanism of action of JMX0286, JMX0301, and JMX0941 were characterized by enzyme kinetics, affinity binding and protein-based substrate digestion. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and hydration studies suggested that JMX0286, JMX0301, JMX0941 bind specifically to an allosteric pocket of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease. This study provides three potent compounds for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh Kumar Samrat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0207, USA.
| | - Jimin Xu
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Eleonora Gianti
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Jing Zou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Jason G Pattis
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Khaled Elokely
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at College of Pharmacy and Biophysics Core at Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0207, USA
| | - Michael L Klein
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0207, USA; BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
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118
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Cerón‐Carrasco JP. When Virtual Screening Yields Inactive Drugs: Dealing with False Theoretical Friends. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200278. [PMID: 35726731 PMCID: PMC9542010 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The search of antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 in available libraries of compounds was initiated as soon as WHO announced that the coronavirus outbreak became a pandemic. That pivotal task has been conducted by both experimental groups in wet-labs as well as by theoretical chemists in supercomputing centers. The combination of biochemical and clinical intuitions yields first to remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral that remains as the standard solution for the treatment of severe cases, while paxlovid, molnupiravir and fluvoxamine have been recently proposed as oral alternatives. Unfortunately, the intensive publication of standard virtual screening (VS) simulations might be not the best strategy to increase that short list of antivirals. This contribution joins theory and biological assays to rescore massive VS. Our goal is to critically assess pros and cons of using molecular models for drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- José P. Cerón‐Carrasco
- Centro Universitario de la Defensa, Academia General del AireUniversidad Politécnica de CartagenaC/Coronel López Peña S/N Santiago de La Ribera30720MurciaSpain
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119
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Robertson AJ, Ying J, Bax A. NMR Observation of Sulfhydryl Signals in SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Aids Structural Studies. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200471. [PMID: 35972230 PMCID: PMC9537880 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The 68‐kDa homodimeric 3C‐like protease of SARS‐CoV‐2, Mpro (3CLpro/Nsp5), is a key antiviral drug target. NMR spectroscopy of this large system proved challenging and resonance assignments have remained incomplete. Here we present the near‐complete (>97 %) backbone assignments of a C145A variant of Mpro (MproC145A) both with, and without, the N‐terminal auto‐cleavage substrate sequence, in its native homodimeric state. We also present SILLY (Selective Inversion of thioL and Ligand for NOESY), a simple yet effective pseudo‐3D NMR experiment that utilizes NOEs to identify interactions between Cys‐thiol or aliphatic protons, and their spatially proximate backbone amides in a perdeuterated protein background. High protection against hydrogen exchange is observed for 10 of the 11 thiol groups in MproC145A, even those that are partially accessible to solvent. A combination of SILLY methods and high‐resolution triple‐resonance NMR experiments reveals site‐specific interactions between Mpro, its substrate peptides, and other ligands, which present opportunities for competitive binding studies in future drug design efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus J Robertson
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Laboratory of Chemical Physics, UNITED STATES
| | - Jinfa Ying
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Laboratory of Chemical Physics, UNITED STATES
| | - Ad Bax
- Nat. Inst. Diabetes, Laboratory Chem. Phys., Building 5, Rm 126, 20892, Bethesda, UNITED STATES
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120
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Srinivasan V, Brognaro H, Prabhu PR, de Souza EE, Günther S, Reinke PYA, Lane TJ, Ginn H, Han H, Ewert W, Sprenger J, Koua FHM, Falke S, Werner N, Andaleeb H, Ullah N, Franca BA, Wang M, Barra ALC, Perbandt M, Schwinzer M, Schmidt C, Brings L, Lorenzen K, Schubert R, Machado RRG, Candido ED, Oliveira DBL, Durigon EL, Niebling S, Garcia AS, Yefanov O, Lieske J, Gelisio L, Domaracky M, Middendorf P, Groessler M, Trost F, Galchenkova M, Mashhour AR, Saouane S, Hakanpää J, Wolf M, Alai MG, Turk D, Pearson AR, Chapman HN, Hinrichs W, Wrenger C, Meents A, Betzel C. Antiviral activity of natural phenolic compounds in complex at an allosteric site of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease. Commun Biol 2022; 5:805. [PMID: 35953531 PMCID: PMC9366811 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) covers multiple functions. Beside the cysteine-protease activity, facilitating cleavage of the viral polypeptide chain, PLpro has the additional and vital function of removing ubiquitin and ISG15 (Interferon-stimulated gene 15) from host-cell proteins to support coronaviruses in evading the host's innate immune responses. We identified three phenolic compounds bound to PLpro, preventing essential molecular interactions to ISG15 by screening a natural compound library. The compounds identified by X-ray screening and complexed to PLpro demonstrate clear inhibition of PLpro in a deISGylation activity assay. Two compounds exhibit distinct antiviral activity in Vero cell line assays and one inhibited a cytopathic effect in non-cytotoxic concentration ranges. In the context of increasing PLpro mutations in the evolving new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the natural compounds we identified may also reinstate the antiviral immune response processes of the host that are down-regulated in COVID-19 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasundara Srinivasan
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Hévila Brognaro
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Prince R Prabhu
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Edmarcia Elisa de Souza
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sebastian Günther
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Y A Reinke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas J Lane
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.,Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Helen Ginn
- Diamond Light Source Ltd. Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Huijong Han
- European XFEL GmbH. Holzkoppel 4, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Wiebke Ewert
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janina Sprenger
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Faisal H M Koua
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sven Falke
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Werner
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hina Andaleeb
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan-, 60800, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Najeeb Ullah
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan-, 60800, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Bruno Alves Franca
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mengying Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angélica Luana C Barra
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Pólo TerRa, São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Markus Perbandt
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schwinzer
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Lea Brings
- European XFEL GmbH. Holzkoppel 4, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | - Robin Schubert
- European XFEL GmbH. Holzkoppel 4, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | - Erika Donizette Candido
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danielle Bruna Leal Oliveira
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Clinical Laboratory, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edison Luiz Durigon
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Scientific Platform Pasteur USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stephan Niebling
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angelica Struve Garcia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Lieske
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luca Gelisio
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Domaracky
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Middendorf
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Groessler
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Trost
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marina Galchenkova
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aida Rahmani Mashhour
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sofiane Saouane
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Hakanpää
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Wolf
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Schnackenburgallee114, 22525, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maria Garcia Alai
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dusan Turk
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular & Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1 000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Centre of excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKEBIP), Jamova 39, 1 000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Arwen R Pearson
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.,Institut für Nanostruktur- und Festkörperphysik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henry N Chapman
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.,Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Hinrichs
- Institute of Biochemistry, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Betzel
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Universität Hamburg, Build. 22a, c/o DESY, 22607, Hamburg, Germany. .,Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.
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Osipov EM, Munawar AH, Beelen S, Fearon D, Douangamath A, Wild C, Weeks SD, Van Aerschot A, von Delft F, Strelkov SV. Discovery of novel druggable pockets on polyomavirus VP1 through crystallographic fragment-based screening to develop capsid assembly inhibitors. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1013-1027. [PMID: 35974998 PMCID: PMC9347357 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00052k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyomaviruses are a family of ubiquitous double-stranded DNA viruses many of which are human pathogens. These include BK polyomavirus which causes severe urinary tract infection in immunocompromised patients and Merkel cell polyomavirus associated with aggressive cancers. The small genome of polyomaviruses lacks conventional drug targets, and no specific drugs are available at present. Here we focus on the main structural protein VP1 of BK polyomavirus which is responsible for icosahedral capsid formation. To provide a foundation towards rational drug design, we crystallized truncated VP1 pentamers and subjected them to a high-throughput screening for binding drug-like fragments through a direct X-ray analysis. To enable a highly performant screening, rigorous optimization of the crystallographic pipeline and processing with the latest generation PanDDA2 software were necessary. As a result, a total of 144 binding hits were established. Importantly, the hits are well clustered in six surface pockets. Three pockets are located on the outside of the pentamer and map on the regions where the 'invading' C-terminal arm of another pentamer is attached upon capsid assembly. Another set of three pockets is situated within the wide pore along the five-fold axis of the VP1 pentamer. These pockets are situated at the interaction interface with the minor capsid protein VP2 which is indispensable for normal functioning of the virus. Here we systematically analyse the three outside pockets which are highly conserved across various polyomaviruses, while point mutations in these pockets are detrimental for viral replication. We show that one of the pockets can accommodate antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine. For each pocket, we derive pharmacophore features which enable the design of small molecules preventing the interaction between VP1 pentamers and therefore inhibiting capsid assembly. Our data lay a foundation towards a rational development of first-in-class drugs targeting polyomavirus capsid.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali H Munawar
- Biocrystallography, KU Leuven Herestraat 49 Leuven Belgium
- Orthogon Therapeutics LLC 45 Dan Road Suite 126 Canton MA 02021 USA
- Pledge Tx B.V. Gaston Geenslaan 1 Leuven Belgium
| | - Steven Beelen
- Biocrystallography, KU Leuven Herestraat 49 Leuven Belgium
| | - Daren Fearon
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot OX11 0FA UK
| | - Alice Douangamath
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot OX11 0FA UK
| | - Conor Wild
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford South Parks Road Headington OX3 7DQ UK
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford 29 St Giles' Oxford OX1 3LB UK
| | - Stephen D Weeks
- Biocrystallography, KU Leuven Herestraat 49 Leuven Belgium
- Pledge Tx B.V. Gaston Geenslaan 1 Leuven Belgium
| | - Arthur Van Aerschot
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven Herestraat 49 Leuven Belgium
| | - Frank von Delft
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot OX11 0FA UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford South Parks Road Headington OX3 7DQ UK
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Roosevelt Drive Headington OX3 7DQ UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg Auckland Park 2006 South Africa
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122
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Alzyoud L, Ghattas MA, Atatreh N. Allosteric Binding Sites of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: Potential Targets for Broad-Spectrum Anti-Coronavirus Agents. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:2463-2478. [PMID: 35941927 PMCID: PMC9356625 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s370574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The current pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease has reached everywhere in the world and has affected every aspect of our lives. As of the current data, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than 300 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 5 million deaths. Mpro is an enzyme that plays a key role in the life cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it is vital for the disease progression. The Mpro enzyme seems to have several allosteric sites that can hinder the enzyme catalytic activity. Furthermore, some of these allosteric sites are located at or nearby the dimerization interface which is essential for the overall Mpro activity. In this review paper, we investigate the potential of the Mpro allosteric site to act as a drug target, especially since they interestingly appear to be resistant to mutation. The work is illustrated through three subsequent sections: First, the two main categories of Mpro allosteric sites have been explained and discussed. Second, a total of six pockets have been studied and evaluated for their druggability and cavity characteristics. Third, the experimental and computational attempts for the discovery of new allosteric inhibitors have been illustrated and discussed. To sum up, this review paper gives a detailed insight into the feasibility of developing new Mpro inhibitors to act as a potential treatment for the COVID-19 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Alzyoud
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammad A Ghattas
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: Mohammad A Ghattas; Noor Atatreh, Email ;
| | - Noor Atatreh
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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123
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Muhammad S, Amin S, Iqbal J, Al-Sehemi AG, Alarfaji SS, Ilyas M, Atif M, Ullah S. Insighting the Therapeutic Potential of Fifty (50) Shogaol Derivatives Against M pro of SARS-CoV-2. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL BIOPHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1142/s273741652250020x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, has proven to be a disastrous pandemic due to its contagious nature. This study has been planned to theoretically explore some antidotes against this virus from natural compounds. A total of 150 compounds from the shogaol class and shogaol derivatives (SDs) have been screened whereas 50 among those, which obeyed Lipinski’s Rule of Five (Ro5), have further been investigated using molecular docking techniques. Furthermore, reference antiviral drug chloroquine (ChQ) and Co-Crystallized inhibitor have also been studied against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 for comparing the potential of our docked ligands. Surprisingly, 78% of our docked ligands have shown binding energies and inhibition constants lower than ChQ and all ligands showed these values lower than an inhibitor. We further visualized the nature of intermolecular interactions for the best docked six ligands, which have shown higher binding affinities. We have also assessed ADMET properties for three ligands that displayed visually the best intermolecular interactions. Quantum analysis of three selected ligands L4, L5, and L9 has proved their reactivity and kinetic stability. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations over 60[Formula: see text]ns have been run for free Mpro and its selected three ligand-protein complexes for evaluating conformational stability and residual flexibility of docked complexes. Furthermore, 100[Formula: see text]ns the MD simulations have been performed for two ligand complexes L4, L5 (with negative binding free energy), and inhibitor. Available parameters suggest stable complexes for our ligands and could be active drugs against SARS-CoV-2 in near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabbir Muhammad
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saniyah Amin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Javed Iqbal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh S. Alarfaji
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mubashar Ilyas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Atif
- Department of Chemistry, University of Education, Lahore (Vehari Campus), Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Sami Ullah
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia
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124
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(+)-Usnic acid and its salts, inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2, identified by using in silico methods and in vitro assay. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13118. [PMID: 35908082 PMCID: PMC9338942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17506-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been ongoing for over two years, and treatment for COVID-19, other than monoclonal antibodies, is urgently required. Accordingly, we have investigated the inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 protein targets by high-throughput virtual screening using a marine natural products database. Considering the calculated molecular properties and availability of the compounds, (+)-usnic acid was selected as a suitable hit. In the in vitro antiviral assay of (+)-usnic acid by the immunofluorescence method, IC50 was 7.99 μM, which is similar to that of remdesivir used as a positive control. The generalized Born and surface area continuum solvation (MM/GBSA) method was performed to find the potent target of (+)-usnic acid, and the Mpro protein showed the most prominent value, -52.05 kcal/mol, among other SARS-CoV-2 protein targets. Thereafter, RMSD and protein-ligand interactions were profiled using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Sodium usnate (NaU) improved in vitro assay results with an IC50 of 5.33 μM and a selectivity index (SI) of 9.38. Additionally, when (+)-usnic acid was assayed against SARS-CoV-2 variants, it showed enhanced efficacy toward beta variants with an IC50 of 2.92 μM and SI of 11.1. We report the in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 efficacy of (+)-usnic acid in this study and propose that it has the potential to be developed as a COVID-19 treatment if its in vivo efficacy has been confirmed.
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125
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Andi B, Kumaran D, Kreitler DF, Soares AS, Keereetaweep J, Jakoncic J, Lazo EO, Shi W, Fuchs MR, Sweet RM, Shanklin J, Adams PD, Schmidt JG, Head MS, McSweeney S. Hepatitis C virus NS3/4A inhibitors and other drug-like compounds as covalent binders of SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12197. [PMID: 35842458 PMCID: PMC9287821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15930-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), threatens global public health. The world needs rapid development of new antivirals and vaccines to control the current pandemic and to control the spread of the variants. Among the proteins synthesized by the SARS-CoV-2 genome, main protease (Mpro also known as 3CLpro) is a primary drug target, due to its essential role in maturation of the viral polyproteins. In this study, we provide crystallographic evidence, along with some binding assay data, that three clinically approved anti hepatitis C virus drugs and two other drug-like compounds covalently bind to the Mpro Cys145 catalytic residue in the active site. Also, molecular docking studies can provide additional insight for the design of new antiviral inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 using these drugs as lead compounds. One might consider derivatives of these lead compounds with higher affinity to the Mpro as potential COVID-19 therapeutics for further testing and possibly clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Andi
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA.
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Desigan Kumaran
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA.
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Dale F Kreitler
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Alexei S Soares
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | | | - Jean Jakoncic
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Edwin O Lazo
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Wuxian Shi
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Martin R Fuchs
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Robert M Sweet
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - John Shanklin
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Paul D Adams
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jurgen G Schmidt
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Martha S Head
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sean McSweeney
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA.
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA.
- National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
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126
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Deodato D, Asad N, Dore TM. Discovery of 2-Thiobenzimidazoles as Noncovalent Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 72:128867. [PMID: 35760254 PMCID: PMC9225965 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 is an important step toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic and to tackle future outbreaks. In this context, the main protease (Mpro) represents an ideal target for developing coronavirus antivirals, being conserved among different strains and essential for survival. In this work, using in silico tools, we created and validated a docking protocol able to predict binders to the catalytic site of Mpro. The following structure-based virtual screening of a subset of the ZINC library (over 4.3 million unique structures), led to the identification of a hit compound having a 2-thiobenzimidazole scaffold. The inhibitory activity was confirmed using a FRET-based proteolytic assay against recombinant Mpro. Structure-activity relationships were obtained with the synthesis of a small library of analogs, guided by the analysis of the docking pose. Our efforts led to the identification of a micromolar Mpro inhibitor (IC50 = 14.9 µM) with an original scaffold possessing ideal drug-like properties (predicted using the QikProp function) and representing a promising lead for the development of a novel class of coronavirus antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Deodato
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nadeem Asad
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Timothy M Dore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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127
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Li H, Yuan S, Wei X, Sun H. Metal-based strategies for the fight against COVID-19. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:7466-7482. [PMID: 35730442 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc01772e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The emerging COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has claimed over six million lives globally to date. Despite the availability of vaccines, the pandemic still cannot be fully controlled owing to rapid mutation of the virus that renders enhanced transmissibility and antibody evasion. This is thus an unmet need to develop safe and effective therapeutic options for COVID-19, in particular, remedies that can be used at home. Considering the great success of multi-targeted cocktail therapy for the treatment of viral infections, metal-based drugs might represent a unique and new source of antivirals that resemble a cocktail therapy in terms of their mode of actions. In this review, we first summarize the role that metal ions played in SARS-CoV-2 viral replication and pathogenesis, then highlight the chemistry of metal-based strategies in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection, including both metal displacement and chelation based approaches. Finally, we outline a perspective and direction on how to design and develop metal-based antivirals for the fight against the current or future coronavirus pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Li
- Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry and CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xueying Wei
- Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry and CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hongzhe Sun
- Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry and CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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128
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Dagnall K, Conley AM, Yoon LU, Rajeev HS, Lee SH, Choi JJ. Ytterbium-Doped Cesium Lead Chloride Perovskite as an X-ray Scintillator with High Light Yield. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:20968-20974. [PMID: 35755380 PMCID: PMC9219522 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Ytterbium-doped cesium lead halides are quantum cutting materials with exceptionally high photoluminescence quantum yields, making them promising materials as scintillators. In this work, we report ytterbium-doped cesium lead chloride (Yb3+:CsPbCl3) with an X-ray scintillation light yield of 102,000 photons/MeV at room temperature, which is brighter than the current state-of-the-art commercial scintillators. The high light yield was achieved based on a novel method of synthesizing Yb3+:CsPbCl3 powders using water and low-temperature processing. The combination of high light yield and the simple and inexpensive manufacturing method reported in this work demonstrates the great potential of Yb3+:CsPbCl3 for scintillation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn
A. Dagnall
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Ashley M. Conley
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Lucy U. Yoon
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Haritha S. Rajeev
- Department
of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Seung-Hun Lee
- Department
of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Joshua J. Choi
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
- Department
of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
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129
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Malla TR, Brewitz L, Muntean DG, Aslam H, Owen CD, Salah E, Tumber A, Lukacik P, Strain-Damerell C, Mikolajek H, Walsh MA, Schofield CJ. Penicillin Derivatives Inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Reaction with Its Nucleophilic Cysteine. J Med Chem 2022; 65:7682-7696. [PMID: 35549342 PMCID: PMC9115881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a medicinal chemistry target for COVID-19 treatment. Given the clinical efficacy of β-lactams as inhibitors of bacterial nucleophilic enzymes, they are of interest as inhibitors of viral nucleophilic serine and cysteine proteases. We describe the synthesis of penicillin derivatives which are potent Mpro inhibitors and investigate their mechanism of inhibition using mass spectrometric and crystallographic analyses. The results suggest that β-lactams have considerable potential as Mpro inhibitors via a mechanism involving reaction with the nucleophilic cysteine to form a stable acyl-enzyme complex as shown by crystallographic analysis. The results highlight the potential for inhibition of viral proteases employing nucleophilic catalysis by β-lactams and related acylating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tika R. Malla
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dorian-Gabriel Muntean
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hiba Aslam
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - C. David Owen
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Eidarus Salah
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Tumber
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Halina Mikolajek
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Martin A. Walsh
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
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130
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Zhong B, Peng W, Du S, Chen B, Feng Y, Hu X, Lai Q, Liu S, Zhou ZW, Fang P, Wu Y, Gao F, Zhou H, Sun L. Oridonin Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by Targeting Its 3C-Like Protease. SMALL SCIENCE 2022; 2:2100124. [PMID: 35600064 PMCID: PMC9111243 DOI: 10.1002/smsc.202100124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an enormous threat to public health. The SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease (3CLpro), which is critical for viral replication and transcription, has been recognized as an ideal drug target. Herein, it is identified that three herbal compounds, Salvianolic acid A (SAA), (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and Oridonin, directly inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Further, blocking SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by Oridonin is confirmed in cell-based experiments. By solving the crystal structure of 3CLpro in complex with Oridonin and comparing it to that of other ligands with 3CLpro, it is identified that Oridonin binds at the 3CLpro catalytic site by forming a C-S covalent bond, which is confirmed by mass spectrometry and kinetic study, blocking substrate binding through a nonpeptidomimetic covalent binding mode. Thus, Oridonin is a novel candidate to develop a new antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baisen Zhong
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Weiyu Peng
- Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)Beijing100101China
| | - Shan Du
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Bingyi Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Yajuan Feng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Xinfeng Hu
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Qi Lai
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Shujie Liu
- School of MedicineShenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Zhong-Wei Zhou
- School of MedicineShenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
| | - Pengfei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products ChemistryCenter for Excellence in Molecular SynthesisShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryShanghai200032China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Pathogen MicrobiologySchool of Basic Medical SciencesCapital Medical UniversityBeijing100069China
| | - Feng Gao
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering and VaccinesTianjin Institute of Industrial BiotechnologyChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)Tianjin300308China
| | - Huihao Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Litao Sun
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen)Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen UniversityShenzhen518107China
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131
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Ali HM, Soliman AG, Elfiky HGAG. SAR and QSAR of COVID-19 Main Protease–Inhibitor Interactions of Recently X-ray Crystalized Complexes. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, INDIA SECTION B: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2022; 92:281-291. [PMID: 35194302 PMCID: PMC8831015 DOI: 10.1007/s40011-021-01338-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is still widespread worldwide and up to now there is no established antiviral able to control the disease. Main protease is responsible for the viral replication and transcription; thus, its inhibition is a promising route to control virus proliferation. The present study aims to examine detail interactions between main protease and recently reported ninety-seven inhibitors with available X-ray crystallography to define factors enhance inhibition activity; thirty-two of most potent inhibitors were examined to identify sites and types of interaction. The study showed formation of covalent bond, H-bond and hydrophobic interaction with key residues in the active side. Covalent bond is observed in seventeen complexes, all of them by attack of the 145Cys thiol group on Michael acceptor, aldehyde or its hydrate, α-ketoamide, double bond or acetamide methyl group; the latter type requires H-bonding between acetamide carbonyl oxygen and at least one of 143Gly, 144Ser or 145Cys. Potent inhibitors, disulfiram and ebselen docked in the same binding site. Accordingly, factors identify inhibition include forming covalent bond and existing terminal hydrophobic groups and amidic or peptidomimetic structure. Binding affinity was found correlated with topological diameter up to 24 bond, molecular size, branching, polar surface area up to 199 Å2 and hydrophilicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein M. Ali
- Agricultural Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed G. Soliman
- Agricultural Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hala G. A. G. Elfiky
- Agricultural Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt
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132
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Ho CY, Yu JX, Wang YC, Lin YC, Chiu YF, Gao JY, Lai SJ, Chen MJ, Huang WC, Tien N, Chen Y. A Structural Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease and Animal Coronaviral Main Protease Reveals Species-Specific Ligand Binding and Dimerization Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5669. [PMID: 35628479 PMCID: PMC9145999 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal coronaviruses (CoVs) have been identified to be the origin of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV, and probably SARS-CoV-2 that cause severe to fatal diseases in humans. Variations of zoonotic coronaviruses pose potential threats to global human beings. To overcome this problem, we focused on the main protease (Mpro), which is an evolutionary conserved viral protein among different coronaviruses. The broad-spectrum anti-coronaviral drug, GC376, was repurposed to target canine coronavirus (CCoV), which causes gastrointestinal infections in dogs. We found that GC376 can efficiently block the protease activity of CCoV Mpro and can thermodynamically stabilize its folding. The structure of CCoV Mpro in complex with GC376 was subsequently determined at 2.75 Å. GC376 reacts with the catalytic residue C144 of CCoV Mpro and forms an (R)- or (S)-configuration of hemithioacetal. A structural comparison of CCoV Mpro and other animal CoV Mpros with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro revealed three important structural determinants in a substrate-binding pocket that dictate entry and release of substrates. As compared with the conserved A141 of the S1 site and P188 of the S4 site in animal coronaviral Mpros, SARS-CoV-2 Mpro contains N142 and Q189 at equivalent positions which are considered to be more catalytically compatible. Furthermore, the conserved loop with residues 46-49 in animal coronaviral Mpros has been replaced by a stable α-helix in SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In addition, the species-specific dimerization interface also influences the catalytic efficiency of CoV Mpros. Conclusively, the structural information of this study provides mechanistic insights into the ligand binding and dimerization of CoV Mpros among different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Yi Ho
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan;
- Division of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Hsinchu 302, Taiwan
- Physical Examination Center, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Hsinchu 302, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Hsinchu 302, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Xin Yu
- AI Innovation Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Chuan Wang
- Institute of New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; (Y.-C.W.); (Y.-F.C.)
| | - Yu-Chuan Lin
- Translational Cell Therapy Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Fang Chiu
- Institute of New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; (Y.-C.W.); (Y.-F.C.)
| | - Jing-Yan Gao
- School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan;
| | - Shu-Jung Lai
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (W.-C.H.)
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jen Chen
- Department of Applied Cosmetology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 404, Taiwan;
| | - Wei-Chien Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; (S.-J.L.); (W.-C.H.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Drug Development Center, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | - Ni Tien
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
| | - Yeh Chen
- Institute of New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; (Y.-C.W.); (Y.-F.C.)
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Drug Development Center, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
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133
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Mohseni M, Bahrami H, Farajmand B, Hosseini FS, Amanlou M, Salehabadi H. Indole alkaloids as potential candidates against COVID-19: an in silico study. J Mol Model 2022; 28:144. [PMID: 35546368 PMCID: PMC9094126 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05137-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 has recently grown to be pandemic all around the world. Therefore, efforts to find effective drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 are needed to improve humans’ life quality and survival. Since the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a crucial role in viral replication and transcription, the inhibition of this enzyme could be a promising and challenging therapeutic target to fight COVID-19. The present study aims to identify alkaloid compounds as new potential inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by the hybrid modeling analyses. The docking-based virtual screening method assessed a collection of alkaloids extracted from over 500 medicinal plants and sponges. In order to validate the docking process, classical molecular dynamic simulations were applied on selected ligands, and the calculation of binding free energy was performed. Based on the proper interactions with the active site of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, low binding energy, few side effects, and the availability in the medicinal market, two indole alkaloids were found to be potential lead compounds that may serve as therapeutic options to treat COVID-19. This study paves the way for developing natural alkaloids as stronger potent antiviral agents against the SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehran Mohseni
- Department of Food and Drug Control, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Hamed Bahrami
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Bahman Farajmand
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Faezeh Sadat Hosseini
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Massoud Amanlou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hafezeh Salehabadi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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134
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Brewitz L, Kamps JJAG, Lukacik P, Strain‐Damerell C, Zhao Y, Tumber A, Malla TR, Orville AM, Walsh MA, Schofield CJ. Mass Spectrometric Assays Reveal Discrepancies in Inhibition Profiles for the SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200016. [PMID: 35085423 PMCID: PMC9015526 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The two SARS-CoV-2 proteases, i. e. the main protease (Mpro ) and the papain-like protease (PLpro ), which hydrolyze the viral polypeptide chain giving functional non-structural proteins, are essential for viral replication and are medicinal chemistry targets. We report a high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS)-based assay which directly monitors PLpro catalysis in vitro. The assay was applied to investigate the effect of reported small-molecule PLpro inhibitors and selected Mpro inhibitors on PLpro catalysis. The results reveal that some, but not all, PLpro inhibitor potencies differ substantially from those obtained using fluorescence-based assays. Some substrate-competing Mpro inhibitors, notably PF-07321332 (nirmatrelvir) which is in clinical development, do not inhibit PLpro . Less selective Mpro inhibitors, e. g. auranofin, inhibit PLpro , highlighting the potential for dual PLpro /Mpro inhibition. MS-based PLpro assays, which are orthogonal to widely employed fluorescence-based assays, are of utility in validating inhibitor potencies, especially for inhibitors operating by non-covalent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Jos J. A. G. Kamps
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Claire Strain‐Damerell
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Yilin Zhao
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Anthony Tumber
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Tika R. Malla
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Martin A. Walsh
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
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135
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Padhi AK, Tripathi T. High-throughput design of symmetrical dimeric SARS-CoV-2 main protease: structural and physical insights into hotspots for adaptation and therapeutics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:9141-9145. [PMID: 35411366 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00171c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dimerization of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a prerequisite for its processing activity. With >2000 mutations already reported in Mpro, SARS-CoV-2 may accumulate mutations in the Mpro dimeric interface to stabilize it further. We employed high-throughput protein design strategies to design the symmetrical dimeric interface of Mpro (300 000 designs) to identify mutational hotspots that render the Mpro more stable. We found that ∼22% of designed mutations that yield stable Mpro dimers already exist in SARS-CoV-2 genomes and are currently circulating. Our multi-parametric analyses highlight potential Mpro mutations that SARS-CoV-2 may develop, providing a foundation for assessing viral adaptation and mutational surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K Padhi
- Laboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Timir Tripathi
- Molecular and Structural Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong - 793022, India.
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136
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Structural basis for replicase polyprotein cleavage and substrate specificity of main protease from SARS-CoV-2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117142119. [PMID: 35380892 PMCID: PMC9172370 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117142119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is a deadly rampaging infectious disease with over 480 million cases worldwide. Unfortunately, effective therapies remain very limited. Novel antiviral agents are urgently needed to combat this global healthcare crisis. Here, we elucidate the structural basis for replicase polyprotein cleavage and substrate specificity of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). Through analyzing a series of high-resolution structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro throughout the proteolytic process, we demonstrate the molecular mechanism of Mpro in proteolytic processing that confers substrate specificity. Substrate selectivity is revealed using structures of the H41A mutant in complex with six individual native cleavage substrates. Our study underscores the mechanistic function of Mpro in the viral life cycle, which provides structural insights to develop effective inhibitors against this essential target of SARS-CoV-2. The main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a key enzyme, which extensively digests CoV replicase polyproteins essential for viral replication and transcription, making it an attractive target for antiviral drug development. However, the molecular mechanism of how Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 digests replicase polyproteins, releasing the nonstructural proteins (nsps), and its substrate specificity remain largely unknown. Here, we determine the high-resolution structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in its resting state, precleavage state, and postcleavage state, constituting a full cycle of substrate cleavage. The structures show the delicate conformational changes that occur during polyprotein processing. Further, we solve the structures of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutant (H41A) in complex with six native cleavage substrates from replicase polyproteins, and demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 Mpro can recognize sequences as long as 10 residues but only have special selectivity for four subsites. These structural data provide a basis to develop potent new inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.
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137
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Abstract
SignificanceThe coronavirus main protease (Mpro) is required for viral replication. Here, we obtained the extended conformation of the native monomer of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Mpro by trapping it with nanobodies and found that the catalytic domain and the helix domain dissociate, revealing allosteric targets. Another monomeric state is termed compact conformation and is similar to one protomer of the dimeric form. We designed a Nanoluc Binary Techonology (NanoBiT)-based high-throughput allosteric inhibitor assay based on structural conformational change. Our results provide insight into the maturation, dimerization, and catalysis of the coronavirus Mpro and pave a way to develop an anticoronaviral drug through targeting the maturation process to inhibit the autocleavage of Mpro.
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138
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Ewert W, Günther S, Miglioli F, Falke S, Reinke PYA, Niebling S, Günther C, Han H, Srinivasan V, Brognaro H, Lieske J, Lorenzen K, Garcia-Alai MM, Betzel C, Carcelli M, Hinrichs W, Rogolino D, Meents A. Hydrazones and Thiosemicarbazones Targeting Protein-Protein-Interactions of SARS-CoV-2 Papain-like Protease. Front Chem 2022; 10:832431. [PMID: 35480391 PMCID: PMC9038201 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.832431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for viral propagation and, additionally, dysregulation of the host innate immune system. Using a library of 40 potential metal-chelating compounds we performed an X-ray crystallographic screening against PLpro. As outcome we identified six compounds binding to the target protein. Here we describe the interaction of one hydrazone (H1) and five thiosemicarbazone (T1-T5) compounds with the two distinct natural substrate binding sites of PLpro for ubiquitin and ISG15. H1 binds to a polar groove at the S1 binding site by forming several hydrogen bonds with PLpro. T1-T5 bind into a deep pocket close to the polyubiquitin and ISG15 binding site S2. Their interactions are mainly mediated by multiple hydrogen bonds and further hydrophobic interactions. In particular compound H1 interferes with natural substrate binding by sterical hindrance and induces conformational changes in protein residues involved in substrate binding, while compounds T1-T5 could have a more indirect effect. Fluorescence based enzyme activity assay and complementary thermal stability analysis reveal only weak inhibition properties in the high micromolar range thereby indicating the need for compound optimization. Nevertheless, the unique binding properties involving strong hydrogen bonding and the various options for structural optimization make the compounds ideal lead structures. In combination with the inexpensive and undemanding synthesis, the reported hydrazone and thiosemicarbazones represent an attractive scaffold for further structure-based development of novel PLpro inhibitors by interrupting protein-protein interactions at the S1 and S2 site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Ewert
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Günther
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Francesca Miglioli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Sven Falke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Y. A. Reinke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Niebling
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Günther
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Vasundara Srinivasan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Department of Chemistry, University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hévila Brognaro
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Department of Chemistry, University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Lieske
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Christian Betzel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Department of Chemistry, University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mauro Carcelli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Winfried Hinrichs
- Institute of Biochemistry, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dominga Rogolino
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
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139
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Pearce NM, Skyner R, Krojer T. Experiences From Developing Software for Large X-Ray Crystallography-Driven Protein-Ligand Studies. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:861491. [PMID: 35480897 PMCID: PMC9035521 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.861491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The throughput of macromolecular X-ray crystallography experiments has surged over the last decade. This remarkable gain in efficiency has been facilitated by increases in the availability of high-intensity X-ray beams, (ultra)fast detectors and high degrees of automation. These developments have in turn spurred the development of several dedicated centers for crystal-based fragment screening which enable the preparation and collection of hundreds of single-crystal diffraction datasets per day. Crystal structures of target proteins in complex with small-molecule ligands are of immense importance for structure-based drug design (SBDD) and their rapid turnover is a prerequisite for accelerated development cycles. While the experimental part of the process is well defined and has by now been established at several synchrotron sites, it is noticeable that software and algorithmic aspects have received far less attention, as well as the implications of new methodologies on established paradigms for structure determination, analysis, and visualization. We will review three key areas of development of large-scale protein-ligand studies. First, we will look into new software developments for batch data processing, followed by a discussion of the methodological changes in the analysis, modeling, refinement and deposition of structures for SBDD, and the changes in mindset that these new methods require, both on the side of depositors and users of macromolecular models. Finally, we will highlight key new developments for the presentation and analysis of the collections of structures that these experiments produce, and provide an outlook for future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Pearce
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rachael Skyner
- OMass Therapeutics, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, United Kingdom
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140
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Liu H, Iketani S, Zask A, Khanizeman N, Bednarova E, Forouhar F, Fowler B, Hong SJ, Mohri H, Nair MS, Huang Y, Tay NES, Lee S, Karan C, Resnick SJ, Quinn C, Li W, Shion H, Xia X, Daniels JD, Bartolo-Cruz M, Farina M, Rajbhandari P, Jurtschenko C, Lauber MA, McDonald T, Stokes ME, Hurst BL, Rovis T, Chavez A, Ho DD, Stockwell BR. Development of optimized drug-like small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease for treatment of COVID-19. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1891. [PMID: 35393402 PMCID: PMC8989888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29413-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease is a critical drug target for small molecule COVID-19 therapy, given its likely druggability and essentiality in the viral maturation and replication cycle. Based on the conservation of 3CL protease substrate binding pockets across coronaviruses and using screening, we identified four structurally distinct lead compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease. After evaluation of their binding specificity, cellular antiviral potency, metabolic stability, and water solubility, we prioritized the GC376 scaffold as being optimal for optimization. We identified multiple drug-like compounds with <10 nM potency for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 3CL and the ability to block SARS-CoV-2 replication in human cells, obtained co-crystal structures of the 3CL protease in complex with these compounds, and determined that they have pan-coronavirus activity. We selected one compound, termed coronastat, as an optimized lead and characterized it in pharmacokinetic and safety studies in vivo. Coronastat represents a new candidate for a small molecule protease inhibitor for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection for eliminating pandemics involving coronaviruses. Small molecule drugs promise to remain a valuable tool in controlling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here the authors describe optimized drug-like small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease for potential treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengrui Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Sho Iketani
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Arie Zask
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Nisha Khanizeman
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Eva Bednarova
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Farhad Forouhar
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Brandon Fowler
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Seo Jung Hong
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Hiroshi Mohri
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Manoj S Nair
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yaoxing Huang
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Nicholas E S Tay
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Sumin Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Charles Karan
- Sulzberger Columbia Genome Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Samuel J Resnick
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Colette Quinn
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA, 01757, USA
| | - Wenjing Li
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA, 01757, USA
| | - Henry Shion
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA, 01757, USA
| | - Xin Xia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Jacob D Daniels
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | | | - Marcelo Farina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Presha Rajbhandari
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas McDonald
- Waters Corporation, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA, 01757, USA
| | - Michael E Stokes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Brett L Hurst
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
| | - Tomislav Rovis
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Alejandro Chavez
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - David D Ho
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Brent R Stockwell
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
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141
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Ullah Z, Sonawane PM, Mary YS, Mary YS, Yohannan Panicker C, Churchill DG. A foundational theoreticalAl 12E 12(E = N, P) adsorption and quinolone docking study: cage–quinolone pairs, optics and possible therapeutic and diagnostic applications. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:3630-3646. [PMID: 35380095 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2053742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This combined Al12E12 (E = N, P) surface adsorption and docking study describes the new possibility of prospective potential probing(photophysical/optical) and therapy(medicinal/biochemical) with these adsorbent conjugates. DFT investigations were undertaken herein to help generate geometrical models and better understand the possible favorable adsorption energetics. We attempt to explain their adsorption behaviors and docking involving SARS-CoV-2 viruses (PDB)to assess their possible pharmaceutical potential against the pandemic virus (COVID-19). The adsorption behavior of 8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (MQ) and its halogenated derivatives, 5,7-diiodo-8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (MQI), 5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (MQCl), and 5,7-dibromo-8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (MQBr), with aluminum-nitrogen (AlN), and aluminum-phosphorous (AlP) fullerene-like nanocages is reported. A decrease in the hardness of the nanoclusters when adsorbed with drug molecules resulted in an incrementally improved chemical softness (see e.g., Hard-Soft Acid Base theory) indicating that reactivity of the drug molecule in the resulting complex increases upon cluster chemical adsorption. The energy gap is found to be maximized for AlN-MQ and minimized for AlP-MQI; the reduced density gradient (RDG) iso-surfaces and AIM studies also corroborated this. Therefore, these two were found, respectively, to be the least and most electrically conductive of the species under study. We selected a simple medicinal building block (chelator)in addition to selecting the cluster based on previous literature reports. Important parameters such as gap energies and global indices were determined. We assessed NLO properties. The SARS-CoV-2 virus PDB docking data for 6VW1, 6VYO, 6WKQ, 7AD1, 7AOL, 7B3C, were enlisted as ligand targets for studies of docking (PatchDock Server) using the requisite PDB geometries (For the structure of 6VW1, kindly see reference, 2020; For the structure of 6VYO kindly see reference, 2020; For the structure of 6WKQ kindly see reference, 2020; For the structure of 7AD1 kindly see reference, 2021; For the structure of 7AOL kindly see reference, 2021; For the structure of 7B3C kindly see reference, 2021). Such findings indicate that the AlN-drug conjugation have inhibitory effect against these selected receptors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakir Ullah
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Logic Gate Laboratory, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water and Sustainability (EEWS) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea
- Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Prasad M. Sonawane
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Logic Gate Laboratory, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry & Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea
| | | | | | | | - David G. Churchill
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Logic Gate Laboratory, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Therapeutic Bioengineering Section, KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology (KIHST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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142
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Vázquez-Mendoza LH, Mendoza-Figueroa HL, García-Vázquez JB, Correa-Basurto J, García-Machorro J. In Silico Drug Repositioning to Target the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease as Covalent Inhibitors Employing a Combined Structure-Based Virtual Screening Strategy of Pharmacophore Models and Covalent Docking. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:3987. [PMID: 35409348 PMCID: PMC8999907 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which has spread rapidly throughout the world, requires urgent and effective treatments considering that the appearance of viral variants limits the efficacy of vaccines. The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) is a highly conserved cysteine proteinase, fundamental for the replication of the coronavirus and with a specific cleavage mechanism that positions it as an attractive therapeutic target for the proposal of irreversible inhibitors. A structure-based strategy combining 3D pharmacophoric modeling, virtual screening, and covalent docking was employed to identify the interactions required for molecular recognition, as well as the spatial orientation of the electrophilic warhead, of various drugs, to achieve a covalent interaction with Cys145 of Mpro. The virtual screening on the structure-based pharmacophoric map of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in complex with an inhibitor N3 (reference compound) provided high efficiency by identifying 53 drugs (FDA and DrugBank databases) with probabilities of covalent binding, including N3 (Michael acceptor) and others with a variety of electrophilic warheads. Adding the energy contributions of affinity for non-covalent and covalent docking, 16 promising drugs were obtained. Our findings suggest that the FDA-approved drugs Vaborbactam, Cimetidine, Ixazomib, Scopolamine, and Bicalutamide, as well as the other investigational peptide-like drugs (DB04234, DB03456, DB07224, DB7252, and CMX-2043) are potential covalent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Heriberto Vázquez-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotecnológica, Posgrado en Farmacología de la Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico; (L.H.V.-M.); (J.C.-B.)
| | - Humberto L. Mendoza-Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotecnológica, Posgrado en Farmacología de la Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico; (L.H.V.-M.); (J.C.-B.)
| | - Juan Benjamín García-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotecnológica, Posgrado en Farmacología de la Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico; (L.H.V.-M.); (J.C.-B.)
- Cátedras CONACyT-Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico
| | - José Correa-Basurto
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotecnológica, Posgrado en Farmacología de la Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico; (L.H.V.-M.); (J.C.-B.)
| | - Jazmín García-Machorro
- Laboratorio de Medicina de la Conservación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico;
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143
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Airas J, Bayas CA, N'Ait Ousidi A, Ait Itto MY, Auhmani A, Loubidi M, Esseffar M, Pollock JA, Parish CA. Investigating novel thiazolyl-indazole derivatives as scaffolds for SARS-CoV-2 M Pro inhibitors. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY REPORTS 2022; 4:100034. [PMID: 37519829 PMCID: PMC8828376 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmcr.2022.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a global pandemic caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Remdesivir, a SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase inhibitor, is the only drug to have received widespread approval for treatment of COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme (MPro), essential for viral replication and transcription, remains an active target in the search for new treatments. In this study, the ability of novel thiazolyl-indazole derivatives to inhibit MPro is evaluated. These compounds were synthesized via the heterocyclization of phenacyl bromide with (R)-carvone, (R)-pulegone and (R)-menthone thiosemicarbazones. The binding affinity and binding interactions of each compound were evaluated through Schrödinger Glide docking, AMBER molecular dynamics simulations, and MM-GBSA free energy estimation, and these results were compared with similar calculations of MPro binding various 5-mer substrates (VKLQA, VKLQS, VKLQG) and a previously identified MPro tight-binder X77. From these simulations, we can see that binding is driven by residue specific interactions such as π-stacking with His41, and S/π interactions with Met49 and Met165. The compounds were also experimentally evaluated in a MPro biochemical assay and the most potent compound containing a phenylthiazole moiety inhibited protease activity with an IC50 of 92.9 μM. This suggests that the phenylthiazole scaffold is a promising candidate for the development of future MPro inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Airas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Gottwald Center for the Sciences, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA
| | - Catherine A Bayas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Gottwald Center for the Sciences, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA
| | - Abdellah N'Ait Ousidi
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP, 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Moulay Youssef Ait Itto
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP, 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Aziz Auhmani
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP, 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Loubidi
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP, 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - M'hamed Esseffar
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP, 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Julie A Pollock
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Gottwald Center for the Sciences, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA
| | - Carol A Parish
- Department of Chemistry, University of Richmond, Gottwald Center for the Sciences, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA
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144
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Chan WKB, Olson KM, Wotring JW, Sexton JZ, Carlson HA, Traynor JR. In silico analysis of SARS-CoV-2 proteins as targets for clinically available drugs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5320. [PMID: 35351926 PMCID: PMC8963407 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08320-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires treatments with rapid clinical translatability. Here we develop a multi-target and multi-ligand virtual screening method to identify FDA-approved drugs with potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 at traditional and understudied viral targets. 1,268 FDA-approved small molecule drugs were docked to 47 putative binding sites across 23 SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We compared drugs between binding sites and filtered out compounds that had no reported activity in an in vitro screen against SARS-CoV-2 infection of human liver (Huh-7) cells. This identified 17 "high-confidence", and 97 "medium-confidence" drug-site pairs. The "high-confidence" group was subjected to molecular dynamics simulations to yield six compounds with stable binding poses at their optimal target proteins. Three drugs-amprenavir, levomefolic acid, and calcipotriol-were predicted to bind to 3 different sites on the spike protein, domperidone to the Mac1 domain of the non-structural protein (Nsp) 3, avanafil to Nsp15, and nintedanib to the nucleocapsid protein involved in packaging the viral RNA. Our "two-way" virtual docking screen also provides a framework to prioritize drugs for testing in future emergencies requiring rapidly available clinical drugs and/or treating diseases where a moderate number of targets are known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace K B Chan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 2301 MSRBIII, 1150 W Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190-5606, USA
- Edward F Domino Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
| | - Keith M Olson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 2301 MSRBIII, 1150 W Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190-5606, USA
- Edward F Domino Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
| | - Jesse W Wotring
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
| | - Jonathan Z Sexton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
| | - Heather A Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA
| | - John R Traynor
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 2301 MSRBIII, 1150 W Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190-5606, USA.
- Edward F Domino Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA.
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48190, USA.
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145
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Antonopoulou I, Sapountzaki E, Rova U, Christakopoulos P. Inhibition of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (M pro) by repurposing/designing drug-like substances and utilizing nature's toolbox of bioactive compounds. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:1306-1344. [PMID: 35308802 PMCID: PMC8920478 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a long pandemic, with numerous cases and victims worldwide and enormous consequences on social and economic life. Although vaccinations have proceeded and provide a valuable shield against the virus, the approved drugs are limited and it is crucial that further ways to combat infection are developed, that can also act against potential mutations. The main protease (Mpro) of the virus is an appealing target for the development of inhibitors, due to its importance in the viral life cycle and its high conservation among different coronaviruses. Several compounds have shown inhibitory potential against Mpro, both in silico and in vitro, with few of them also having entered clinical trials. These candidates include: known drugs that have been repurposed, molecules specifically designed based on the natural substrate of the protease or on structural moieties that have shown high binding affinity to the protease active site, as well as naturally derived compounds, either isolated or in plant extracts. The aim of this work is to collectively present the results of research regarding Mpro inhibitors to date, focusing on the function of the compounds founded by in silico simulations and further explored by in vitro and in vivo assays. Creating an extended portfolio of promising compounds that may block viral replication by inhibiting Mpro and by understanding involved structure-activity relationships, could provide a basis for the development of effective solutions against SARS-CoV-2 and future related outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ulrika Rova
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Paul Christakopoulos
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
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146
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In silico study of potential antiviral activity of copper(II) complexes with non–steroidal anti–inflammatory drugs on various SARS–CoV–2 target proteins. J Inorg Biochem 2022; 231:111805. [PMID: 35334392 PMCID: PMC8930182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.111805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In silico molecular docking studies, in vitro toxicity and in silico predictions on the biological activity profile, pharmacokinetic properties, drug–likeness, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) physicochemical pharmacokinetic data, and target proteins and toxicity predictions were performed on six copper(II) complexes with the non–steroidal anti–inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, loxoprofen, fenoprofen and clonixin as ligands, in order to investigate the ability of these complexes to interact with the key therapeutic target proteins of SARS–CoV–2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) 3C–like cysteine main protease (3CLpro/Mpro), viral papain–like protease (PLpro), RNA–dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and non–structural proteins (Nsps) Nsp16–Nsp10 2′–O–methyltransferase complex, and their capacity to act as antiviral agents, contributing thus to understanding the role they can play in the context of coronavirus 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic. Cytotoxic activity against five human cancer and normal cell lines were also evaluated.
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147
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Chen K, Krischuns T, Varga L, Harigua-Souiai E, Paisant S, Zettor A, Chiaravalli J, Delpal A, Courtney D, O'Brien A, Baker S, Decroly E, Isel C, Agou F, Jacob Y, Blondel A, Naffakh N. A highly sensitive cell-based luciferase assay for high-throughput automated screening of SARS-CoV-2 nsp5/3CLpro inhibitors. Antiviral Res 2022; 201:105272. [PMID: 35278581 PMCID: PMC8906008 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2 are urgently needed to treat severe cases of infection and for prophylactic use. The main viral protease (nsp5 or 3CLpro) represents an attractive and possibly broad-spectrum target for drug development as it is essential to the virus life cycle and highly conserved among betacoronaviruses. Sensitive and efficient high-throughput screening methods are key for drug discovery. Here we report the development of a gain-of-signal, highly sensitive cell-based luciferase assay to monitor SARS-CoV-2 nsp5 activity and show that it is suitable for the screening of compounds in a 384-well format. A benefit of miniaturisation and automation is that screening can be performed in parallel on a wild-type and a catalytically inactive nsp5, which improves the selectivity of the assay. We performed molecular docking-based screening on a set of 14,468 compounds from an in-house chemical database, selected 359 candidate nsp5 inhibitors and tested them experimentally. We identified two molecules which show anti-nsp5 activity, both in our cell-based assay and in vitro on purified nsp5 protein, and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in A549-ACE2 cells with EC50 values in the 4–8 μM range. The here described high-throughput-compatible assay will allow the screening of large-scale compound libraries for SARS-CoV-2 nsp5 inhibitors. Moreover, we provide evidence that this assay can be adapted to other coronaviruses and viruses which rely on a viral protease.
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148
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Cao W, Cho CCD, Geng ZZ, Shaabani N, Ma XR, Vatansever EC, Alugubelli YR, Ma Y, Chaki SP, Ellenburg WH, Yang KS, Qiao Y, Allen R, Neuman BW, Ji H, Xu S, Liu WR. Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Using a Novel Cell-Based Assay. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:192-204. [PMID: 35229034 PMCID: PMC8848508 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
As an essential enzyme of SARS-CoV-2, main protease (MPro) triggers acute toxicity to its human cell host, an effect that can be alleviated by an MPro inhibitor. Using this toxicity alleviation, we developed an effective method that allows a bulk analysis of the cellular potency of MPro inhibitors. This novel assay is advantageous over an antiviral assay in providing precise cellular MPro inhibition information to assess an MPro inhibitor. We used this assay to analyze 30 known MPro inhibitors. Contrary to their strong antiviral effects and up to 10 μM, 11a, calpain inhibitor II, calpain XII, ebselen, bepridil, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine showed relatively weak to undetectable cellular MPro inhibition potency implicating their roles in interfering with key steps other than just the MPro catalysis in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. Our results also revealed that MPI5, MPI6, MPI7, and MPI8 have high cellular and antiviral potency. As the one with the highest cellular and antiviral potency among all tested compounds, MPI8 has a remarkable cellular MPro inhibition IC50 value of 31 nM that matches closely to its strong antiviral effect with an EC50 value of 30 nM. Therefore, we cautiously suggest exploring MPI8 further for COVID-19 preclinical tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyue Cao
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Chia-Chuan Dean Cho
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Zhi Zachary Geng
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Namir Shaabani
- Sorrento
Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Xinyu R. Ma
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Erol C. Vatansever
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Yugendar R. Alugubelli
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Yuying Ma
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Sankar P. Chaki
- Global
Health Research Complex, Division of Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - William H. Ellenburg
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Kai S. Yang
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Yuchen Qiao
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Robert Allen
- Sorrento
Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Benjamin W. Neuman
- Department
of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Henry Ji
- Sorrento
Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, California 92121, United States
- E-mail:
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- E-mail:
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Institute
of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical
Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M
University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M
University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- E-mail:
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149
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Fornasier E, Macchia ML, Giachin G, Sosic A, Pavan M, Sturlese M, Salata C, Moro S, Gatto B, Bellanda M, Battistutta R. A new inactive conformation of SARS-CoV-2 main protease. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 78:363-378. [PMID: 35234150 PMCID: PMC8900819 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322000948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The SARS‐CoV‐2 main protease (Mpro) has a pivotal role in mediating viral genome replication and transcription of the coronavirus, making it a promising target for drugs against the COVID‐19 pandemic. Here, a crystal structure is presented in which Mpro adopts an inactive state that has never been observed before, called new‐inactive. It is shown that the oxyanion loop, which is involved in substrate recognition and enzymatic activity, adopts a new catalytically incompetent conformation and that many of the key interactions of the active conformation of the enzyme around the active site are lost. Solvation/desolvation energetic contributions play an important role in the transition from the inactive to the active state, with Phe140 moving from an exposed to a buried environment and Asn142 moving from a buried environment to an exposed environment. In new‐inactive Mpro a new cavity is present near the S2′ subsite, and the N‐terminal and C‐terminal tails, as well as the dimeric interface, are perturbed, with partial destabilization of the dimeric assembly. This novel conformation is relevant both for comprehension of the mechanism of action of Mpro within the catalytic cycle and for the successful structure‐based drug design of antiviral drugs.
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150
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Main protease mutants of SARS-CoV-2 variants remain susceptible to nirmatrelvir. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 62:128629. [PMID: 35182772 PMCID: PMC8856729 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a public health threat. Multiple mutations in the spike protein of emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 appear to impact on the effectiveness of available vaccines. Specific antiviral agents are keenly anticipated but their efficacy may also be compromised in emerging variants. One of the most attractive coronaviral drug targets is the main protease (Mpro). A promising Mpro inhibitor of clinical relevance is the peptidomimetic nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332). We expressed Mpro of six SARS-CoV-2 lineages (C.37 Lambda, B.1.1.318, B.1.2, B.1.351 Beta, B.1.1.529 Omicron, P.2 Zeta), each of which carries a strongly prevalent missense mutation (G15S, T21I, L89F, K90R, P132H, L205V). Enzyme kinetics reveal that these Mpro variants are catalytically competent to a similar degree as the wildtype. We show that nirmatrelvir has similar potency against the variants as the wildtype. Our in vitro data suggest that the efficacy of the specific Mpro inhibitor nirmatrelvir is not compromised in current COVID-19 variants.
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