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Niu ZX, Nie P, Herdewijn P, Wang YT. Synthetic approaches and application of clinically approved small-molecule drugs to treat hepatitis. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 262:115919. [PMID: 37922830 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis, a global public health concern, presents a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Particularly, hepatitis B and C are viral infections that can lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The urgency to combat these diseases has driven researchers to explore existing small-molecule drugs as potential therapeutics. This comprehensive review provides a systematic overview of synthetic routes to key antiviral agents used to manage hepatitis. Furthermore, it elucidates the mechanisms of action of these drugs, shedding light on their interference with viral replication and liver disease progression. The review also discusses the clinical applications of these drugs, including their use in combination therapies and various patient populations. By evaluating the synthetic pathways and clinical utility of these drugs, this review not only consolidates current knowledge but also highlights potential future directions for research and drug development in the fight against hepatitis, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and reduced global disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Xi Niu
- Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450018, China
| | - Peng Nie
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49-Box 1041, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49-Box 1041, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Ya-Tao Wang
- First People's Hospital of Shangqiu, Henan Province, Shangqiu, 476100, China; Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, China.
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Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitors Show Differential Efficacy and Interactions with Remdesivir for Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0268020. [PMID: 34097489 PMCID: PMC8370243 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02680-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Antivirals targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could improve treatment of COVID-19. We evaluated the efficacy of clinically relevant hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors (PIs) against SARS-CoV-2 and their interactions with remdesivir, the only direct-acting antiviral approved for COVID-19 treatment. HCV PIs showed differential potency in short-term treatment assays based on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in Vero E6 cells. Linear PIs boceprevir, telaprevir, and narlaprevir had 50% effective concentrations (EC50) of ∼40 μM. Among the macrocyclic PIs, simeprevir had the highest (EC50, 15 μM) and glecaprevir the lowest (EC50, >178 μM) potency, with paritaprevir, grazoprevir, voxilaprevir, vaniprevir, danoprevir, and deldeprevir in between. Acyclic PIs asunaprevir and faldaprevir had EC50s of 72 and 23 μM, respectively. ACH-806, inhibiting the HCV NS4A protease cofactor, had an EC50 of 46 μM. Similar and slightly increased PI potencies were found in human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells and human lung carcinoma A549-hACE2 cells, respectively. Selectivity indexes based on antiviral and cell viability assays were highest for linear PIs. In short-term treatments, combination of macrocyclic but not linear PIs with remdesivir showed synergism in Vero E6 and A549-hACE2 cells. Longer-term treatment of infected Vero E6 and A549-hACE2 cells with 1-fold EC50 PI revealed minor differences in the barrier to SARS-CoV-2 escape. Viral suppression was achieved with 3- to 8-fold EC50 boceprevir or 1-fold EC50 simeprevir or grazoprevir, but not boceprevir, in combination with 0.4- to 0.8-fold EC50 remdesivir; these concentrations did not lead to viral suppression in single treatments. This study could inform the development and application of protease inhibitors for optimized antiviral treatments of COVID-19.
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Miao M, Jing X, De Clercq E, Li G. Danoprevir for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Design, Development, and Place in Therapy. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2020; 14:2759-2774. [PMID: 32764876 PMCID: PMC7368560 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s254754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
On June 8, 2018, an NS3/4A protease inhibitor called danoprevir was approved in China to treat the infections of HCV genotype (GT) 1b – the most common HCV genotype worldwide. Based on phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, the 12-week regimen of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (danoprevir/r) plus peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin offered 97.1% (200/206) of sustained virologic response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) in treatment-naïve non-cirrhotic patients infected with HCV genotype 1b. Adverse events such as anemia, fatigue, fever, and headache were associated with the inclusion of peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin in the danoprevir-based regimen. Moreover, drug resistance to danoprevir could be traced to amino acid substitutions (Q80K/R, R155K, D168A/E/H/N/T/V) near the drug-binding pocket of HCV NS3 protease. Despite its approval, the clinical use of danoprevir is currently limited to its combination with peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin, thereby driving its development towards interferon-free, ribavirin-free regimens with improved tolerability and adherence. In the foreseeable future, pan-genotypic direct-acting antivirals with better clinical efficacy and less adverse events will be available to treat HCV infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Miao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
| | - Xixi Jing
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
| | - Erik De Clercq
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Guangdi Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
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Nazario de Moraes L, Tommasini Grotto RM, Targino Valente G, de Carvalho Sampaio H, Magro AJ, Fogaça L, Wolf IR, Perahia D, Faria Silva G, Plana Simões R. A novel molecular mechanism to explain mutations of the HCV protease associated with resistance against covalently bound inhibitors. Virus Res 2019; 274:197778. [PMID: 31618615 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
NS3 is an important therapeutic target for direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs. However, many patients treated with DAAs have unsustained virologic response (UVR) due to the high mutation rate of HCV. The aim of this work was to shed some light on the puzzling molecular mechanisms of the virus's of patients who showed high viral loads even under treatment with DAA. Bioinformatics tools, molecular modelling analyses were employed to identify mutations associated with HCV resistance to boceprevir and possible structural features related to this phenomenon. We identified two mutations of NS3 that may be associated with HCV resistance: D168N and L153I. The substitution D168N was previously reported in the literature as related with drug failure. Additionally, we identified that its molecular resistance mechanism can be explained by the destabilization of receptor-ligand hydrogen bonds. For the L153I mutation, the resistance mechanism is different from previous models reported in the literature. The L153I substitution decreases the S139 deprotonation susceptibility, and consequently, this mutation impairs the covalent binding between the residue S139 from NS3 and the electrophilic trap on boceprevir, which can induce drug failure. These results were supported by the time course analysis of the mutations of the NS3 protease, which showed that boceprevir was designed for enzymes with an L residue at position 153; however, the sequences with I153 are predominant nowadays. The results presented here could be used to infer about resistance in others DAA, mainly protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Nazario de Moraes
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Rejane Maria Tommasini Grotto
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Blood Center, Avenue Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Targino Valente
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Max Planck Institut for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstraße 43, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Heloisa de Carvalho Sampaio
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Blood Center, Avenue Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Angelo José Magro
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Blood Center, Avenue Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Street Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Lauana Fogaça
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Street Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Ivan Rodrigo Wolf
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Street Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - David Perahia
- École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Laboratory of Biology and Applied Pharmacology, Cachan, 94235, France
| | - Giovanni Faria Silva
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Blood Center, Avenue Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Plana Simões
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agriculture, Department of Bioprocess and Biotechnology, Avenue Universitária, 3780, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Blood Center, Avenue Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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Jensen SB, Fahnøe U, Pham LV, Serre SBN, Tang Q, Ghanem L, Pedersen MS, Ramirez S, Humes D, Pihl AF, Filskov J, Sølund CS, Dietz J, Fourati S, Pawlotsky J, Sarrazin C, Weis N, Schønning K, Krarup H, Bukh J, Gottwein JM. Evolutionary Pathways to Persistence of Highly Fit and Resistant Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitor Escape Variants. Hepatology 2019; 70:771-787. [PMID: 30964552 PMCID: PMC6772116 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Protease inhibitors (PIs) are important components of treatment regimens for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, emergence and persistence of antiviral resistance could reduce their efficacy. Thus, defining resistance determinants is highly relevant for efforts to control HCV. Here, we investigated patterns of PI resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) for the major HCV genotypes and viral determinants for persistence of key RASs. We identified protease position 156 as a RAS hotspot for genotype 1-4, but not 5 and 6, escape variants by resistance profiling using PIs grazoprevir and paritaprevir in infectious cell culture systems. However, except for genotype 3, engineered 156-RASs were not maintained. For genotypes 1 and 2, persistence of 156-RASs depended on genome-wide substitution networks, co-selected under continued PI treatment and identified by next-generation sequencing with substitution linkage and haplotype reconstruction. Persistence of A156T for genotype 1 relied on compensatory substitutions increasing replication and assembly. For genotype 2, initial selection of A156V facilitated transition to 156L, persisting without compensatory substitutions. The developed genotype 1, 2, and 3 variants with persistent 156-RASs had exceptionally high fitness and resistance to grazoprevir, paritaprevir, glecaprevir, and voxilaprevir. A156T dominated in genotype 1 glecaprevir and voxilaprevir escape variants, and pre-existing A156T facilitated genotype 1 escape from clinically relevant combination treatments with grazoprevir/elbasvir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. In genotype 1 infected patients with treatment failure and 156-RASs, we observed genome-wide selection of substitutions under treatment. Conclusion: Comprehensive PI resistance profiling for HCV genotypes 1-6 revealed 156-RASs as key determinants of high-level resistance across clinically relevant PIs. We obtained in vitro proof of concept for persistence of highly fit genotype 1-3 156-variants, which might pose a threat to clinically relevant combination treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Brun Jensen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Long V. Pham
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Stéphanie Brigitte Nelly Serre
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Qi Tang
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Lubna Ghanem
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Martin Schou Pedersen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Clinical MicrobiologyCopenhagen University HospitalHvidovreDenmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Daryl Humes
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Anne Finne Pihl
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jonathan Filskov
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Christina Søhoel Sølund
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Infectious DiseasesCopenhagen University HospitalHvidovreDenmark
| | - Julia Dietz
- Department of Internal Medicine 1University Hospital Frankfurt, and German Center for Infection Research, External Partner SiteFrankfurtGermany
| | - Slim Fourati
- National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and D, Department of VirologyHenri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris‐Est, and INSERM U955CréteilFrance
| | - Jean‐Michel Pawlotsky
- National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and D, Department of VirologyHenri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris‐Est, and INSERM U955CréteilFrance
| | - Christoph Sarrazin
- Department of Internal Medicine 1University Hospital Frankfurt, and German Center for Infection Research, External Partner SiteFrankfurtGermany
- Medizinische Klinik II, St. Josefs‐HospitalWiesbadenGermany
| | - Nina Weis
- Department of Infectious DiseasesCopenhagen University HospitalHvidovreDenmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Kristian Schønning
- Department of Clinical MicrobiologyCopenhagen University HospitalHvidovreDenmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Henrik Krarup
- Department of Molecular DiagnosticsAalborg University HospitalAalborgDenmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Judith Margarete Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO‐HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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Abstract
Ascletis has developed danoprevir (Ganovo®), an orally-administered hepatitis C virus NS3 protease inhibitor, as a treatment for hepatitis C. Based on positive results in phase II and phase III trials in patients with hepatitis C, danoprevir, in combination with ritonavir, peginterferon alfa and ribavirin was recently approved for marketing in China for the treatment of treatment-naive patients with non-cirrhotic genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of danoprevir leading to this first approval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Markham
- Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand
| | - Susan J Keam
- Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand.
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Pham LV, Jensen SB, Fahnøe U, Pedersen MS, Tang Q, Ghanem L, Ramirez S, Humes D, Serre SBN, Schønning K, Bukh J, Gottwein JM. HCV genotype 1-6 NS3 residue 80 substitutions impact protease inhibitor activity and promote viral escape. J Hepatol 2019; 70:388-397. [PMID: 30395912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Protease inhibitors (PIs) are of central importance in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. HCV NS3 protease (NS3P) position 80 displays polymorphisms associated with resistance to the PI simeprevir for HCV genotype 1a. We investigated the effects of position-80-substitutions on fitness and PI-resistance for HCV genotypes 1-6, and analyzed evolutionary mechanisms underlying viral escape mediated by pre-existing Q80K. METHODS The fitness of infectious NS3P recombinants of HCV genotypes 1-6, with engineered position-80-substitutions, was studied by comparison of viral spread kinetics in Huh-7.5 cells in culture. Median effective concentration (EC50) and fold resistance for PIs simeprevir, asunaprevir, paritaprevir, grazoprevir, glecaprevir and voxilaprevir were determined in short-term treatment assays. Viral escape was studied by long-term treatment of genotype 1a recombinants with simeprevir, grazoprevir, glecaprevir and voxilaprevir and of genotype 3a recombinants with glecaprevir and voxilaprevir, next generation sequencing, NS3P substitution linkage and haplotype analysis. RESULTS Among tested PIs, only glecaprevir and voxilaprevir showed pan-genotypic activity against the original genotype 1-6 culture viruses. Variants with position-80-substitutions were all viable, but fitness depended on the specific substitution and the HCV isolate. Q80K conferred resistance to simeprevir across genotypes but had only minor effects on the activity of the remaining PIs. For genotype 1a, pre-existing Q80K mediated accelerated escape from simeprevir, grazoprevir and to a lesser extent glecaprevir, but not voxilaprevir. For genotype 3a, Q80K mediated accelerated escape from glecaprevir and voxilaprevir. Escape was mediated by rapid and genotype-, PI- and PI-concentration-dependent co-selection of clinically relevant resistance associated substitutions. CONCLUSIONS Position-80-substitutions had relatively low fitness cost and the potential to promote HCV escape from clinically relevant PIs in vitro, despite having a minor impact on results in classical short-term resistance assays. LAY SUMMARY Among all clinically relevant hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors, voxilaprevir and glecaprevir showed the highest and most uniform activity against cell culture infectious hepatitis C virus with genotype 1-6 proteases. Naturally occurring amino acid changes at protease position 80 had low fitness cost and influenced sensitivity to simeprevir, but not to other protease inhibitors in short-term treatment assays. Nevertheless, the pre-existing change Q80K had the potential to promote viral escape from protease inhibitors during long-term treatment by rapid co-selection of additional resistance changes, detected by next generation sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long V Pham
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sanne Brun Jensen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Fahnøe
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Schou Pedersen
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Qi Tang
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lubna Ghanem
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daryl Humes
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stéphanie B N Serre
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Schønning
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Judith M Gottwein
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Yedjou CG, Mbemi AT, Noubissi F, Tchounwou SS, Tsabang N, Payton M, Miele L, Tchounwou PB. Prostate Cancer Disparity, Chemoprevention, and Treatment by Specific Medicinal Plants. Nutrients 2019; 11:E336. [PMID: 30720759 PMCID: PMC6412894 DOI: 10.3390/nu11020336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers in men. The global burden of this disease is rising. Its incidence and mortality rates are higher in African American (AA) men compared to white men and other ethnic groups. The treatment decisions for PC are based exclusively on histological architecture, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and local disease state. Despite advances in screening for and early detection of PC, a large percentage of men continue to be diagnosed with metastatic disease including about 20% of men affected with a high mortality rate within the African American population. As such, this population group may benefit from edible natural products that are safe with a low cost. Hence, the central goal of this article is to highlight PC disparity associated with nutritional factors and highlight chemo-preventive agents from medicinal plants that are more likely to reduce PC. To reach this central goal, we searched the PubMed Central database and the Google Scholar website for relevant papers. Our search results revealed that there are significant improvements in PC statistics among white men and other ethnic groups. However, its mortality rate remains significantly high among AA men. In addition, there are limited studies that have addressed the benefits of medicinal plants as chemo-preventive agents for PC treatment, especially among AA men. This review paper addresses this knowledge gap by discussing PC disparity associated with nutritional factors and highlighting the biomedical significance of three medicinal plants (curcumin, garlic, and Vernonia amygdalina) that show a great potential to prevent/treat PC, as well as to reduce its incidence/prevalence and mortality, improve survival rate, and reduce PC-related health disparity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement G Yedjou
- Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Laboratory, NIH/NIMHD RCMI-Center for Environmental Health, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, MS 39217, USA.
| | - Ariane T Mbemi
- Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Laboratory, NIH/NIMHD RCMI-Center for Environmental Health, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, MS 39217, USA.
| | - Felicite Noubissi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, MS 39217, USA.
| | - Solange S Tchounwou
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, 214 Shoemaker Hall, P.O. Box 1848, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Nole Tsabang
- Department of Animal Biology, Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences, Yaounde P.O.Box 16317, Cameroon.
| | - Marinelle Payton
- Center of Excellence in Minority Health and Health Disparities, School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson Medical Mall-Thad Cochran Center, 350 West Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39213, USA.
| | - Lucio Miele
- Department of Genetics, LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 533 Bolivar Street, Room 657, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Paul B Tchounwou
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, MS 39217, USA.
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Ramirez S, Bukh J. Current status and future development of infectious cell-culture models for the major genotypes of hepatitis C virus: Essential tools in testing of antivirals and emerging vaccine strategies. Antiviral Res 2018; 158:264-287. [PMID: 30059723 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we summarize the relevant scientific advances that led to the development of infectious cell culture systems for hepatitis C virus (HCV) with the corresponding challenges and successes. We also provide an overview of how these systems have contributed to the study of antiviral compounds and their relevance for the development of a much-needed vaccine against this major human pathogen. An efficient infectious system to study HCV in vitro, using human hepatoma derived cells, has only been available since 2005, and was limited to a single isolate, named JFH1, until 2012. Successive developments have been slow and cumbersome, as each available system has been the result of a systematic effort for discovering adaptive mutations conferring culture replication and propagation to patient consensus clones that are inherently non-viable in vitro. High genetic heterogeneity is a paramount characteristic of this virus, and as such, it should preferably be reflected in basic, translational, and clinical studies. The limited number of efficient viral culture systems, in the context of the vast genetic diversity of HCV, continues to represent a major hindrance for the study of this virus, posing a significant barrier towards studies of antivirals (particularly of resistance) and for advancing vaccine development. Intensive research efforts, driven by isolate-specific culture adaptation, have only led to efficient full-length infectious culture systems for a few strains of HCV genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 6. Hence research aimed at identifying novel strategies that will permit universal culture of HCV will be needed to further our understanding of this unique virus causing 400 thousand deaths annually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santseharay Ramirez
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Sa-Ngiamsuntorn K, Hongeng S, Wongkajornsilp A. Development of Hepatocyte-like Cell Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem cell as a Host for Clinically Isolated Hepatitis C Virus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 42:4A.13.1-4A.13.34. [PMID: 28806853 PMCID: PMC7162336 DOI: 10.1002/cpsc.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This unit describes protocols to develop hepatocyte‐like cells (HLCs) starting from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a natural host for hepatitis C virus (HCV). These include the preparation of MSCs from bone marrow, the reprogramming of MSCs into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and the differentiation of iPSCs into HLCs. This unit also incorporates the characterization of the resulting cells at each stage. Another section entails the preparations of HCV. The sources of HCV are either the clinically isolated HCV (HCVser) and the conventional JFH‐1 genotype. The last section is the infection protocol coupled with the measurement of viral titer. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanit Sa-Ngiamsuntorn
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Rajathevi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Rajathevi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Adisak Wongkajornsilp
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, Thailand
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Hamad HA, Thurston J, Teague T, Ackad E, Yousef MS. The NS4A Cofactor Dependent Enhancement of HCV NS3 Protease Activity Correlates with a 4D Geometrical Measure of the Catalytic Triad Region. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168002. [PMID: 27936126 PMCID: PMC5148068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We are developing a 4D computational methodology, based on 3D structure modeling and molecular dynamics simulation, to analyze the active site of HCV NS3 proteases, in relation to their catalytic activity. In our previous work, the 4D analyses of the interactions between the catalytic triad residues (His57, Asp81, and Ser139) yielded divergent, gradual and genotype-dependent, 4D conformational instability measures, which strongly correlate with the known disparate catalytic activities among genotypes. Here, the correlation of our 4D geometrical measure is extended to intra-genotypic alterations in NS3 protease activity, due to sequence variations in the NS4A activating cofactor. The correlation between the 4D measure and the enzymatic activity is qualitatively evident, which further validates our methodology, leading to the development of an accurate quantitative metric to predict protease activity in silico. The results suggest plausible “communication” pathways for conformational propagation from the activation subunit (the NS4A cofactor binding site) to the catalytic subunit (the catalytic triad). The results also strongly suggest that the well-sampled (via convergence quantification) structural dynamics are more connected to the divergent catalytic activity observed in HCV NS3 proteases than to rigid structures. The method could also be applicable to predict patients’ responses to interferon therapy and better understand the innate interferon activation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamzah A. Hamad
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Thurston
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Thomas Teague
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Edward Ackad
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Mohammad S. Yousef
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
- * E-mail:
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McClure CP, Urbanowicz RA, King BJ, Cano-Crespo S, Tarr AW, Ball JK. Flexible and rapid construction of viral chimeras applied to hepatitis C virus. J Gen Virol 2016; 97:2187-2193. [PMID: 27329374 PMCID: PMC5042125 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A novel and broadly applicable strategy combining site-directed mutagenesis and DNA assembly for constructing seamless viral chimeras is described using hepatitis C virus (HCV) as an exemplar. Full-length HCV genomic cloning cassettes, which contained flexibly situated restriction endonuclease sites, were prepared via a single, site-directed mutagenesis reaction and digested to receive PCR-amplified virus envelope genes by In-Fusion cloning. Using this method, we were able to construct gene-shuttle cassettes for generation of cell culture-infectious JFH-1-based chimeras containing genotype 1–3 E1E2 genes. Importantly, using this method we also show that E1E2 clones that were not able to support cell entry in the HCV pseudoparticle assay did confer entry when shuttled into the chimeric cell culture chimera system. This method can be easily applied to other genes of study and other viruses and, as such, will greatly simplify reverse genetics studies of variable viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Patrick McClure
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Richard A Urbanowicz
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Barnabas J King
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Sara Cano-Crespo
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Alexander W Tarr
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Jonathan K Ball
- School of Life Sciences and NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
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Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 to 6 Protease Inhibitor Escape Variants: In Vitro Selection, Fitness, and Resistance Patterns in the Context of the Infectious Viral Life Cycle. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:3563-78. [PMID: 27021330 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02929-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors (PIs) are important components of novel HCV therapy regimens. Studies of PI resistance initially focused on genotype 1. Therefore, knowledge about the determinants of PI resistance for the highly prevalent genotypes 2 to 6 remains limited. Using Huh7.5 cell culture-infectious HCV recombinants with genotype 1 to 6 NS3 protease, we identified protease positions 54, 155, and 156 as hot spots for the selection of resistance substitutions under treatment with the first licensed PIs, telaprevir and boceprevir. Treatment of a genotype 2 isolate with the newer PIs vaniprevir, faldaprevir, simeprevir, grazoprevir, paritaprevir, and deldeprevir identified positions 156 and 168 as hot spots for resistance; the Y56H substitution emerged for three newer PIs. Substitution selection also depended on the specific recombinant. The substitutions identified conferred cross-resistance to several PIs; however, most substitutions selected under telaprevir or boceprevir treatment conferred less resistance to certain newer PIs. In a single-cycle production assay, across genotypes, PI treatment primarily decreased viral replication, which was rescued by PI resistance substitutions. The substitutions identified resulted in differential effects on viral fitness, depending on the original recombinant and the substitution. Across genotypes, fitness impairment induced by resistance substitutions was due primarily to decreased replication. Most combinations of substitutions that were identified increased resistance or fitness. Combinations of resistance substitutions with fitness-compensating substitutions either rescued replication or compensated for decreased replication by increasing assembly. This comprehensive study provides insight into the selection patterns and effects of PI resistance substitutions for HCV genotypes 1 to 6 in the context of the infectious viral life cycle, which is of interest for clinical and virological HCV research.
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Substitutions at NS3 Residue 155, 156, or 168 of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes 2 to 6 Induce Complex Patterns of Protease Inhibitor Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:7426-36. [PMID: 26392503 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01953-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Various protease inhibitors (PIs) currently are becoming available for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV). For genotype 1, substitutions at NS3 protease positions 155, 156, and 168 are the main determinants of PI resistance. For other genotypes, similar substitutions were selected during PI treatment but were not characterized systematically. To elucidate the impact of key PI resistance substitutions on genotypes 2 to 6, we engineered the substitutions R155A/E/G/H/K/Q/T, A156G/S/T/V, and D/Q168A/E/G/H/N/V into HCV recombinants expressing genotype 2 to 6 proteases. We evaluated viral fitness and sensitivity to nine PIs (telaprevir, boceprevir, simeprevir, asunaprevir, vaniprevir, faldaprevir, paritaprevir, deldeprevir, and grazoprevir) in Huh7.5 cells. We found that most variants showed decreased fitness compared to that of the original viruses. Overall, R155K, A156G/S, and D/Q168A/E/H/N/V variants showed the highest fitness; however, genotype 4 position 168 variants showed strong fitness impairment. Most variants tested were resistant to several PIs. Resistance levels varied significantly depending on the specific substitution, genotype, and PI. For telaprevir and boceprevir, specific 155 and 156, but not 168, variants proved resistant. For the remaining PIs, most genotype 2, 4, 5, and 6, but not genotype 3, variants showed various resistance levels. Overall, grazoprevir (MK-5172) had the highest efficacy against original viruses and variants. This is the first comprehensive study revealing the impact of described key PI resistance substitutions on fitness and PI resistance of HCV genotypes 2 to 6. In conclusion, the studied substitutions induced resistance to a panel of clinically relevant PIs, including the newer PIs paritaprevir, deldeprevir, and grazoprevir. We discovered complex patterns of resistance, with the impact of substitutions varying from increased sensitivity to high resistance.
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Feld JJ, Jacobson IM, Jensen DM, Foster GR, Pol S, Tam E, Jablkowski M, Berak H, Vierling JM, Yoshida EM, Perez-Gomez HR, Scalori A, Hooper GJ, Tavel JA, Navarro MT, Shahdad S, Kulkarni R, Le Pogam S, Nájera I, Eng S, Lim CY, Shulman NS, Yetzer ES. Randomized study of danoprevir/ritonavir-based therapy for HCV genotype 1 patients with prior partial or null responses to peginterferon/ribavirin. J Hepatol 2015; 62:294-302. [PMID: 25239078 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2014.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Chronic hepatitis C treatment for prior non-responders to peginterferon (PegIFN)/ribavirin remains suboptimal. The MATTERHORN study evaluated regimens containing ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (danoprevir/r) in prior PegIFN alfa/ribavirin non-responders. METHODS Prior partial responders (N=152) were randomized to 24 weeks of twice-daily danoprevir/r 100/100mg, mericitabine 1000 mg and ribavirin 1000/1200 mg (IFN-free); danoprevir/r plus PegIFN alfa-2a/ribavirin (triple); or danoprevir/r, mericitabine and PegIFN alfa-2a/ribavirin (Quad). Prior null responders (N=229) were randomized to 24 weeks of IFN-free therapy, or quad alone (Quad 24) or quad plus 24-weeks of PegIFN alfa-2a/ribavirin (Quad 48). The primary endpoint was sustained virological response (HCV RNA <25 IU/ml) 24 weeks after end-of-treatment (SVR24). Due to high relapse rates, genotype (G) 1a patients in IFN-free arms were offered additional PegIFN alfa-2a/ribavirin. RESULTS Among prior partial responders, SVR24 rates were 46.2%, 51.0%, and 86.0%, in the IFN-free, Triple and Quad arms, respectively; among prior null responders, SVR24 rates were 45.5%, 80.5%, and 83.8% respectively. Relapse rates were lower and SVR24 rates higher in G1b-infected than G1a-infected patients. SVR24 rates in G1a and G1b patients randomized to Quad were 75.0% and 96.2%, respectively, in the partial Quad arm, and 68.1% and 100%, respectively, in the null Quad 24 arm. Treatment failure was associated with resistance to danoprevir, but not to mericitabine, and was more common in G1a infected patients. Treatment was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS Danoprevir/r, mericitabine plus PegIFN alfa-2a/ribavirin was well-tolerated and produced high overall SVR24 rates in prior partial and null responders to PegIFN alfa/ribavirin. In contrast, IFN-free regimens were associated with unacceptably high relapse rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan J Feld
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Ira M Jacobson
- Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Donald M Jensen
- Center for Liver Diseases, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Graham R Foster
- Queen Mary, University of London, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, London, UK
| | - Stanislas Pol
- Hôpital Cochin, Université Paris Descartes and INSERM U1610, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Hanna Berak
- Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Héctor R Perez-Gomez
- Hospital Civil de Guadalajara, Instituto de Patologia Infecciosa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Simon Eng
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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Hedskog C, Doehle B, Chodavarapu K, Gontcharova V, Crespo Garcia J, De Knegt R, Drenth JPH, McHutchison JG, Brainard D, Stamm LM, Miller MD, Svarovskaia E, Mo H. Characterization of hepatitis C virus intergenotypic recombinant strains and associated virological response to sofosbuvir/ribavirin. Hepatology 2015; 61:471-80. [PMID: 25099344 DOI: 10.1002/hep.27361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED To date, intergenotypic recombinant hepatitis C viruses (HCVs) and their treatment outcomes have not been well characterized. This study characterized 12 novel HCV recombinant strains and their response to sofosbuvir in combination with ribavirin (SOF/RBV) treatment. Across the phase II/III studies of SOF, HCV samples were genotyped using both the Siemens VERSANT HCV Genotype INNO-LiPA 2.0 Assay (Innogenetics, Ghent, Belgium) and nonstructural (NS)5B sequencing. Among these patient samples, genotype assignment discordance between the two methods was found in 0.5% of all cases (12 of 2,363), of which all were identified as genotype 2 by INNO-LiPA (12 of 487; 2.5%). HCV full-genome sequences were obtained for these 12 samples by a sequence-independent amplification method coupled with next-generation sequencing. HCV full-genome sequencing revealed that these viruses were recombinant HCV strains, with the 5' part corresponding to genotype 2 and the 3' part corresponding to genotype 1. The recombination breakpoint between genotypes 2 and 1 was consistently located within 80 amino acids of the NS2/NS3 junction. Interestingly, one of the recombinant viruses had a 34-amino-acid duplication at the location of the recombination breakpoint. Eleven of these twelve patients were treated with a regimen for genotype 2 HCV infection, but responded as if they had genotype 1 infection; 1 patient had received placebo. CONCLUSION Twelve new HCV intergenotypic recombinant genotype 2/1 viruses have been characterized. The antiviral response to a 12- to 16-week course of SOF/RBV treatment in these patients was more similar to responses among genotype 1 patients than genotype 2 patients, consistent with their genotype 1 NS5B gene.
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Andriulli A, Morisco F, Ippolito AM, Di Marco V, Valvano MR, Angelico M, Fattovich G, Granata R, Smedile A, Milella M, Felder M, Gaeta GB, Gatti P, Fasano M, Mazzella G, Santantonio T. HCV genotype 1 subtypes (1a and 1b): similarities and differences in clinical features and therapeutic outcome. Hepatol Int 2015; 9:52-7. [PMID: 25788379 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-014-9556-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate similarities and differences in HCV-1 subtypes 1a and 1b in the presenting clinical features and the response to peg-interferon and ribavirin (Peg/RIBA). PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 1,233 naïve patients with HCV genotype-1 infection, 159 (13%) with subtype 1a and 1,074 (87%) with subtype 1b were treated with Peg-IFN/RIBA at 12 Italian centers. Covariates included in the logistic model were age, gender, BMI, serum alanine aminotransferase, serum gamma-glutamiltranspeptidase (γGT), platelets counts, liver fibrosis, the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, baseline viremia, and IL28B genotype. RESULTS At multivariate analysis, baseline characteristics differentiating patients with HCV-1a versus HCV-1b were young age, male gender, no F4 fibrosis, and no diabetes. SVR was achieved by 37% of patients with subtype 1b and 45% of those with subtype 1a, a nonsignificant difference of 8% (p = 0.069). In patients with subtype 1a, predictors of SVR were IL28B CC (OR 5.78, CI 1.98-16.83), RVR (OR 4.18, CI 1.66-10.55), female gender (OR 2.83, CI 1.83-6.78), and HCVRNA (OR 0.55, CI 0.32-0.96). In patients with subtype 1b, the ranking of predictors was levels RVR (OR 6.49, CI 4.32-9.73), IL28B CC (OR 3.32, CI 2.15-4.58), γGT (OR 1.59, CI 0.14-2.22), HCVRNA (OR 0.61, CI 0.47-0.79), and age (OR 0.01, CI 0.02-0.42). CONCLUSION In Italy HCV-1 subtype 1a prevails in young male patients with less advanced liver damage, findings that imply a more recent spreading of the infection with this viral strain. The two HCV-1 subtypes appear equally responsive to Peg-IFN/RIBA, with IL28B genotyping and monitoring of RVR mostly influencing the therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Andriulli
- Division of Gastroenterology, Casa Sollievo Sofferenza Hospital, IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,
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Everson G, Cooper C, Hézode C, Shiffman ML, Yoshida E, Beltran-Jaramillo T, Andreone P, Bruno S, Ferenci P, Zeuzem S, Brunda M, Le Pogam S, Nájera I, Zhou J, Navarro MT, Voulgari A, Shulman NS, Yetzer ES. DAUPHINE: a randomized phase II study of danoprevir/ritonavir plus peginterferon alpha-2a/ribavirin in HCV genotypes 1 or 4. Liver Int 2015; 35:108-19. [PMID: 24517252 DOI: 10.1111/liv.12471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Danoprevir is a hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor with activity against genotypes (G)1/G4, which is maintained at lower doses by ritonavir-boosting. We report results of a large, randomized, active-controlled phase IIb study of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (danoprevir/r) plus peginterferon alpha-2a/ribavirin (P/R) in treatment-naive patients with HCV G1/4 infection. METHODS Treatment-naive patients with HCV G1/4 infection were randomized to twice-daily danoprevir/r 200/100 mg (A, n = 92); 100/100 mg (B, n = 93); or 50/100 mg (C, n = 94) plus P/R for 24 weeks; twice-daily danoprevir/r 100/100 mg (D, n = 94) plus P/R for 12 or 24 weeks; or P/R alone (E, n = 44) for 48 weeks. Patients in the response-guided therapy arm (D) with an extended rapid virological response (eRVR2: HCV RNA <15 IU/ml during Weeks 2-10) stopped all therapy at Week 12; non-eRVR2 patients continued all treatment to Week 24. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained the virological response (SVR24: HCV RNA <15 IU/ml after 24 weeks of untreated follow-up). RESULTS SVR24 rates in Arms A, B, C, D and E were 89.1%, 78.5%, 66.0%, 69.1% and 36.4%, respectively, in the overall population; 83.6%, 69.6%, 60.3%, 59.2% and 38.5% in G1a-infected patients, 96.6%, 93.1%, 73.1%, 78.4% and 28.6% in G1b-infected patients and 100%, 87.5%, 100%, 100% and 66.7% in G4-infected patients. Danoprevir/r plus P/R was generally well tolerated compared with P/R alone. There was a higher incidence of serious adverse events in danoprevir-treatment arms, but most were associated with P/R. CONCLUSIONS The combination of danoprevir/r plus P/R is efficacious in treatment-naïve patients with HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection.
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Gane EJ, Pockros PJ, Zeuzem S, Marcellin P, Shikhman A, Bernaards C, Zhou J, Yetzer ES, Ballester R, Dwyer C, Tong X, Nájera I, Bertasso A, Hammond J, Kindrick A, Morcos PN, Smith P, Stancic S, Shulman NS. Mericitabine and ritonavir-boosted danoprevir with or without ribavirin in treatment-naive HCV genotype 1 patients: INFORM-SVR study. Liver Int 2015; 35:79-89. [PMID: 24814388 DOI: 10.1111/liv.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Safety and tolerability of peginterferon-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection therapy remains suboptimal, even when direct-acting antiviral agents are added. This study assessed the efficacy, safety and tolerability of mericitabine combined with ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (danoprevir/r) ± ribavirin for up to 24 weeks in treatment-naïve HCV genotype (G)1 infected patients. METHODS Patients received twice daily mericitabine (1000 mg) and danoprevir/r (100 mg/100 mg) plus either ribavirin (1000/1200 mg/day; Arm A) or placebo (Arm B) for 12 or 24 weeks. Patients with HCV RNA <43 IU/ml between Weeks 2 and 8 and HCV RNA <15 IU/ml at Week 10 were rerandomized (1:1) at Week 12 to discontinue/continue assigned regimens until Week 24. Because of unacceptable relapse rates in both 12-week arms and in ribavirin-free Arm B, treatment was extended to 24 weeks and patients in Arm B received peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin. The primary outcome was sustained virological response 24 weeks after end of treatment (SVR24). RESULTS In Arm A, the SVR24 rate in patients receiving 24 weeks of therapy was 37.9% (25/66); 63.6% (14/22) in G1b and 25.0% (11/44) in G1a patients. Virologic breakthrough and relapse were associated with danoprevir-resistant virus in most cases. The mericitabine-resistance mutation (NS5BS282T) was detected in two patients bearing dual resistant virus NS3 R155K/NS5B S282T and dual resistance mutation L159F/L320F in one patient. Treatment was safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS Mericitabine, danoprevir/r plus ribavirin for 24 weeks were safe and well tolerated. However, SVR rates were poor, achieving rates of only 25.0% in G1a and 63.6% in G1b patients.
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Eslam M, George J. Is hepatitis C subtyping still relevant in the era of direct-acting antiviral therapy? Hepatol Int 2014; 9:5-8. [PMID: 25788373 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-014-9600-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Eslam
- Storr Liver Unit, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Dickinson BC, Packer MS, Badran AH, Liu DR. A system for the continuous directed evolution of proteases rapidly reveals drug-resistance mutations. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5352. [PMID: 25355134 PMCID: PMC4215169 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The laboratory evolution of protease enzymes has the potential to generate proteases with therapeutically relevant specificities, and to assess the vulnerability of protease inhibitor drug candidates to the evolution of drug resistance. Here we describe a system for the continuous directed evolution of proteases using phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE) that links the proteolysis of a target peptide to phage propagation through a protease-activated RNA polymerase (PA-RNAP). We use protease PACE in the presence of danoprevir or asunaprevir, two hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor drug candidates in clinical trials, to continuously evolve HCV protease variants that exhibit up to 30-fold drug resistance in only 1 to 3 days of PACE. The predominant mutations evolved during PACE are mutations observed to arise in human patients treated with danoprevir or asunaprevir, demonstrating that protease PACE can rapidly identify the vulnerabilities of drug candidates to the evolution of clinically relevant drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan C Dickinson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Michael S Packer
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Ahmed H Badran
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - David R Liu
- 1] Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
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Gammal RS, Spooner LM, Abraham GM. Failed triple therapy in a treatment-experienced patient with genotype 6 hepatitis C infection. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2014; 71:204-8. [PMID: 24429013 DOI: 10.2146/ajhp130432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The first published report of the use of triple therapy in a patient with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 infection-a treatment that was prescribed due to incorrect HCV genotyping and which ultimately failed-is presented. SUMMARY A 70-year-old male U.S. resident of Vietnamese descent requested treatment for chronic HCV infection acquired decades earlier. He reported experiencing hepatitis C treatment failures twice before-13 years prior (interferon alfa monotherapy for six months) and 7 years prior (standard dual therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for nine months). Initial viral genotyping indicated infection with HCV genotypes 1a and 6c (a form of mixed HCV disease amenable to triple therapy), and treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a, ribavirin, and boceprevir was initiated. By week 8 of triple therapy, the patient's viral load had decreased from 15,700,000 (7.20 log) to 462,882 (5.67 log) IU/mL, but the viral load subsequently rebounded to baseline levels, and treatment was discontinued at week 16. When repeat HCV genotyping was performed, it was discovered that initial genotyping was incorrect and that the man's infection involved not mixed genotypes but only genotype 6; he was not an appropriate candidate for triple therapy. The case emphasizes the need for clinicians to be cognizant of potential HCV genotyping errors, particularly with regard to patients of Southeast Asian descent. CONCLUSION Three courses of interferon-based treatment, including triple therapy with boceprevir, failed to produce a sustained therapeutic response in a 70-year-old ethnic Vietnamese man with genotype 6 HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseann S Gammal
- Roseann S. Gammal, Pharm.D., is Postgraduate Year 1 Pharmacy Practice Resident, Department of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina Hospitals and Clinics, Chapel Hill. Linda M. Spooner, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, MCPHS University, Worcester, MA. George M. Abraham, M.D., M.P.H., is Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, and Associate Chief of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester
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Clinical and in vitro resistance to GS-9669, a thumb site II nonnucleoside inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:6599-606. [PMID: 25155588 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02815-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment with GS-9669, a novel nonnucleoside inhibitor (site II) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5B (NS5B) polymerase, resulted in significant antiviral activity in HCV genotype (GT) 1 patients dosed at 50 and 500 mg once daily (QD) and at 50, 100, and 500 mg twice daily (BID) for 3 days. This report characterizes the virologic resistance to GS-9669 in vitro and in GT1 HCV-infected patients from a phase I clinical study. An in vitro resistance selection study with GS-9669 revealed substitutions at several NS5B residues that conferred resistance. The M423 variants were selected at low drug concentrations (5× the 50% effective concentration [EC50]), and the L419, R422, and I482 variants were selected at higher drug concentrations (20× the EC50). During the phase I clinical study, substitutions at NS5B residues 419, 422, and 486 were the predominant changes associated with GS-9669 monotherapy. Substitutions at position 423 were observed only in GT1a patients in the low-dose groups (50 and 100 mg BID). Interestingly, four HCV patients had substitutions at position 423 at baseline. Consistent with the low resistance level at this position, three patients with M423I or M423V at baseline achieved >2-log10 reductions of HCV RNA when treated with 100 mg BID or with 500 mg QD or BID of GS-9669. The fourth patient, who had the M423V substitution at baseline, had a 4.4-log10 reduction of HCV RNA with 500 mg BID of GS-9669. Phenotypic analyses demonstrated that the viral isolates with multiple GS-9669 resistance-associated variants have reduced susceptibility to GS-9669 and lomibuvir (VX-222) but are not cross-resistant to other classes of HCV inhibitors. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01431898.).
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Kramer M, Halleran D, Rahman M, Iqbal M, Anwar MI, Sabet S, Ackad E, Yousef M. Comparative molecular dynamics simulation of Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A protease (Genotypes 1b, 3a and 4b) predicts conformational instability of the catalytic triad in drug resistant strains. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104425. [PMID: 25111232 PMCID: PMC4128671 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The protease domain of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) has been targeted for inhibition by several direct-acting antiviral drugs. This approach has had marked success to treat infections caused by HCV genotype 1 predominant in the USA, Europe, and Japan. However, genotypes 3 and 4, dominant in developing countries, are resistant to a number of these drugs and little progress has been made towards understanding the structural basis of their drug resistivity. We have previously developed a 4D computational methodology, based on 3D structure modeling and molecular dynamics simulation, to analyze the active sites of the NS3 proteases of HCV-1b and 4a in relation to their catalytic activity and drug susceptibility. Here, we improved the methodology, extended the analysis to include genotype 3a (predominant in South Asia including Pakistan), and compared the results of the three genotypes (1b, 3a and 4a). The 4D analyses of the interactions between the catalytic triad residues (His57, Asp81, and Ser139) indicate conformational instability of the catalytic site in HCV-3a and 4a compared to that of HCV-1b NS3 protease. The divergence is gradual and genotype-dependent, with HCV-1b being the most stable, HCV-4a being the most unstable and HCV-3a representing an intermediate state. These results suggest that the structural dynamics behavior, more than the rigid structure, could be related to the altered catalytic activity and drug susceptibility seen in NS3 proteases of HCV-3a and 4a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell Kramer
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Daniel Halleran
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Moazur Rahman
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Mazhar Iqbal
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ikram Anwar
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Salwa Sabet
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Edward Ackad
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Yousef
- Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois, United States of America
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
- * E-mail:
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Hepatitis C virus genotype 5a subgenomic replicons for evaluation of direct-acting antiviral agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:5386-94. [PMID: 24982066 DOI: 10.1128/aac.03534-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) exists as six major genotypes that differ in geographical distribution, pathogenesis, and response to antiviral therapy. In vitro replication systems for all HCV genotypes except genotype 5 have been reported. In this study, we recovered genotype 5a full-length genomes from four infected voluntary blood donors in South Africa and established a G418-selectable subgenomic replicon system using one of these strains. The replicon derived from the wild-type sequence failed to replicate in Huh-7.5 cells. However, the inclusion of the S2205I amino acid substitution, a cell culture-adaptive change originally described for a genotype 1b replicon, resulted in a small number of G418-resistant cell colonies. HCV RNA replication in these cells was confirmed by quantification of viral RNA and detection of the nonstructural protein NS5A. Sequence analysis of the viral RNAs isolated from multiple independent cell clones revealed the presence of several nonsynonymous mutations, which were localized mainly in the NS3 protein. These mutations, when introduced back into the parental backbone, significantly increased colony formation. To facilitate convenient monitoring of HCV RNA replication levels, the mutant with the highest replication level was further modified to express a fusion protein of firefly luciferase and neomycin phosphotransferase. Using such replicons from genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a, we compared the effects of various HCV inhibitors on their replication. In conclusion, we have established an in vitro replication system for HCV genotype 5a, which will be useful for the development of pan-genotype anti-HCV compounds.
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is curable by therapy. The antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis C has been based for decades on the use of interferon (IFN)-α, combined with ribavirin. More recently, new therapeutic approaches that target essential components of the HCV life cycle have been developed, including direct-acting antiviral (DAA) and host-targeted agents (HTA). A new standard-of-care treatment has been approved in 2011 for patients infected with HCV genotype 1, based on a triple combination of pegylated IFN-α, ribavirin, and either telaprevir or boceprevir, two inhibitors of the HCV protease. New triple and quadruple combination therapies including pegylated IFN-α, ribavirin, and one or two DAAs/HTAs, respectively, are currently being evaluated in Phase II and III clinical trials. In addition, various options for all-oral, IFN-free regimens are currently being evaluated. This chapter describes the characteristics of the different drugs used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C and those currently in development and provides an overview of the current and future standard-of-care treatments of chronic hepatitis C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Michel Pawlotsky
- National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and D, Department of Virology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France.
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Tong X, Li L, Haines K, Najera I. Identification of the NS5B S282T resistant variant and two novel amino acid substitutions that affect replication capacity in hepatitis C virus-infected patients treated with mericitabine and danoprevir. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:3105-14. [PMID: 24637689 PMCID: PMC4068480 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02672-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Baseline and posttreatment samples from hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 1-infected patients who received a combination of danoprevir and mericitabine from a phase II clinical study (INFORM-SVR) were analyzed. In addition to resistance monitoring, sequencing and phenotypic assays were combined with statistical analysis to identify potential novel amino acid substitutions associated with treatment outcome. The NS5B S282T substitution associated with mericitabine resistance was identified in 2/30 viral breakthrough patients and was replaced by wild-type viruses after cessation of drug treatment (during follow-up). The NS3 R155K substitution associated with danoprevir resistance was also observed in these 2 patients. All 69 GT 1a-infected patients who experienced viral breakthrough on treatment or relapsed during follow-up (relapsers) developed NS3 R155K. Among GT 1b-infected patients, substitutions at the danoprevir resistance locus NS3 D168 were observed in 15/20 subjects, whereas substitutions at the danoprevir resistance locus NS3 R155 were observed in 5/20 subjects. Interestingly, the baseline polymorphism NS5B Q47H was more prevalent in GT 1a-infected patients who achieved a sustained virologic response at follow-up week 24 (SVR24) than in non-SVR24 patients (2/13 versus 0/72), and a postbaseline NS3 S122G substitution was more prevalent in GT 1a-infected patients with viral breakthrough than in relapsers (4/22 versus 0/47). Neither substitution conferred resistance to danoprevir or mericitabine, but the substitutions reduced (NS5B Q47H) or improved (NS3 S122G) replication capacity by 2- to 4-fold. The NS5B S282T mericitabine-resistant variant was rare and did not persist once drug was discontinued. NS5B Q47H and NS3 S122G are two newly identified substitutions that affected replication capacity and were enriched in distinct treatment response groups. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01278134.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Tong
- Infectious Diseases Discovery, Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lewyn Li
- Infectious Diseases Discovery, Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kristin Haines
- Infectious Diseases Discovery, Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Isabel Najera
- Infectious Diseases Discovery, Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
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Bakulin I, Pasechnikov V, Varlamicheva A, Sannikova I. NS3 protease inhibitors for treatment of chronic hepatitis C: Efficacy and safety. World J Hepatol 2014; 6:326-339. [PMID: 24868326 PMCID: PMC4033290 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i5.326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A new treatment paradigm for hepatitis C is that the treatment must include an existing direct-acting antiviral agent, namely, a protease inhibitor (PI) combined with PEGylated interferon-α and ribavirin. The currently marketed PIs and PIs in clinical trials have different mechanisms of action. The development of new PIs aims for an improved safety profile and higher effectiveness. This article reviews NS3/4A protease inhibitors, focusing on major criteria such as their effectiveness and safety. Specific attention is paid to dosing regimens and adverse event profiles of PIs administered in clinical settings.
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Mao X, Li X, Mao X, Huang Z, Zhang C, Zhang W, Wu J, Li G. Inhibition of hepatitis C virus by an M1GS ribozyme derived from the catalytic RNA subunit of Escherichia coli RNase P. Virol J 2014; 11:86. [PMID: 24885776 PMCID: PMC4038377 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-11-86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a human pathogen causing chronic liver disease in about 200 million people worldwide. However, HCV resistance to interferon treatment is one of the important clinical implications, suggesting the necessity to seek new therapies. It has already been shown that some forms of the catalytic RNA moiety from E. coli RNase P, M1 RNA, can be introduced into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells for the purpose of carrying out targeted cleavage of mRNA molecules. Our study is to use an engineering M1 RNA (i.e. M1GS) for inhibiting HCV replication and demonstrates the utility of this ribozyme for antiviral applications. RESULTS By analyzing the sequence and structure of the 5' untranslated region of HCV RNA, a putative cleavage site (C67-G68) was selected for ribozyme designing. Based on the flanking sequence of this site, a targeting M1GS ribozyme (M1GS-HCV/C67) was constructed by linking a custom guide sequence (GS) to the 3' termini of catalytic RNA subunit (M1 RNA) of RNase P from Escherichia coli through an 88 nt-long bridge sequence. In vitro cleavage assays confirmed that the engineered M1GS ribozyme cleaved the targeted RNA specifically. Moreover, ~85% reduction in the expression levels of HCV proteins and >1000-fold reduction in viral growth were observed in supernatant of cultured cells that transfected the functional ribozyme. In contrast, the HCV core expression and viral growth were not significantly affected by a "disabled" ribozyme (i.e. M1GS-HCV/C67*). Moreover, cholesterol-conjugated M1GS ribozyme (i.e. Chol-M1GS-HCV/C67) showed almost the same bioactivities with M1GS-HCV/C67, demonstrating the potential to improve in vivo pharmacokinetic properties of M1GS-based RNA therapeutics. CONCLUSION Our results provide direct evidence that the M1GS ribozyme can function as an antiviral agent and effectively inhibit gene expression and multiplication of HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Wenjun Zhang
- Vaccine Institute, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, PR China.
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PCR-based in vitro synthesis of hepatitis C virus NS3 protease for rapid phenotypic resistance testing of protease inhibitors. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:1139-45. [PMID: 24452171 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.03257-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Protease inhibitors (PIs) targeting the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease, such as telaprevir, have significantly improved the sustained virologic response (SVR) rates of HCV genotype 1 antiviral therapy. Given the expanding antiviral therapy regimen, fast HCV PI resistance assays are urgently needed. In this view, we have developed a novel phenotypic resistance test for HCV PIs based on in vitro synthesis of patient-derived HCV NS3 protease and subsequent enzymatic testing in a fluorescent readout. The enzymatically active HCV NS3 proteases were synthesized from PCR-derived templates by an Escherichia coli S30 extract system. Tests of the protease genes with known mutations for telaprevir resistance showed that the phenotypic resistance test was fast, with a total turnaround time of <10 h, and was fully in agreement with the previous resistance results. The initial tests with 38 treatment-naive serum samples showed that the method was significantly less laborious and faster than currently available phenotypic resistance assays of HCV NS3 PIs.
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Ebrahimi Daryani N, Alavian SM, Somi MH, Torabi-Nami M. Hepatitis C and Why the Treatment is Needed Now? The Summary Report From the Cross-Border Symposium of the 5th Tehran Hepatitis Congress May 2013. HEPATITIS MONTHLY 2013; 13:e16082. [PMCID: PMC3858886 DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.16082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The cross-border symposium on hepatitis C, entitled “why treating now?” was held on 15th May 2013 during the 5th International Tehran Hepatitis Congress. The present report summarizing communicated insights during this symposium is intended to help health care providers to make well-informed decisions when treating patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Since today’s evolving science of hepatitis C management has introduced new treatment options, one should be well-versed about the potential benefits as well as untoward effects or practical challenges when using these regimens. In addition to outline HCV treatment advances, this symposium focused on the central question that why eligible patients with hepatitis C who may mostly benefit from the currently available protease inhibitors, should be treated now rather than be waited for the future therapies. Moreover, an overview of long term local experience with protease inhibitors in our challenging hepatitis C patients was presented during this interactive symposium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasser Ebrahimi Daryani
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
| | - Seyed Moayed Alavian
- Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Middle East Liver Disease Center (MELD), Tehran, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Seyed Moayed Alavian, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran. Tel: +98-2188945187, Fax: +98-2188945186, E-mail:
| | - Mohammad Hossein Somi
- Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
| | - Mohammad Torabi-Nami
- School of Advanced Medical Science and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran
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Morcos PN, Moreira SA, Navarro MT, Bech N, Quatkemeyer A, Smith PF, Brennan BJ. Effect of meal and antisecretory agents on the pharmacokinetics of danoprevir/ritonavir in healthy volunteers. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 66:23-31. [PMID: 24117531 DOI: 10.1111/jphp.12151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effect of a low- and high-fat meal and co-administration of ranitidine or omeprazole on the pharmacokinetics of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (DNVr). METHODS In this randomised, open-label, cross-over study, healthy subjects received a single dose of DNVr. In group 1, DNVr was administered while fasting or with a low-fat or high-fat meal. In group 2, DNVr was administered alone or with ranitidine 150 mg (single dose) or omeprazole 40 mg (multiple doses). KEY FINDINGS Group 1 (n = 16): relative to fasting conditions, food slightly prolonged absorption but did not alter the extent of absorption. DNV area under the plasma concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC0-∞), maximum plasma concentration (C(max)), and plasma concentration 12 h after administration (C12h) geometric mean ratios (GMR%) (90% confidence interval (CI)) with a low-fat meal were 92.3 (80.2-106), 61.8 (51.0-74.9) and 95.2 (80.9-112), versus fasting conditions, and with a high-fat meal 99.5 (86.4-115), 58.9 (48.5-71.6) and 101 (86.0-119). Group 2 (n = 13): ranitidine or omeprazole had no clinically significant effect on DNV pharmacokinetics. DNV AUC0-∞, Cmax and C12h GMR% (90% CI) with ranitidine: 81.9 (68.3-98.1), 104 (86.9-123) and 87.5 (69.3-111), and with omeprazole: 83.0 (67.4-102), 92.7 (70.6-122) and 93.3 (65.6-133). CONCLUSIONS The absence of clinically relevant effects of food, ranitidine or omeprazole on DNVr pharmacokinetics suggests that DNVr can be administered without regard to meals and in combination with H2 antagonists or proton pump inhibitors.
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Marcellin P, Cooper C, Balart L, Larrey D, Box T, Yoshida E, Lawitz E, Buggisch P, Ferenci P, Weltman M, Labriola-Tompkins E, Le Pogam S, Nájera I, Thomas D, Hooper G, Shulman NS, Zhang Y, Navarro MT, Lim CY, Brunda M, Terrault NA, Yetzer ES. Randomized controlled trial of danoprevir plus peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection. Gastroenterology 2013; 145:790-800.e3. [PMID: 23811112 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Revised: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The combination of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, peginterferon, and ribavirin is the standard of care for patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. We report the efficacy and safety of response-guided therapy with danoprevir (a potent second-generation protease inhibitor), peginterferon alfa-2a (40 KD), and ribavirin in these patients. METHODS Treatment-naïve patients (N = 237) were randomly assigned to groups given 12 weeks of danoprevir (300 mg every 8 hours; 600 mg every 12 hours, and 900 mg every 12 hours) or placebo plus peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, followed by peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin. Patients given danoprevir who had an extended rapid virologic response (eRVR4-20: HCV RNA <15 IU/mL during weeks 4-20) stopped therapy at week 24; those without an eRVR4-20 continued therapy to 48 weeks. Patients who were given placebo received 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin. The primary efficacy end point was sustained virologic response (SVR: HCV RNA <15 IU/mL after 24 weeks without treatment). RESULTS Rates of SVR were higher among patients given danoprevir 300 mg (68%), 600 mg (85%), and 900 mg (76%) than placebo (42%) (95% confidence interval: 26%-59%). Seventy-nine percent of patients given danoprevir 600 mg had an eRVR4-20; among these, 96% had an SVR. Serious adverse events were reported in 7% to 8% of patients given danoprevir and 19% given placebo. Four patients given danoprevir (1 patient in the 600-mg group and 3 in the 900-mg group) had reversible, grade 4 increases in alanine aminotransferase, which led to early discontinuation of the 900-mg arm of the study. CONCLUSIONS The combination of danoprevir, peginterferon alfa-2a, and ribavirin leads to high rates of SVR in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, but high doses of danoprevir can lead to grade 4 increases in alanine aminotransferase. Studies of lower doses of danoprevir with ritonavir, to reduce overall danoprevir exposure while maintaining potent antiviral activity, are underway; Clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT00963885.
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Adapted J6/JFH1-based Hepatitis C virus recombinants with genotype-specific NS4A show similar efficacies against lead protease inhibitors, alpha interferon, and a putative NS4A inhibitor. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:6034-49. [PMID: 24060868 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01176-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
To facilitate studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS4A, we aimed at developing J6/JFH1-based recombinants with genotype 1- to 7-specific NS4A proteins. We developed efficient culture systems expressing NS4A proteins of genotypes (isolates) 1a (H77 and TN), 1b (J4), 2a (J6), 4a (ED43), 5a (SA13), 6a (HK6a), and 7a (QC69), with peak infectivity titers of ∼3.5 to 4.5 log10 focus-forming units per ml. Except for genotype 2a (J6), growth depended on adaptive mutations identified in long-term culture. Genotype 1a, 1b, and 4a recombinants were adapted by amino acid substitutions F772S (p7) and V1663A (NS4A), while 5a, 6a, and 7a recombinants required additional substitutions in the NS3 protease and/or NS4A. We demonstrated applicability of the developed recombinants for study of antivirals. Genotype 1 to 7 NS4A recombinants showed similar responses to the protease inhibitors telaprevir (VX-950), boceprevir (Sch503034), simeprevir (TMC435350), danoprevir (ITMN-191), and vaniprevir (MK-7009), to alpha interferon 2b, and to the putative NS4A inhibitor ACH-806. The efficacy of ACH-806 was lower than that of protease inhibitors and was not influenced by changes at amino acids 1042 and 1065 (in the NS3 protease), which have been suggested to mediate resistance to ACH-806 in replicons. Genotype 1a, 1b, and 2a recombinants showed viral spread under long-term treatment with ACH-806, without acquisition of resistance mutations in the NS3-NS4A region. Relatively high concentrations of ACH-806 inhibited viral assembly, but not replication, in a single-cycle production assay. The developed HCV culture systems will facilitate studies benefitting from expression of genotype-specific NS4A in a constant backbone in the context of the complete viral replication cycle, including functional studies and evaluations of the efficacy of antivirals.
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Shi N, Hiraga N, Imamura M, Hayes CN, Zhang Y, Kosaka K, Okazaki A, Murakami E, Tsuge M, Abe H, Aikata H, Takahashi S, Ochi H, Tateno-Mukaidani C, Yoshizato K, Matsui H, Kanai A, Inaba T, McPhee F, Gao M, Chayama K. Combination therapies with NS5A, NS3 and NS5B inhibitors on different genotypes of hepatitis C virus in human hepatocyte chimeric mice. Gut 2013; 62:1055-61. [PMID: 23322441 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We recently demonstrated that combination treatment with NS3 protease and NS5B polymerase inhibitors succeeded in eradicating the virus in genotype 1b hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected mice. In this study, we investigated the effect of combining an NS5A replication complex inhibitor (RCI) with either NS3 protease or NS5B inhibitors on elimination of HCV genotypes 1b, 2a and 2b. DESIGN The effects of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)-605339 (NS3 protease inhibitor; PI), BMS-788329 (NS5A RCI) and BMS-821095 (NS5B non-nucleoside analogue inhibitor) on HCV genotypes 1b and 2a were examined using subgenomic HCV replicon cells. HCV genotype 1b, 2a or 2b-infected human hepatocyte chimeric mice were also treated with BMS-605339, BMS-788329 or BMS-821095 alone or in combination with two of the drugs for 4 weeks. Genotypic analysis of viral sequences was achieved by direct and ultra-deep sequencing. RESULTS Anti-HCV effects of BMS-605339 and BMS-821095 were more potent against genotype 1b than against genotype 2a. In in-vivo experiments, viral breakthrough due to the development of a high prevalence of drug-resistant variants was observed in mice treated with BMS-605339, BMS-788329 and BMS-821095 in monotherapy. In contrast to monotherapy, 4 weeks of combination therapy with the NS5A RCI and either NS3 PI or NS5B inhibitor succeeded in completely eradicating the virus in genotype 1b HCV-infected mice. Conversely, these combination therapies failed to eradicate the virus in mice infected with HCV genotypes 2a or 2b. CONCLUSIONS These oral combination therapies may serve as a Peg-alfa-free treatment for patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niu Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
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Urabe Y, Ochi H, Kato N, Kumar V, Takahashi A, Muroyama R, Hosono N, Otsuka M, Tateishi R, Lo PHY, Tanikawa C, Omata M, Koike K, Miki D, Abe H, Kamatani N, Toyota J, Kumada H, Kubo M, Chayama K, Nakamura Y, Matsuda K. A genome-wide association study of HCV-induced liver cirrhosis in the Japanese population identifies novel susceptibility loci at the MHC region. J Hepatol 2013; 58:875-82. [PMID: 23321320 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2012] [Revised: 12/15/2012] [Accepted: 12/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis (LC) to identify predictive biomarkers for the risk of LC in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS A total of 682 HCV-induced LC cases and 1045 CHC patients of Japanese origin were genotyped by Illumina Human Hap 610-Quad bead Chip. RESULTS Eight SNPs which showed possible associations (p<1.0 × 10(-5)) at the GWAS stage were further genotyped using 936 LC cases and 3809 CHC patients. We found that two SNPs within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region on chromosome 6p21, rs910049 and rs3135363, were significantly associated with the progression from CHC to LC (pcombined=9.15 × 10(-11) and 1.45 × 10(-10), odds ratio (OR)=1.46 and 1.37, respectively). We also found that HLA-DQA1(*)0601 and HLA-DRB1(*)0405 were associated with the progression from CHC to LC (p=4.53 × 10(-4) and 1.54 × 10(-4) with OR=2.80 and 1.45, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that rs3135363, rs910049, and HLA-DQA1(*)0601 were independently associated with the risk of HCV-induced LC. In addition, individuals with four or more risk alleles for these three loci have a 2.83-fold higher risk for LC than those with no risk allele, indicating the cumulative effects of these variations. CONCLUSIONS Our findings elucidated the crucial roles of multiple genetic variations within the MHC region as prognostic/predictive biomarkers for CHC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Urabe
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Li S, Xing X, Yang Q, Xu H, He J, Chen Z, Zhu H. The effects of hepatitis C virus core protein on the expression of miR-122 in vitro. Virol J 2013; 10:98. [PMID: 23537271 PMCID: PMC3623887 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-10-98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major pathogens of liver diseases. Some studies have previously reported that miR-122 can stimulate replication or translation of HCV. However, the effects of HCV infection on miR-122 expression are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HCV core protein on the expression of miR-122 in a cell culture model. Results The miR-122 levels in Huh7.5.1 cells infected with HCV for different days or different HCV abundance were measured by real-time PCR. Significant decrease of miR-122 expression was found at late stage of infection and in the high-abundance group. Huh7.5.1 cells transfected with plasmid pEGFP-core or pEGFP were used to detect the effects of HCV core protein on miR-122 expression, the results showed that core protein could down-regulate the miR-122 expression level in a time- and dose- dependent manner, and reduced the susceptibility of Huh7.5.1 cell to HCV. Conclusions Down-regulating miR-122 expression by HCV core protein may give a new insight into the interaction between HCV and miR-122 and chronic HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Morcos PN, Kulkarni R, Scoon S, Smith PF, Brennan BJ. Effect of Ritonavir-Boosted Danoprevir, a Potent Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitor, on QTc Interval in Healthy Subjects: Results from a Thorough QT Study. Drug Dev Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter N. Morcos
- Pharma Research and Early Development; Department of Clinical Pharmacology; Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.; Nutley; NJ; USA
| | - Rohit Kulkarni
- Department of Biostatistics; Genentech; South San Francisco; CA; USA
| | - Sally Scoon
- Pharma Research and Early Development; Clinical Programme and Study Management; Roche Products Ltd; Welwyn Garden City; UK
| | - Patrick F. Smith
- Pharma Research and Early Development; Department of Clinical Pharmacology; Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.; Nutley; NJ; USA
| | - Barbara J. Brennan
- Pharma Research and Early Development; Department of Clinical Pharmacology; Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.; Nutley; NJ; USA
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Important factors in reliable determination of hepatitis C virus genotype by use of the 5' untranslated region. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:1485-9. [PMID: 23467599 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.03344-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is important for determining the optimal regimen, dose, and duration of antiviral therapy for chronic HCV infection, as well as for estimating the response rate. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of HCV RNA is used in commercial genotyping, but the probes and the lengths of the amplicons are proprietary and vary among the assays. In this study, factors involved in the reliable determination of HCV genotypes utilizing the 5' UTR were evaluated. Serum samples from four subjects with chronic HCV infection and disparate results on commercial genotyping and four controls were analyzed. HCV RNA was extracted from serum samples, and the 5' UTR and NS5B region were sequenced. Ten clones from each region were compared to prototype sequences and analyzed for genotype assignment using five programs. The results were compared to those from commercial assays. 5' UTR sequences were sequentially shortened from either the 5' end, the 3' end, or both ends, with genotyping of the resultant fragments. Sequences were obtained for the 5' UTR in all eight subjects and for the NS5B region in five subjects. The genotype assignments were identical between the two regions in the five subjects with complete sequencing. Genotyping by sequencing gave different results than those from the commercial assays in the four experimental samples but agreed in the four controls. Shortening of the sequences affected the results, and the results for sequences of <200 bases were inaccurate. Neither the Hamming distance nor the quasispecies affected the results. Sequencing of the HCV 5' UTR provided reliable genotyping results and resolved discrepancies identified in commercial assays, but genotyping by sequencing was highly dependent upon sequence length.
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Lenz O, Vijgen L, Berke JM, Cummings MD, Fevery B, Peeters M, De Smedt G, Moreno C, Picchio G. Virologic response and characterisation of HCV genotype 2-6 in patients receiving TMC435 monotherapy (study TMC435-C202). J Hepatol 2013; 58:445-51. [PMID: 23142061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 10/12/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS TMC435 is a potent, once-daily, investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor in phase III clinical development. In the phase II trial TMC435-C202 (NCT00812331), TMC435 displayed potent activity in genotype 4, 5 and 6 patients and in 3/6 genotype 2 patients, whereas no activity was observed with genotype 3. METHODS Thirty-seven patients received TMC435 monotherapy (200 mg once daily) for 7 days. HCV RNA, NS3 protease sequences and the corresponding phenotypes were evaluated. RESULTS Genotype and isolate-specific baseline polymorphisms at NS3 positions known to affect HCV protease inhibitor activity were present in all genotypes. Consistent with the antiviral activity observed in genotypes 4 and 6, TMC435 was active in vitro against all genotype 4 isolates, and against most genotype 6 polymorphisms when tested as single or double mutants. In contrast, in genotype 3 where no HCV RNA decline was observed, isolates displayed >700-fold increases in EC(50) attributed to the D168Q polymorphism. In genotypes 2 and 5, HCV RNA changes from baseline to Day 3 ranged between -0.3 to -3.6 and -1.5 to -4.0 log(10)IU/ml, respectively, and isolates or site-directed mutants displayed intermediate in vitro susceptibility to TMC435 with fold changes in EC(50) between 15 and 78. Viral breakthrough in genotypes 4-6 was associated with emerging mutations including Q80R, R155K and/or D168E/V. CONCLUSIONS Sequence and phenotypic analyses of baseline isolates identified polymorphisms which could explain the differences in antiviral activity between genotypes. Pathways of TMC435 resistance in genotypes 2-6 were similar to those identified in genotype 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Lenz
- Janssen Infectious Diseases BVBA, Beerse, Belgium.
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Salvatierra K, Fareleski S, Forcada A, López-Labrador FX. Hepatitis C virus resistance to new specifically-targeted antiviral therapy: A public health perspective. World J Virol 2013; 2:6-15. [PMID: 24175225 PMCID: PMC3785043 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v2.i1.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2012] [Revised: 12/30/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Until very recently, treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been based on the combination of two non-viral specific drugs: pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin, which is effective in, overall, about 40%-50% of cases. To improve the response to treatment, novel drugs have been designed to specifically block viral proteins. Multiple compounds are under development, and the approval for clinical use of the first of such direct-acting antivirals in 2011 (Telaprevir and Boceprevir), represents a milestone in HCV treatment. HCV therapeutics is entering a new expanding era, and a highly-effective cure is envisioned for the first time since the discovery of the virus in 1989. However, any antiviral treatment may be limited by the capacity of the virus to overcome the selective pressure of new drugs, generating antiviral resistance. Here, we try to provide a basic overview of new treatments, HCV resistance to new antivirals and some considerations derived from a Public Health perspective, using HCV resistance to protease and polymerase inhibitors as examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Salvatierra
- Karina Salvatierra, Sabrina Fareleski, F Xavier López-Labrador, Joint Unit in Genomics and Health, Centre for Public Health Research, Public Health Department, Generalitat Valenciana/Institut Cavanilles, University of Valencia, 46020 Valencia, Spain
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Abstract
In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy, health care providers must be knowledgeable about genotype and subtype of HCV infection and interpretation of quantitative HCV viral assays to monitor treatment responses. They may also choose to assess interleukin 28B genotypes or resistance-associated variants after ineffective DAA therapy. DAA therapies require understanding of performance characteristics of quantitative HCV RNA assays and the definitions of terms used to report results. Only quantitative HCV RNA assays with a limit of detection of 10 to 15 IU/mL are appropriate for managing patients on DAA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Vierling
- Department of Medicine, Liver Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Resolution of the interaction mechanisms and characteristics of non-nucleoside inhibitors of hepatitis C virus polymerase. Antiviral Res 2013; 97:356-68. [PMID: 23305851 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2012.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Revised: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of allosteric inhibitors into efficient drugs is hampered by their indirect mode-of-action and complex structure-kinetic relationships. To enable the design of efficient allosteric drugs targeting the polymerase of hepatitis C virus (NS5B), the interaction characteristics of three non-nucleoside compounds (filibuvir, VX-222, and tegobuvir) inhibiting HCV replication via NS5B have been analyzed. Since there was no logical correlation between the anti-HCV replicative and enzyme inhibitory effects of the compounds, surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology was used to resolve the mechanistic, kinetic, thermodynamic and chemodynamic features of their interactions with their target and their effect on its interaction with RNA. Tegobuvir could not be seen to interact with NS5B at all while filibuvir interacted in a single reversible step (except at low temperatures) and VX-222 in two serial steps, interpreted as an induced fit mechanism. Both filibuvir and VX-222 interfered with the interaction between NS5B and RNA. They competed for binding to the enzyme, suggesting that they had a common inhibition mechanism and identical or overlapping binding sites. The greater anti-HCV replicative activity of VX-222 over filibuvir is hypothesized to be due to a greater allosteric conformational effect, resulting in the formation of a less catalytically competent complex. In addition, the induced fit mechanism of VX-222 gives it a kinetic advantage over filibuvir, exhibited as a longer residence time. These insights have important consequences for the selection and optimization of new allosteric NS5B inhibitors.
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Qin H, Li H, Zhou X, Feng F, Shen Y, Tan H, Ye F, Xie Y. Safety of telaprevir for chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Drug Investig 2013; 32:665-72. [PMID: 22889114 DOI: 10.1007/bf03261920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have reported telaprevir is effective for chronic hepatitis C virus infection, but the safety of a telaprevir-based regimen remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE A meta-analysis was performed to assess the safety of the addition of telaprevir to a standard regimen of pegylated interferon (peginterferon) plus ribavirin (combination telaprevir with peginterferon plus ribavirin, the TPR group) compared with the standard regimen group (peginterferon plus ribavirin, the PR group). METHODS AND RESULTS Seven randomized controlled trials involving a total of 2808 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The addition of telaprevir to the standard regimen was associated with a significantly increased risk of serious adverse events compared with the standard PR group (relative risk [RR] = 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21, 2.03; p = 0.0007; I2 = 0%). Telaprevir was also associated with increased risk of treatment discontinuation (RR = 2.10; 95% CI 1.56, 2.83; p < 0.0001; I2 = 42%). In addition, telaprevir was more likely to cause nausea (RR = 1.39; p < 0.0001), diarrhoea (RR = 1.32; p = 0.004), pruritus (RR = 1.56; p = 0.0006), rash (RR = 1.60; p < 0.0001) and anaemia (RR = 1.55; p = 0.007). There was no difference in the other kinds of adverse events between the two groups. Sensitivity analysis further validated the credibility of the above outcomes. CONCLUSION Our meta-analysis raises safety concerns about the potential for an increased risk of serious adverse events associated with the use of telaprevir among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and cautious use of telaprevir is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Qin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei Province, China
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Lohmann V, Bartenschlager R. Hepatitis C virus replicons volume 3 and 4. Gastroenterology 2013; 144:13-5. [PMID: 23164572 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2012.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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Yang D, Liang HJ, Li D, Wei X, Ma L, Jia Z. The efficacy and safety of telaprevir-based regimens for treating chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Intern Med 2013; 52:653-60. [PMID: 23503406 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.52.8156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have reported that telaprevir is effective for treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection; however, the efficacy and safety of telaprevir-based regimens remain uncertain. METHODS To assess the efficacy and safety of telaprevir in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, we conducted a meta-analysis of all available randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the efficacy and safety of the addition of telaprevir to a standard regimen (combination of telaprevir with peginterferon and ribavirin, TPR group) with the standard regimen alone (peginterferon and ribavirin, PR group). RESULTS Ultimately, six RCTs involving a total of 2,759 patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection were included in this meta-analysis. The outcomes showed that the sustained virologic response (SVR) rate was significantly higher in the TPR group (1,284/1,932, 66.5%) than in the PR group (296/827, 35.8%) with a pooled odds ratio (OR) [3.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.43-5.96, p<0.001]. The results also showed that the relapse rate was significantly lower in the TPR group (190/1,484, 12.8%) than in the PR group (140/425, 32.9%) with a pooled risk ratio (RR) (0.40; 95% CI 0.24-0.66, p<0.001). However, there was an increased risk of serious adverse events in the TPR group (RR=1.45, 95% CI 1.12-1.87, p=0.005). CONCLUSION Telaprevir-based regimens can significantly increase the SVR rate and reduce the relapse rate in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. However, the safety of telaprevir-based regimens still requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daokun Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, China
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Piñeiro D, Martinez-Salas E. RNA structural elements of hepatitis C virus controlling viral RNA translation and the implications for viral pathogenesis. Viruses 2012. [PMID: 23202462 PMCID: PMC3497050 DOI: 10.3390/v4102233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome multiplication requires the concerted action of the viral RNA, host factors and viral proteins. Recent studies have provided information about the requirement of specific viral RNA motifs that play an active role in the viral life cycle. RNA regulatory motifs controlling translation and replication of the viral RNA are mostly found at the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). In particular, viral protein synthesis is under the control of the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element, a complex RNA structure located at the 5'UTR that recruits the ribosomal subunits to the initiator codon. Accordingly, interfering with this RNA structural motif causes the abrogation of the viral cycle. In addition, RNA translation initiation is modulated by cellular factors, including miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins. Interestingly, a RNA structural motif located at the 3'end controls viral replication and establishes long-range RNA-RNA interactions with the 5'UTR, generating functional bridges between both ends on the viral genome. In this article, we review recent advances on virus-host interaction and translation control modulating viral gene expression in infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Piñeiro
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Nicolas Cabrera, 1, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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The race for interferon-free HCV therapies: a snapshot by the spring of 2012. Rev Med Virol 2012; 22:392-411. [DOI: 10.1002/rmv.1727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Revised: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Abstract
The next decade will be a crucial period in the public health response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The rapid development of direct-acting antiviral therapy for HCV infection has brought considerable optimism to the HCV sector, with the realistic hope that therapeutic intervention will soon be more effective and offer shorter treatment duration. The initial phase of combination pegylated interferon, ribavirin and a protease inhibitor will be associated with increased toxicity and complexity of therapeutic management but, over the course of the decade, strategies including interferon-free combination direct-acting antiviral regimens with enhanced tolerability and simplified dosing schedules and monitoring protocols will emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Dore
- The Kirby Institute for infection and immunity in society, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Efficient replication of genotype 3a and 4a hepatitis C virus replicons in human hepatoma cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2012; 56:5365-73. [PMID: 22869572 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01256-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in the treatment of hepatitis C, the quest for pan-genotype, effective, and well-tolerated inhibitors continues. To facilitate these efforts, it is desirable to have in vitro replication systems for all major HCV genotypes. However, cell culture replication systems exist for only genotypes 1a, 1b, and 2a. In this study, we generated G418-selectable subgenomic replicons for prototype strains of genotypes 3a (S52) and 4a (ED43). Production of G418-resistant colonies by S52 and ED43 in Huh-7.5 cells required the amino acid substitutions S2210I and R2882G, respectively, cell culture adaptive mutations originally reported for genotype 1b replicons. RNA replication was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and detection of viral protein. Sequencing of multiple independent replicon clones revealed the presence of additional nonsynonymous mutations. Interestingly, all potentially adaptive mutations mapped to the NS3 protein. These mutations, when introduced back into original constructs, substantially increased colony formation efficiency. To make these replicons useful for high-throughput screening and evaluation of antiviral compounds, they were modified to express a chimeric fusion protein of firefly luciferase and neomycin phosphotransferase to yield stable replicon-expressing cells. Using these constructs, the inhibitory effects of beta interferon (IFN-β), an NS3 protease inhibitor, and an NS5B nucleoside polymerase inhibitor were readily detected by monitoring luciferase activity. In conclusion, we have established functional replicons for HCV genotypes 3a and 4a, important new additions to the armamentarium required to develop inhibitors with a pan-genotype activity.
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