Inhibition of Respiratory syncytial, parainfluenza 3 and measles viruses by 2-deoxy-D-glucose

Pharmacogenomics deliberations of 2-deoxy-d-glucose in the treatment of COVID-19 disease: an in silico approach

The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) prompted number of computational and laboratory efforts to discover molecules against the virus entry or replication. Simultaneously, due to the availability of clinical information, drug-repurposing efforts led to the discovery of 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) for treating COVID-19 infection. 2-DG critically accumulates in the infected cells to prevent energy production and viral replication. As there is no clarity on the impact of genetic variations on the efficacy and adverse effects of 2-DG in treating COVID-19 using in silico approaches, we attempted to extract the genes associated with the 2-DG pathway using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. The interaction between selected genes was assessed using ClueGO, to identify the susceptible gene loci for SARS-CoV infections. Further, SNPs that were residing in the distinct genomic regions were retrieved from the Ensembl genome browser and characterized. A total of 80 SNPs were retrieved using diverse bioinformatics resources after assessing their (a) detrimental influence on the protein stability using Swiss-model, (b) miRNA regulation employing miRNASNP3, PolymiRTS, MirSNP databases, (c) binding of transcription factors by SNP2TFBS, SNPInspector, and (d) enhancers regulation using EnhancerDB and HaploReg reported A2M rs201769751, PARP1 rs193238922 destabilizes protein, six polymorphisms of XIAP effecting microRNA binding sites, EGFR rs712829 generates 15 TFBS, BECN1 rs60221525, CASP9 rs4645980, SLC2A2 rs5393 impairs 14 TFBS, STK11 rs3795063 altered 19 regulatory motifs. These data may provide the relationship between genetic variations and drug effects of 2-DG which may further assist in assigning the right individuals to benefit from the treatment.

2-Deoxyglucose: An anticancer and antiviral therapeutic, but not any more a low glucose mimetic

2-Deoxyglucose (2-DG), a non-metabolizable glucose analogue, blocks glycolysis and inhibits protein glycosylation. It has been tested in multiple studies for possible application as an anticancer or antiviral therapeutic. The inhibitory effect of 2-DG on ATP generation made it a good candidate molecule as a calorie restriction mimetic as well. Furthermore, 2-DG has been utilized in numerous studies to simulate a condition of glucose starvation. Because 2-DG disrupts glucose metabolism, protein glycosylation, and ER quality control at the same time, a cellular or pathologic outcome could be easily misinterpreted without clear understanding of 2-DG's effect on each of these aspects. However, the effect of 2-DG on protein glycosylation has rarely been investigated. A recent study suggested that 2-DG causes hyperGlcNAcylation of proteins, while low glucose supply causes hypoGlcNAcylation. In certain aspects of cellular physiology, this difference could be disregarded, but in others, this may possibly cause totally different outcomes.

New antiviral compounds

Several potent and selective antiviral agents against herpes virus infections have been developed. However, the majority of compounds against other viral diseases has not yet reached such high standard. Based on progress in molecular virology it can, however, be anticipated that similar concepts of selective inhibition will also be developed for other virus groups. In addition to virus-induced enzymes, viral proteins other than enzymes with specific activities will be identified. The identification of active sites will lead to the design of new and specific inhibitors. Moreover, studies on the mode of action of the huge number of known antiviral compounds may provide the basis for new and potent approaches to specific virus chemotherapy. New inhibitors of viral replication may also be derived from 2'-5'A and other mediators of the interferon induced antiviral state. However, since 2'-5'A does not enter cells, is rapidly degraded by phosphodiesterases, and affects viral and cellular protein synthesis, only analogs which do not have these disadvantages may qualify as antiviral drugs. In addition to refinements at the molecular level quantitative assays for a better evaluation of antiviral agents for clinical use are required. For clinical trials, rapid diagnosis, early initiation of treatment, and quantitative evaluation of the antiviral effects of a drug need to be developed. Moreover, new methods of drug delivery and/or drug targeting will improve potency and selectivity of antiviral compounds. Drug carriers have already successfully been used in cancer therapy (Poste and Fidler, 1981) they should be also applicable to virus chemotherapy. Finally, a better understanding of the pathogenesis and the natural course of viral diseases will contribute to the development of more effective and safe antiviral agents.

Dissociation of the inhibitory effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on Vero cell growth and the replication of herpes simplex virus

Vero cells treated for 24 h with a concentration of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dGlc) that inhibited the production of infectious herpes simplex virus type 1 grew at the same rate as untreated cells. Longer exposures to 2dGlc inhibited the growth of Vero cells in a dose-dependent manner, but without any loss of viability, and could be reversed by replating the cells in the absence of drug. To exhibit antiviral activity, 2dGlc had to be present during the replication cycle of herpes simplex virus type 1. Treatment of Vero cells, even with a cytotoxic dose of 2dGlc, was without effect on the yield of infectious virus, provided the drug was removed before infection. Thus the antiviral effects of 2dGlc were not the result of, and appeared to be independent of, persistent host cell toxicity.

Inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication by methyl daunosamine

Methyl daunosamine inhibited the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 in a dose-dependent manner. The growth of the host Vero cells was not affected by daunosamine levels that had significant antiviral activity (2.5 mM) but was inhibited by concentrations of 5 mM or greater. Methyl daunosamine appears to be unique among the sugars with antiviral activity because at antiviral concentrations it did not inhibit the glycosylation of macromolecules.

Enzymatic deoxyglucosylation of ceramides by microsomes of BHK-21 cells. The effect of deoxyglucose treatment and herpesvirus infection

The microsomal fractions of cultured hamster fibroblasts (BHK-21 cells) catalyze the incorporation of glucose from UDPglucose or of deoxyglucose from UDPdeoxyglucose into a reaction mixture with liposomes consisting of ceramide and phosphatidylcholine. The microsomal fractions also catalyze the transfer of glucose from UDPglucose to endogenous acceptors. The specific activity of ceramide deoxyglucoside or ceramide glucoside formation was significantly higher when microsomal preparations obtained from deoxyglucose-treated or herpesvirus-infected BHK-21 cells were used as the glucosyltransferase source. Deoxyglucose was incorporated from UDPdeoxyglucose into hydroxy- and nonhydroxy-fatty acid-containing ceramides at approximately the same rate. Competitive inhibition of deoxyglucosylation of ceramides by UDPglucose suggests that both reactions were catalyzed by the same enzyme, viz. UDPglucose:ceramide glucosyltransferase. This inhibition of glycosphingolipid synthesis may account, in part, for the inhibitory effect of deoxyglucose on lipid-containing viruses.

Effect of certain inhibitors of glycoprotein synthesis on cell fusion induced by vesicular stomatitis virus

The effect of certain metabolic inhibitors on the fusion of BHK-21 cells induced by vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was studied. The polykaryocyte formation in infected cells and virus growth were inhibited by 2-deoxy-D-glucose and D-glucosamine. Host-cell proteins synthesis was suppressed profoundly in both BHK-21-KB and B cells infected with VSV. On the other hand, glycoprotein synthesis was significantly enhanced during the polykaryocyte formation in BHK-21-KB cells, while it was suppressed in BHK-21-B cells which were not sensitive to cell fusion by VSV.

Effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on the cell-surface glycoproteins of hamster fibroblasts,

1. Growth of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells in medium containing 2-deoxy-D-glucose is retarded in direct proportion of the 2-deoxyglucose concentration. The severity of the effect is reduced in medium containing high relative concentrations of glucose. 2. 2-Deoxyglucose inhibits the incorporation of radioactivity from mannose, galactose, glucosamine, fucose and N-acetylmannosamine precursors into acid-insoluble cellular material. Incorporation of radioactively labelled leucine into protein is not affected by 2-deoxyglucose. 3. BHK cells grown in the presence of 2-deoxyglucose become less sensitive to the toxic action of certain plant lectins, ricin of Ricinus communis and Phaseolus vulgaris phytohaemagglutinin, which bind specifically to cell surface galactose and N-acetyl-galactosamine residues. By contrast, 2-deoxyglucose increased the sensitivity of BHK cells to the weak toxicity of concanavalin A, which binds to surface mannosides. Treated cells also become more agglutinable with concanavalin A. 4. Cell surface glycoprotein labelled by lactoperoxidase-catalysed iodination have been examined by dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The radio-iodinated glycoprotein prepared from cells grown in medium containing 2-deoxyglucose migrate more rapidly than glycoproteins from cells grown in the absence of inhibitor.

Interference of nucleoside diphosphate derivatives of 2-deoxy-D-glucose with the glycosylation of virus-specific glycoproteins in vivo

The predominant effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on chick embryo cells infected with Semliki Forest virus is an interference with glycosylation of virus-specific glycoproteins; this results in a block of synthesis of infectious virus. Incorporation of radioactive mannose is blocked severely in the presence of 2-deoxyglucose in the cultural medium although it is readily phosphorylated and subsequently activated by GTP to yield GDP-mannose, which accumulates under these conditions. The intracellular concentrations of GDP-mannose and UDP-N-acetyl-D-hexosamine are not reduced in the presence of the inhibitor. An equimolar concentration of mannose in the cultural medium competes with the inhibitory effect of the deoxysugar and drops the cellular pool of GDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose below the level of detection, at the same time restoring the synthesis of infectious virus. When the intracellular concentration of UDP-2-deoxyglucose is reduced by addition of glucose into the cultural medium the inhibition of virus synthesis by the deoxysugar and the concentration of GDP-2-deoxyglucose within the cells remain near to the values when the inhibitor is present alone. It is concluded that among the metabolites of 2-deoxyglucose which occur in vivo after addition of 2-deoxyglucose to the culture medium, GDP-2-deoxyglucose is the agent responsible for inhibition of glycosylation of viral glycoproteins.

Formation of dolichol monophosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose and its interference with the glycosylation of mannoproteins in yeast

A crude membrane fraction from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been found to catalyze 2-deoxy-D-glucose transfer from GDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose to endogeneous lipid and glycoprotein acceptor. Evidence will be represented that the glycolipid formed has properties characteristic dolichol monophosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The 2-deoxy-D-glucosyl group can further be transferred from the glycolipid into a membrane-bound polymer fraction. More than 95% of the radioactivity incorporated can be released by beta-elimination, indicating an O-glycosidic linkage to serine or threonine. The only radioactive product obtained is 2-deoxy-D-glucose. When dolichol monophosphate 2-deoxy-[14C]glucose is incubated together with non-radioactive GDP-mannose subsequent beta-elimination yields no higher oligosaccharides in contrast to an experiment where dolichol monophosphate [14C]mannose and GDP-mannose are used as donors. The results are consistent with the assumption that the non-physiological nucleotide sugar interferes with GDP-mannose for mannosylation and terminates further elongation of the serine/threonine-bound oligomannose side chains. UDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose, used as donor, results also in the formation of a glycolipid. In this case, however, no polyprenol derivative is formed. Instead, the glycolipid displays properties characteristic of sphingolipid or a sterol glucoside.

Formation of uridine diphosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose and guanosine diphosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose in vitro using animal enzymes

The enzymic formation of guanosine diphosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose and uridine diphosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose from synthetically prepared 2-deoxy-D-glucose 1-phosphate is described. Incubation of 2-deoxy-D-glucose 1-phosphate with an enzyme preparation from bovine mammary glands and either GTP or UTP gives rise to the corresponding nucleoside-diphosphate derivative of 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Uridine diphosphate 2-deoxy-D-glucose could also be obtained by incubation of 2-deoxy-D-glucose 1-phosphate with UTP and UDP glucose pyrophosphorylase from beef liver.