Mode of interference of trisodium phosphonoformate (INN: foscarnet sodium), with influenza virus mRNA synthesis

Development of antivirals against influenza

Morbidity and mortality due to influenza virus infections remain a major problem throughout the world. Yearly, medical costs and loss of productivity resulting from influenza infection are estimated to be in the range of 12 dollars bn in the USA. The predicted increases in the elderly and immune-deficient populations will make influenza an even greater threat in the future. Despite the availability of vaccines, they have been least effective in these high-risk populations. Coupled with the requirement for routine revaccination, the need for effective antiviral agents is illustrated. The currently approved drugs, amantadine, rimantadine and ribavirin (in some countries), have limitations. They are only inhibitory against influenza A viruses, are prone to adverse reactions and quickly give rise to resistant virus. This review examines current drug therapies, antivirals in development and possible future opportunities for anti-influenza drugs.

A sensitive, single-tube assay to measure the enzymatic activities of influenza RNA polymerase and other poly(A) polymerases: application to kinetic and inhibitor analysis

We describe a fast and robust new assay format to measure poly(A) polymerase (PAP) activity in a microtiter plate format. The new assay principle uses only natural nucleotide triphosphates and avoids a labour-intensive filtration step. A coupled enzymatic system combining PAP and reverse transcriptase forms the basis of the assay. The PAP generates a poly(A) tail on a RNA substrate and the reverse transcriptase is used to quantify the polyadenylated RNA by extension of a biotinylated oligo-dT primer. We demonstrate the principle of the assay using influenza virus RNA polymerase and yeast PAP as examples. A specific increase in the K(m) value for ATP and the observation of burst kinetics in the polyadenylation dependent, but not in the polyadenylation independent, assay suggest that a rate limiting step of influenza polymerase activity occurs after transcription elongation. Yeast PAP was used to validate the assay as an example of a template independent PAP. The new yeast PAP assay was approximately 100-fold more sensitive than the conventional TCA precipitation assay for yeast PAP, but the kinetic analysis of the PAP reaction gave similar results in both assays. The two enzymes show important differences with respect to inhibition by 3'-deoxy-ATP. Whereas the K(i) value for 3'-deoxy-ATP (105-117 microM) is similar to the K(m) value for ATP (186 microM) in the case of influenza RNA polymerase, the K(i) value for 3'-deoxy-ATP (0.4-0.6 microM) is approximately 100-fold lower than the K(m) value for ATP (50 microM) in the case of yeast PAP.

Antiviral effects of phosphonoformate (PFA, foscarnet sodium)

This article describes the antiviral properties of foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate) at the enzyme level as well as in cell cultures and in vivo. The mechanism of action against herpesvirus DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases is outlined. Clinical studies using topical foscarnet against mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections are presented. The clinical use of intravenous foscarnet against severe viral infections caused by cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus is discussed.

The antiviral activity of tetrazole phosphonic acids and their analogues

5-(Phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole and a number of related tetrazoles have been prepared and their effects on the replication of Herpes Simplex Viruses-1 and -2 have been investigated as well as their abilities to inhibit the DNA polymerases induced by these viruses and the RNA transcriptase activity of influenza virus A. Contrary to an earlier report, 5-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole was not an efficient inhibitor of the replication of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in tissue culture. Analogues of 5-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole were also devoid of significant antiviral activity. Only 5-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole and 5-(thiophosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole inhibited the influenza virus transcriptase, and both were more effective as inhibitors than phosphonoacetic acid under the same conditions. The DNA polymerases induced by HSV-1 and HSV-2 were inhibited slightly by 5-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole and to a lesser extent by its N-ethyl analogue and 3-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole. None of these compounds were as effective as phosphonoacetic acid. 5-(Thiophosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole was a better inhibitor of the DNA polymerase induced by HSV-1 than 5-(phosphonomethyl)-1H-tetrazole.

Metal chelators as potential antiviral agents

Metal-chelating compounds can inhibit virus-induced enzymes in infected cells by coordinating with metal ions at their active sites. Consideration of the coordinating properties of ligands can explain the antiviral activity of these compounds. The antiviral actions of a number of compounds (e.g., thiosemicarbazones, pyrophosphate analogues, beta-diketones, cyclic polyethers and flavanoids) are discussed in the light of their metal-chelating properties.