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Akram M, Hameed S, Hassan A, Khan KM. Development in the Inhibition of Dengue Proteases as Drug Targets. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:2195-2233. [PMID: 37723635 DOI: 10.2174/0929867331666230918110144] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viral infections continue to increase morbidity and mortality severely. The flavivirus genus has fifty different species, including the dengue, Zika, and West Nile viruses that can infect 40% of individuals globally, who reside in at least a hundred different countries. Dengue, one of the oldest and most dangerous human infections, was initially documented by the Chinese Medical Encyclopedia in the Jin period. It was referred to as "water poison," connected to flying insects, i.e., Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. DENV causes some medical expressions like dengue hemorrhagic fever, acute febrile illness, and dengue shock syndrome. OBJECTIVE According to the World Health Organization report of 2012, 2500 million people are in danger of contracting dengue fever worldwide. According to a recent study, 96 million of the 390 million dengue infections yearly show some clinical or subclinical severity. There is no antiviral drug or vaccine to treat this severe infection. It can be controlled by getting enough rest, drinking plenty of water, and using painkillers. The first dengue vaccine created by Sanofi, called Dengvaxia, was previously approved by the USFDA in 2019. All four serotypes of the DENV1-4 have shown re-infection in vaccine recipients. However, the usage of Dengvaxia has been constrained by its adverse effects. CONCLUSION Different classes of compounds have been reported against DENV, such as nitrogen-containing heterocycles (i.e., imidazole, pyridine, triazoles quinazolines, quinoline, and indole), oxygen-containing heterocycles (i.e., coumarins), and some are mixed heterocyclic compounds of S, N (thiazole, benzothiazine, and thiazolidinediones), and N, O (i.e., oxadiazole). There have been reports of computationally designed compounds to impede the molecular functions of specific structural and non-structural proteins as potential therapeutic targets. This review summarized the current progress in developing dengue protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Akram
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Shehryar Hameed
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75720, Pakistan
| | - Abbas Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Mohammed Khan
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75720, Pakistan
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Gayathiri E, Prakash P, Kumaravel P, Jayaprakash J, Ragunathan MG, Sankar S, Pandiaraj S, Thirumalaivasan N, Thiruvengadam M, Govindasamy R. Computational approaches for modeling and structural design of biological systems: A comprehensive review. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 185:17-32. [PMID: 37821048 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The convergence of biology and computational science has ushered in a revolutionary era, revolutionizing our understanding of biological systems and providing novel solutions to global problems. The field of genetic engineering has facilitated the manipulation of genetic codes, thus providing opportunities for the advancement of innovative disease therapies and environmental enhancements. The emergence of bio-molecular simulation represents a significant advancement in this particular field, as it offers the ability to gain microscopic insights into molecular-level biological processes over extended periods. Biomolecular simulation plays a crucial role in advancing our comprehension of organismal mechanisms by establishing connections between molecular structures, interactions, and biological functions. The field of computational biology has demonstrated its significance in deciphering intricate biological enigmas through the utilization of mathematical models and algorithms. The process of decoding the human genome has resulted in the advancement of therapies for a wide range of genetic disorders, while the simulation of biological systems contributes to the identification of novel pharmaceutical compounds. The potential of biomolecular simulation and computational biology is vast and limitless. As the exploration of the underlying principles that govern living organisms progresses, the potential impact of this understanding on cancer treatment, environmental restoration, and other domains is anticipated to be transformative. This review examines the notable advancements achieved in the field of computational biology, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize the comprehension and enhancement of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekambaram Gayathiri
- Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Guru Nanak College (Autonomous), Chennai, 42, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Palanisamy Prakash
- Department of Botany, Periyar University, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem, 636011, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Priya Kumaravel
- Department of Biotechnology, St. Joseph College (Arts & Science), Kovur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jayanthi Jayaprakash
- Department of Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology, Guru Nanak College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Sharmila Sankar
- Department of Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology, Guru Nanak College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Saravanan Pandiaraj
- Department of Self-Development Skills, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Natesan Thirumalaivasan
- Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College, and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMTAS), Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Muthu Thiruvengadam
- Department of Applied Bioscience, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | - Rajakumar Govindasamy
- Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
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Koraboina CP, Akshinthala P, Katari NK, Adarasandi R, Jonnalagadda SB, Gundla R. New oxindole carboxamides as inhibitors of DENV NS5 RdRp: Design, synthesis, docking and Biochemical characterization. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21510. [PMID: 38027588 PMCID: PMC10665688 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus belonging to family flaviviridae and has grown to be a major global public health issue. Despite decades of effort, the global comeback of dengue is evidence of the inadequacy of present management techniques. Due to the loss of healthy lives and the depletion of scarce medical resources, dengue has a significant negative economic impact in underdeveloped countries. In recent years, research for tackling the incidences of dengue infection has increased. The structure of the viral genome has been deciphered with the non-structural protein, known as NS5 serving as a potential target. NS5 consisting of an MTase domain involved in RNA capping and an RdRp domain involved in viral replication. In the presented work, a series of new Oxindoline Carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized for inhibiting the viral RNA dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp) activity of DENV. The novel compounds were put through tests including molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) binding analysis to evaluate their affinity for the viral protein and their potential as novel inhibitors of the virus. From a total of 12 derivative compounds, four compounds OCA-10c, OCA-10f, OCA-10j & OCA-10i, were found to exhibit high affinity for NS5 RdRp, the KD values being 1.376 μM, 1.63 μM, 7.08 μM & 9.32 μM respectively. Overall, we report novel inhibitors of DENV RdRp activity with potential to be utilized against DENV for treating humans after further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Prakash Koraboina
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad, Telangana, 502 329, India
| | - Parameswari Akshinthala
- Department of Science and Humanities, MLR Institute of Technology, Dundigal, Medchal, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 043, India
| | - Naresh Kumar Katari
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad, Telangana, 502 329, India
- School of Chemistry & Physics, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X 54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Ravi Adarasandi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad, Telangana, 502 329, India
| | - Sreekantha Babu Jonnalagadda
- School of Chemistry & Physics, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X 54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Rambabu Gundla
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad, Telangana, 502 329, India
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Kandagalla S, Kumbar B, Novak J. Structural Modifications Introduced by NS2B Cofactor Binding to the NS3 Protease of the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10907. [PMID: 37446083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kyasanur Forest Disease virus (KFDV), a neglected human pathogenic virus, is a Flavivirus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. KFDV is transmitted to humans by the bite of the hard tick (Haemaphysalis spinigera), which acts as a reservoir of KFDV. The recent expansion of the endemic area of KFDV is of concern and requires the development of new preventive measures against KFDV. Currently, there is no antiviral therapy against KFDV, and the existing vaccine has limited efficacy. To develop a new antiviral therapy against KFDV, we focused on the nonstructural proteins NS2B and NS3 of KFDV, which are responsible for serine protease activity. Viral proteases have shown to be suitable therapeutic targets in the development of antiviral drugs against many diseases. However, success has been limited in flaviviruses, mainly because of the important features of the active site, which is flat and highly charged. In this context, the present study focuses on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 to identify potential allosteric sites in the NS2B/NS3 protease of KDFV. To our knowledge, there are no reports on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 in KFDV, and the crystal structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV has not yet been solved. Overall, we created the structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV using AlphaFold and performed molecular dynamics simulations with and without NS2B cofactor to investigate structural rearrangements due to cofactor binding and to identify alternative allosteric sites. The identified allosteric site is promising due to its geometric and physicochemical properties and druggability and can be used for new drug development. The applicability of the proposed allosteric binding sites was verified for the best-hit molecules from the virtual screening and MD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivananda Kandagalla
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Bhimanagoud Kumbar
- ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - Jurica Novak
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
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Jana AK, Sharawy M, May ER. Non-equilibrium virus particle dynamics: Microsecond MD simulations of the complete Flock House virus capsid under different conditions. J Struct Biol 2023; 215:107964. [PMID: 37105277 PMCID: PMC10205670 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2023.107964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Flock House virus (FHV) is an animal virus and considered a model system for non-enveloped viruses. It has a small, icosahedral capsid (T=3) and a bipartite positive-sense RNA genome. We present an extensive study of the FHV capsid dynamics from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the complete capsid. The simulations explore different biologically relevant conditions (neutral/low pH, with/without RNA in the capsid) using the CHARMM force field. The results show that low pH destabilizes the capsid, causing radial expansion, and RNA stabilizes the capsid. The finding of low pH destabilization is biologically relevant because the capsid is exposed to low pH in the endosome, where conformational changes occur leading to genome release. We also observe structural changes at the fivefold and twofold symmetry axes that likely relate to the externalization of membrane active γ peptides through the fivefold vertex and extrusion of RNA at the twofold axis. Simulations using the Amber force field at neutral pH are also performed and display similar characteristics to the CHARMM simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asis K Jana
- DepartmentofMolecularandCellBiology, UniversityofConnecticut, Storrs, CT06269-3125, USA; Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sister Nivedita University, New Town, West Bengal 700156, India
| | - Mahmoud Sharawy
- DepartmentofMolecularandCellBiology, UniversityofConnecticut, Storrs, CT06269-3125, USA
| | - Eric R May
- DepartmentofMolecularandCellBiology, UniversityofConnecticut, Storrs, CT06269-3125, USA.
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Acchioni C, Acchioni M, Mancini F, Amendola A, Marsili G, Tirelli V, Gwee CP, Chan KWK, Sandini S, Bisbocci M, Mysara M, ElHefnawi M, Sanchez M, Venturi G, Barreca ML, Manfroni G, Bresciani A, Vasudevan SG, Sgarbanti M. A cellular screening platform, stably expressing DENV2 NS5, defines a novel anti-DENV mechanism of action of Apigenin based on STAT2 activation. Virology 2023; 583:1-13. [PMID: 37060797 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Type I interferon (IFN-I) evasion by Dengue virus (DENV) is key in DENV pathogenesis. The non-structural protein 5 (NS5) antagonizes IFN-I response through the degradation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (STAT2). We developed a K562 cell-based platform, for high throughput screening of compounds potentially counteracting the NS5-mediated antagonism of IFN-I signaling. Upon a screening with a library of 1220 approved drugs, 3 compounds previously linked to DENV inhibition (Apigenin, Chrysin, and Luteolin) were identified. Luteolin and Apigenin determined a significant inhibition of DENV2 replication in Huh7 cells and the restoration of STAT2 phosphorylation in both cell systems. Apigenin and Luteolin were able to stimulate STAT2 even in the absence of infection. Despite the "promiscuous" and "pan-assay-interfering" nature of Luteolin, Apigenin promotes STAT2 Tyr 689 phosphorylation and activation, highlighting the importance of screening for compounds able to interact with host factors, to counteract viral proteins capable of dampening innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Acchioni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marta Acchioni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Flavia Mancini
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Antonello Amendola
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulia Marsili
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Tirelli
- Core Facility Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Chin Piaw Gwee
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8-College Road, 169857, Singapore.
| | - Kitti Wing-Ki Chan
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8-College Road, 169857, Singapore.
| | - Silvia Sandini
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Monica Bisbocci
- Department of Translational and Discovery Research, IRBM S.p.A., Pomezia, Roma, Italy.
| | - Mohamed Mysara
- Bioinformatics Group, Center for Informatics Sciences (CIS), School of Information Technology and Computer Science (ITCS), Nile University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Mahmoud ElHefnawi
- Biomedical Informatics and Chemoinformatics Group, Informatics and Systems Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Massimo Sanchez
- Core Facility Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulietta Venturi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo 1, 06123, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Manfroni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo 1, 06123, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Alberto Bresciani
- Department of Translational and Discovery Research, IRBM S.p.A., Pomezia, Roma, Italy
| | - Subhash G Vasudevan
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8-College Road, 169857, Singapore.
| | - Marco Sgarbanti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Felicetti T, Gwee CP, Burali MS, Chan KWK, Alonso S, Pismataro MC, Sabatini S, Barreca ML, Cecchetti V, Vasudevan SG, Manfroni G. Functionalized sulfonyl anthranilic acid derivatives inhibit replication of all the four dengue serotypes. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115283. [PMID: 36965228 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115283] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, continues to be a major public health threat in many countries and no approved antiviral therapeutics are available yet. In this work, we designed and synthesized a series of sulfonyl anthranilic acid (SAA) derivatives using a ligand-based scaffold morphing approach of the 2,1-benzothiazine 2,2-dioxide core, previously used by us to develop DENV polymerase inhibitors resulting devoid of any cell-based antiviral activity. Several derivatives based on the new SAA chemotype exhibited potent inhibition against DENV infection in the cell-based assay but did not inhibit DENV NS5 polymerase activity in the in vitro de novo initiation and elongation assays. Notably, best compounds 26 and 39 showed EC50 values in the range of 0.54-1.36 μM against cells infected with the four dengue serotypes (DENV-1-4). Time-of-drug-addition assay revealed that analogue 26 is a post-entry replication inhibitor that appears to be specific for cells of primate origin, implicating a host target with a high barrier to resistance. In conclusion, SAA derivatives offer a valuable starting point for developing effective Dengue antiviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Felicetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Chin Piaw Gwee
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore
| | - Maria Sole Burali
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Kitti Wing Ki Chan
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore
| | - Sylvie Alonso
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore; Immunology programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Maria Chiara Pismataro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Stefano Sabatini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Violetta Cecchetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Subhash G Vasudevan
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore; Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Queensland, 4222, Australia.
| | - Giuseppe Manfroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Del Liceo, 1-06123, Perugia, Italy.
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Structural Insights into Plasticity and Discovery of Flavonoid Allosteric Inhibitors of Flavivirus NS2B–NS3 Protease. BIOPHYSICA 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/biophysica3010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are among the most critical pathogens in tropical regions; they cause various severe diseases in developing countries but are not restricted to these countries. The development of antiviral therapeutics is crucial for managing flavivirus outbreaks. Ten proteins are encoded in the flavivirus RNA. The N2B–NS3pro protein complex plays a fundamental role in flavivirus replication and is a promising drug target; however, no flavivirus protease inhibitors have progressed to the preclinical stage. This study analyzed the structural models and plasticity of the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex of five medically important non-dengue flaviviruses (West Nile, Rocio, Ilhéus, yellow fever, and Saint Louis encephalitis). The flavonoids amentoflavone, tetrahydrorobustaflavone, and quercetin were selected for their exceptional binding energies as potential inhibitors of the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex. AutoDock Vina results ranged from −7.0 kcal/mol to −11.5 kcal/mol and the compounds preferentially acted non-competitively. Additionally, the first structural model for the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex was proposed for Ilhéus and Rocio viruses. The NS2B–NS3pro protease is an attractive molecular target for drug development. The three identified natural flavonoids showed great inhibitory potential against the viral species. Nevertheless, further in silico and in vitro studies are required to obtain more information regarding NS2B–NS3pro inhibition by these flavonoids and their therapeutic potential.
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Srivastava S, Chaudhary N, Dhembla C, Sundd M, Gupta S, Patel AK. STAT3 inhibition mediated upregulation of multiple immune response pathways in dengue infection. Virology 2023; 578:81-91. [PMID: 36473280 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dengue infection is a world-wide public health threat infecting millions of people annually. Till date no specific antiviral or vaccine is available against dengue virus. Recent evidence indicates that targeting host STAT3 could prove to be an effective antiviral therapy against dengue infection. To explore the potential of STAT3 inhibition as an antiviral strategy, we utilized a STAT3 inhibitor stattic as antiviral agent and performed whole proteome analysis of mammalian cells by mass spectrometry. Differentially expressed proteins among the infected and stattic treated groups were sorted based on their fold change expression and their functional annotation studies were carried out to establish their biological networks. The results presented in the current study indicated that treatment with stattic induces several antiviral pathways to counteract dengue infection. Together with this, we also observed that treatment with stattic downregulates pathways involved in viral transcription and translation thus establishing STAT3 as a suitable target for the development of antiviral interventions. This study establishes the role of STAT3 inhibition as an alternative strategy to counteract DENV pathogenesis. Targeting STAT3 by stattic or similar molecules may help in identifying novel therapeutic interventions against DENV and probably other flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Srivastava
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Nidhi Chaudhary
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Chetna Dhembla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Monica Sundd
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110 067, India
| | - Sunny Gupta
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Ashok Kumar Patel
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
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Dos Santos Nascimento IJ, da Silva Rodrigues ÉE, da Silva MF, de Araújo-Júnior JX, de Moura RO. Advances in Computational Methods to Discover New NS2B-NS3 Inhibitors Useful Against Dengue and Zika Viruses. Curr Top Med Chem 2022; 22:2435-2462. [PMID: 36415099 DOI: 10.2174/1568026623666221122121330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The Flaviviridae virus family consists of the genera Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, and Flavivirus, with approximately 70 viral types that use arthropods as vectors. Among these diseases, dengue (DENV) and zika virus (ZIKV) serotypes stand out, responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide. Due to the significant increase in cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared DENV a potential threat for 2019 due to being transmitted by infected travelers. Furthermore, ZIKV also has a high rate of transmissibility, highlighted in the outbreak in 2015, generating consequences such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly. According to clinical outcomes, those infected with DENV can be asymptomatic, and in other cases, it can be lethal. On the other hand, ZIKV has severe neurological symptoms in newborn babies and adults. More serious symptoms include microcephaly, brain calcifications, intrauterine growth restriction, and fetal death. Despite these worrying data, no drug or vaccine is approved to treat these diseases. In the drug discovery process, one of the targets explored against these diseases is the NS2B-NS3 complex, which presents the catalytic triad His51, Asp75, and Ser135, with the function of cleaving polyproteins, with specificity for basic amino acid residues, Lys- Arg, Arg-Arg, Arg-Lys or Gln-Arg. Since NS3 is highly conserved in all DENV serotypes and plays a vital role in viral replication, this complex is an excellent drug target. In recent years, computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) is increasingly essential in drug discovery campaigns, making the process faster and more cost-effective, mainly explained by discovering new drugs against DENV and ZIKV. Finally, the main advances in computational methods applied to discover new compounds against these diseases will be presented here. In fact, molecular dynamics simulations and virtual screening is the most explored approach, providing several hit and lead compounds that can be used in further optimizations. In addition, fragment-based drug design and quantum chemistry/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) provides new insights for developing anti-DENV/ZIKV drugs. We hope that this review offers further helpful information for researchers worldwide and stimulates the use of computational methods to find a promising drug for treating DENV and ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor José Dos Santos Nascimento
- Department of Pharmacy, Estácio of Alagoas College, Maceió, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacy, Cesmac University Center, Maceió, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacy, Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil
| | | | - Manuele Figueiredo da Silva
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - João Xavier de Araújo-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Olimpio de Moura
- Department of Pharmacy, Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil
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11
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Li Q, Kang C. Dengue virus NS4B protein as a target for developing antivirals. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:959727. [PMID: 36017362 PMCID: PMC9398000 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.959727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus is an important pathogen affecting global population while no specific treatment is available against this virus. Effort has been made to develop inhibitors through targeting viral nonstructural proteins such as NS3 and NS5 with enzymatic activities. No potent inhibitors entering clinical studies have been developed so far due to many challenges. The genome of dengue virus encodes four membrane-bound nonstructural proteins which do not possess any enzymatic activities. Studies have shown that the membrane protein-NS4B is a validated target for drug discovery and several NS4B inhibitors exhibited antiviral activities in various assays and entered preclinical studies.. Here, we summarize the recent studies on dengue NS4B protein. The structure and membrane topology of dengue NS4B derived from biochemical and biophysical studies are described. Function of NS4B through protein-protein interactions and some available NS4B inhibitors are summarized. Accumulated studies demonstrated that cell-based assays play important roles in developing NS4B inhibitors. Although the atomic structure of NS4B is not obtained, target-based drug discovery approach become feasible to develop NS4B inhibitors as recombinant NS4B protein is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Biomass High Value Utilization, Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qingxin Li, ; Congbao Kang,
| | - Congbao Kang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Qingxin Li, ; Congbao Kang,
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12
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Li Q, Kang C. Structures and Dynamics of Dengue Virus Nonstructural Membrane Proteins. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12020231. [PMID: 35207152 PMCID: PMC8880049 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Dengue virus is an important human pathogen threating people, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The viral genome has one open reading frame and encodes one polyprotein which can be processed into structural and nonstructural (NS) proteins. Four of the seven nonstructural proteins, NS2A, NS2B, NS4A and NS4B, are membrane proteins. Unlike NS3 or NS5, these proteins do not harbor any enzymatic activities, but they play important roles in viral replication through interactions with viral or host proteins to regulate important pathways and enzymatic activities. The location of these proteins on the cell membrane and the functional roles in viral replication make them important targets for antiviral development. Indeed, NS4B inhibitors exhibit antiviral activities in different assays. Structural studies of these proteins are hindered due to challenges in crystallization and the dynamic nature of these proteins. In this review, the function and membrane topologies of dengue nonstructural membrane proteins are presented. The roles of solution NMR spectroscopy in elucidating the structure and dynamics of these proteins are introduced. The success in the development of NS4B inhibitors proves that this class of proteins is an attractive target for antiviral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Biomass High Value Utilization, Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510316, China
- Correspondence: (Q.L.); (C.K.)
| | - Congbao Kang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 10 Biopolis Road, #5-01, Singapore 138670, Singapore
- Correspondence: (Q.L.); (C.K.)
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13
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Dang M, Lim L, Roy A, Song J. Myricetin Allosterically Inhibits the Dengue NS2B-NS3 Protease by Disrupting the Active and Locking the Inactive Conformations. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:2798-2808. [PMID: 35097276 PMCID: PMC8793048 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The dengue NS2B-NS3 protease existing in equilibrium between the active and inactive forms is essential for virus replication, thus representing a key drug target. Here, myricetin, a plant flavonoid, was characterized to noncompetitively inhibit the dengue protease. Further NMR study identified the protease residues perturbed by binding to myricetin, which were utilized to construct the myricetin-protease complexes. Strikingly, in the active form, myricetin binds to a new allosteric site (AS2) far away from the active site pocket and the allosteric site (AS1) for binding curcumin, while in the inactive form, it binds to both AS1 and AS2. To decipher the mechanism for the allosteric inhibition by myricetin, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations on different forms of dengue NS2B-NS3 proteases. Unexpectedly, the binding of myricetin to AS2 is sufficient to disrupt the active conformation by displacing the characteristic NS2B C-terminal β-hairpin from the active site pocket. By contrast, the binding of myricetin to AS1 and AS2 results in locking the inactive conformation. Therefore, myricetin represents the first small molecule, which allosterically inhibits the dengue protease by both disrupting the active conformation and locking the inactive conformation. The results enforce the notion that a global allosteric network exists in the dengue NS2B-NS3 protease, which is susceptible to allosteric inhibition by small molecules such as myricetin and curcumin. As myricetin has been extensively used as a food additive, it might be directly utilized to fight the dengue infections and as a promising starting material for further design of potent allosteric inhibitors.
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14
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Current Trends and Limitations in Dengue Antiviral Research. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6040180. [PMID: 34698303 PMCID: PMC8544673 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6040180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease worldwide and affects approximately 2.5 billion people living in over 100 countries. Increasing geographic expansion of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (which transmit the virus) has made dengue a global health concern. There are currently no approved antivirals available to treat dengue, and the only approved vaccine used in some countries is limited to seropositive patients. Treatment of dengue, therefore, remains largely supportive to date; hence, research efforts are being intensified for the development of antivirals. The nonstructural proteins, 3 and 5 (NS3 and NS5), have been the major targets for dengue antiviral development due to their indispensable enzymatic and biological functions in the viral replication process. NS5 is the largest and most conserved nonstructural protein encoded by flaviviruses. Its multifunctionality makes it an attractive target for antiviral development, but research efforts have, this far, not resulted in the successful development of an antiviral targeting NS5. Increase in structural insights into the dengue NS5 protein will accelerate drug discovery efforts focused on NS5 as an antiviral target. In this review, we will give an overview of the current state of therapeutic development, with a focus on NS5 as a therapeutic target against dengue.
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In-silico approaches towards the profiling of some anti-dengue virus as potent inhibitors against dengue NS-5 receptor. SCIENTIFIC AFRICAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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16
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Insights on Dengue and Zika NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113698. [PMID: 34274831 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Over recent years, many outbreaks caused by (re)emerging RNA viruses have been reported worldwide, including life-threatening Flaviviruses, such as Dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV). Currently, there is only one licensed vaccine against Dengue, Dengvaxia®. However, its administration is not recommended for children under nine years. Still, there are no specific inhibitors available to treat these infectious diseases. Among the flaviviral proteins, NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a metalloenzyme essential for viral replication, suggesting that it is a promising macromolecular target since it has no human homolog. Nowadays, several NS5 RdRp inhibitors have been reported, while none inhibitors are currently in clinical development. In this context, this review constitutes a comprehensive work focused on RdRp inhibitors from natural, synthetic, and even repurposing sources. Furthermore, their main aspects associated with the structure-activity relationship (SAR), proposed mechanisms of action, computational studies, and other topics will be discussed in detail.
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Maddipati VC, Mittal L, Mantipally M, Asthana S, Bhattacharyya S, Gundla R. A Review on the Progress and Prospects of Dengue Drug Discovery Targeting NS5 RNA- Dependent RNA Polymerase. Curr Pharm Des 2021; 26:4386-4409. [PMID: 32445444 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200523174753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) infection threatens the health and wellbeing of almost 100 million people in the world. Vectored by mosquitoes, DENV may cause a severe disease in human hosts called Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/Dengue shock syndrome (DSS), which is not preventable by any known drug. In the absence of a universally-accepted vaccine, a drug capable of inhibiting DENV multiplication is an urgent and unmet clinical need. Here we summarize inhibitory strategies by targeting either host biochemical pathways or virus-encoded proteins. A variety of approaches have been generated to design Directly-acting anti-virals or DAAs targeting different DENV proteins, with diverse success. Among them, DAAs targeting genome replicating viral enzymes have proven effective against many viruses including, Human Immuno-deficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus. DAAs may be derived either from existing compound libraries of novel molecules and plant secondary metabolites or devised through Computer-aided Drug design (CADD) methods. Here, we focus on compounds with reported DAA-activity against the DENV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which replicate the viral RNA genome. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) and toxicity of the natural compounds, including secondary plant metabolites, have been discussed in detail. We have also tabulated novel compounds with known anti-RdRp activity. We concluded with a list of DAAs for which a co-crystal structure with RdRp is reported. Promising hit compounds are often discarded due to poor selectivity or unsuitable pharmacokinetics. We hope this review will provide a useful reference for further studies on the development of an anti-DENV drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatanarayana C Maddipati
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad 502329, Telangana, India
| | - Lovika Mittal
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rdMilestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad - 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Manohar Mantipally
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad 502329, Telangana, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rdMilestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad - 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Sankar Bhattacharyya
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rdMilestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad - 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Rambabu Gundla
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad 502329, Telangana, India
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Lim L, Dang M, Roy A, Kang J, Song J. Curcumin Allosterically Inhibits the Dengue NS2B-NS3 Protease by Disrupting Its Active Conformation. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:25677-25686. [PMID: 33073093 PMCID: PMC7557217 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses including dengue virus and Zika virus encode a unique two-component NS2B-NS3 protease essential for maturation/infectivity, thus representing a key target for designing antiflavivirus drugs. Here, for the first time, by NMR and molecular docking, we reveal that curcumin allosterically inhibits the dengue protease by binding to a cavity with no overlap with the active site. Further molecular dynamics simulations decode that the binding of curcumin leads to unfolding/displacing the characteristic β-hairpin of the C-terminal NS2B and consequently disrupting the closed (active) conformation of the protease. Our study identified a cavity most likely conserved in all flaviviral NS2B-NS3 proteases, which could thus serve as a therapeutic target for the discovery/design of small-molecule allosteric inhibitors. Moreover, as curcumin has been used as a food additive for thousands of years in many counties, it can be directly utilized to fight the flaviviral infections and as a promising starting for further design of potent allosteric inhibitors.
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Singh A, Bisht P, Bhattacharya S, Guchhait P. Role of Platelet Cytokines in Dengue Virus Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:561366. [PMID: 33102253 PMCID: PMC7554584 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.561366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Platelets are anucleated blood cells derived from bone marrow megakaryocytes and play a crucial role in hemostasis and thrombosis. Platelets contain specialized storage organelles, called alpha-granules, contents of which are rich in cytokines such as C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand (CXCL) 1/4/7, (C-C motif) ligand (CCL) 5/3, CXCL8 (also called as interleukin 8, IL-8), and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Activation of platelets lead to degranulation and release of contents into the plasma. Platelet activation is a common event in many viral infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), H1N1 influenza, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Ebola virus (EBV), and Dengue virus (DENV). The cytokines CXCL8, CCL5 (also known as Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed and Secreted, RANTES), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), CXCL1/5 and CCL3 released, promote development of a pro-inflammatory state along with the recruitment of other immune cells to the site of infection. Platelets also interact with Monocytes and Neutrophils and facilitate their activation to release different cytokines which further enhances inflammation. Upon activation, platelets also secrete factors such as CXCL4 (also known as platelet factor, PF4), CCL5 and fibrinopeptides which are critical regulators of replication and propagation of several viruses in the host. Studies suggest that CXCL4 can both inhibit as well as enhance HIV1 infection. Data from our lab show that CXCL4 inhibits interferon (IFN) pathway and promotes DENV replication in monocytes in vitro and in patients significantly. Inhibition of CXCL4 mediated signaling results in increased IFN production and suppressed DENV and JEV replication in monocytes. In this review, we discuss the role of platelets in viral disease progression with a focus on dengue infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Singh
- Disease Biology Laboratory, Regional Center for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Piyush Bisht
- Disease Biology Laboratory, Regional Center for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Sulagna Bhattacharya
- Disease Biology Laboratory, Regional Center for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India.,School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Prasenjit Guchhait
- Disease Biology Laboratory, Regional Center for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
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20
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Crystal structures of full length DENV4 NS2B-NS3 reveal the dynamic interaction between NS2B and NS3. Antiviral Res 2020; 182:104900. [PMID: 32763315 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Flavivirus is a genus of the Flaviviridae family which includes significant emerging and re-emerging human disease-causing arboviruses such as dengue and Zika viruses. Flaviviral non-structural protein 3 (NS3) protease-helicase plays essential roles in viral replication and is an attractive antiviral target. A construct which connects the cytoplasmic cofactor region of NS2B and NS3 protease with an artificial glycine-rich flexible linker has been widely used for structural, biochemical and drug-screening studies. The effect of this linker on the dynamics and enzymatic activity of the protease has been studied by several biochemical and NMR methods but the findings remained inconclusive. Here, we designed and carried out a comparative study of constructs of NS2B cofactor joined to the full length DENV4 NS3 in three different ways, namely bNS2B47NS3 (bivalent), eNS2B47NS3(enzymatically cleavable) and gNS2B47NS3 (glycine-rich linker). We report the crystal structures of linked and unlinked NS2B47-NS3 constructs in their free state and in complex with bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI). These structures demonstrate that the NS2B cofactor predominantly adopts a closed conformation in complex with full-length NS3. The glycine-rich linker between NS2B and NS3 may promote the open conformation which interferes with protease activity. This negative impact on the enzyme structure and function is restricted to the protease activity as the ATPase activity is not affected in vitro.
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21
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Kühl N, Graf D, Bock J, Behnam MAM, Leuthold MM, Klein CD. A New Class of Dengue and West Nile Virus Protease Inhibitors with Submicromolar Activity in Reporter Gene DENV-2 Protease and Viral Replication Assays. J Med Chem 2020; 63:8179-8197. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Kühl
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Graf
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Josephine Bock
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mira A. M. Behnam
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mila-Mareen Leuthold
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian D. Klein
- Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology IPMB, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Insights into Structures and Dynamics of Flavivirus Proteases from NMR Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072527. [PMID: 32260545 PMCID: PMC7177695 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy plays important roles in structural biology and drug discovery, as it is a powerful tool to understand protein structures, dynamics, and ligand binding under physiological conditions. The protease of flaviviruses is an attractive target for developing antivirals because it is essential for the maturation of viral proteins. High-resolution structures of the proteases in the absence and presence of ligands/inhibitors were determined using X-ray crystallography, providing structural information for rational drug design. Structural studies suggest that proteases from Dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) exist in open and closed conformations. Solution NMR studies showed that the closed conformation is predominant in solution and should be utilized in structure-based drug design. Here, we reviewed solution NMR studies of the proteases from these viruses. The accumulated studies demonstrated that NMR spectroscopy provides additional information to understand conformational changes of these proteases in the absence and presence of substrates/inhibitors. In addition, NMR spectroscopy can be used for identifying fragment hits that can be further developed into potent protease inhibitors.
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Identification and structural characterization of small molecule fragments targeting Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease. Antiviral Res 2020; 175:104707. [PMID: 31953156 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) NS2B-NS3 protease is a validated antiviral target as it is essential for maturation of viral proteins. However, its negatively charged active site hinders the development of orthosteric small-molecule inhibitors. Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a powerful tool to generate novel chemical starting points against difficult drug targets. In this study, we scre ened a fragment compound library against the Zika protease using a primary thermal shift assay and identified twenty-two fragments which (bind to and) stabilize the protease. We then determined the X-ray crystal structures of two hits from different classes, all of which bind to the S1 pocket of the protease. We confirmed that these two fragments bind to the protease without inducing significant conformational changes using solution NMR spectroscopy. These fragment scaffolds serve as the starting point for subsequent lead compound development.
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Abdullah AA, Lee YK, Chin SP, Lim SK, Lee VS, Othman R, Othman S, Rahman NA, Yusof R, Heh CH. Discovery of Dengue Virus Inhibitors. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:4945-5036. [PMID: 30514185 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666181204155336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
To date, there is still no approved anti-dengue agent to treat dengue infection in the market. Although the only licensed dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia is available, its protective efficacy against serotypes 1 and 2 of dengue virus was reported to be lower than serotypes 3 and 4. Moreover, according to WHO, the risk of being hospitalized and having severe dengue increased in seronegative individuals after they received Dengvaxia vaccination. Nevertheless, various studies had been carried out in search of dengue virus inhibitors. These studies focused on the structural (C, prM, E) and non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B and NS5) of dengue virus as well as host factors as drug targets. Hence, this article provides an overall up-to-date review of the discovery of dengue virus inhibitors that are only targeting the structural and non-structural viral proteins as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adib Afandi Abdullah
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yean Kee Lee
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sek Peng Chin
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - See Khai Lim
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vannajan Sanghiran Lee
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rozana Othman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shatrah Othman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Noorsaadah Abdul Rahman
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rohana Yusof
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Choon Han Heh
- Drug Design and Development Research Group (DDDRG), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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25
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Zika Virus Targeting by Screening Inhibitors against NS2B/NS3 Protease. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:3947245. [PMID: 31886207 PMCID: PMC6893251 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3947245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Zika flavivirus is suspected to cause Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults and microcephaly, along with other congenital abnormalities in infants. Presently, no vaccines or therapeutics are available. Here, we report novel compounds identified by high-throughput virtual screening of Maybridge chemical database and molecular docking studies. We selected viral enzyme NS2B/NS3 serine protease as the therapeutic target because of its important role in viral replication. We selected seven potential compounds as antiviral drug candidates because of their high GOLD fitness score, high AutoDock Vina score, or X-Score binding energy and analyzed the strength of molecular interactions between the active site amino acids and selected compounds. Our study also provides a foundation for similar studies for the search of novel therapeutics against Zika virus.
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Manjula S, Kumaradhas P. Evaluating the suitability of RNA intervention mechanism exerted by some flavonoid molecules against dengue virus MTase RNA capping site: a molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and binding free energy study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:3533-3543. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1666744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saravanan Manjula
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Poomani Kumaradhas
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
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27
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Peptide derivatives as inhibitors of NS2B-NS3 protease from Dengue, West Nile, and Zika flaviviruses. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:3963-3978. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Xu J, Xie X, Ye N, Zou J, Chen H, White MA, Shi PY, Zhou J. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Substituted 4,6-Dihydrospiro[[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5- b]pyridine-7,3'-indoline]-2',5(3 H)-dione Analogues as Potent NS4B Inhibitors for the Treatment of Dengue Virus Infection. J Med Chem 2019; 62:7941-7960. [PMID: 31403780 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A series of substituted 4,6-dihydrospiro[[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-b]pyridine-7,3'-indoline]-2',5(3H)-dione analogues were synthesized and evaluated as potent dengue virus inhibitors. Throughout a structure-activity relationship exploration on the amide of the indolone moiety, a wide range of substitutions were found to be well tolerated for chemical optimization at this position. Among these compounds, 15 (JMX0254) displayed the most potent and broad inhibitory activities, effective against DENV-1 to -3 with EC50 values of 0.78, 0.16, and 0.035 μM, respectively, while compounds 16, 21, 27-29, 47, and 70 exhibited relatively moderate to high activities with low micromolar to nanomolar potency against all four serotypes. The biotinylated compound 73 enriched NS4B protein from cell lysates in pull-down studies, and the findings together with the mutation investigations further validated dengue NS4B protein as the target of this class of compounds. More importantly, compound 15 exhibited good in vivo pharmacokinetic properties and efficacy in the A129 mouse model, indicating its therapeutic potential against the dengue virus infection as a drug candidate for further preclinical development.
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Huang C, Wang X, Huang S, Ou L, Dai J, Wang K. Evasion strategies of Zika virus antagonizing host innate immunity. Future Virol 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2019-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus is a small enveloped positive-strand RNA virus, which belongs to the Flaviviridae family. The RNA genome of all flaviviruses encodes three structural and seven nonstructural genes, together with 5′- and 3′-untranslated region genes flanking. Accompanying the explosive nature of the Zika outbreak in 2014, there was a devastating congenital neurodevelopmental disease in fetuses. Apart from viral RNA replication, polyprotein cleavage, Zika virus nonstructural proteins also play vital roles in the host's innate immune evasion. In this brief report, we summarize the evasion mechanisms of the viral nonstructural proteins antagonizing host antiviral innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxiao Huang
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Xiujuan Wang
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Shuyi Huang
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Linlin Ou
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Jianfeng Dai
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Kezhen Wang
- Institutes of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
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Dowd KA, Pierson TC. The Many Faces of a Dynamic Virion: Implications of Viral Breathing on Flavivirus Biology and Immunogenicity. Annu Rev Virol 2019; 5:185-207. [PMID: 30265634 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-092917-043300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are arthropod-borne RNA viruses that are a significant threat to global health due to their widespread distribution, ability to cause severe disease in humans, and capacity for explosive spread following introduction into new regions. Members of this genus include dengue, tick-borne encephalitis, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. Vaccination has been a highly successful means to control flaviviruses, and neutralizing antibodies are an important component of a protective immune response. High-resolution structures of flavivirus structural proteins and virions, alone and in complex with antibodies, provide a detailed understanding of viral fusion mechanisms and virus-antibody interactions. However, mounting evidence suggests these structures provide only a snapshot of an otherwise structurally dynamic virus particle. The contribution of the structural ensemble arising from viral breathing to the biology, antigenicity, and immunity of flaviviruses is discussed, including implications for the development and evaluation of flavivirus vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Dowd
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA; ,
| | - Theodore C Pierson
- Viral Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA; ,
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Dighe SN, Ekwudu O, Dua K, Chellappan DK, Katavic PL, Collet TA. Recent update on anti-dengue drug discovery. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 176:431-455. [PMID: 31128447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Dengue is the most important arthropod-borne viral disease of humans, with more than half of the global population living in at-risk areas. Despite the negative impact on public health, there are no antiviral therapies available, and the only licensed vaccine, Dengvaxia®, has been contraindicated in children below nine years of age. In an effort to combat dengue, several small molecules have entered into human clinical trials. Here, we review anti-DENV molecules and their drug targets that have been published within the past five years (2014-2018). Further, we discuss their probable mechanisms of action and describe a role for classes of clinically approved drugs and also an unclassified class of anti-DENV agents. This review aims to enhance our understanding of novel agents and their cognate targets in furthering innovations in the use of small molecules for dengue drug therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish N Dighe
- Innovative Medicines Group, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - O'mezie Ekwudu
- Innovative Medicines Group, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Dinesh Kumar Chellappan
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University (IMU), Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
| | - Peter L Katavic
- Innovative Medicines Group, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Trudi A Collet
- Innovative Medicines Group, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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32
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Riccio F, Talapatra SK, Oxenford S, Angell R, Mazzon M, Kozielski F. Development and validation of RdRp Screen, a crystallization screen for viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Biol Open 2019; 8:8/1/bio037663. [PMID: 30602529 PMCID: PMC6361211 DOI: 10.1242/bio.037663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Flaviviridae family constitute a severe risk to human health. Whilst effective drugs have been developed against the hepacivirus HCV, no antiviral therapy is currently available for any other viruses, including the flaviviruses dengue (DENV), West Nile and Zika viruses. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is responsible for viral replication and represents an excellent therapeutic target with no homologue found in mammals. The identification of compounds targeting the RdRp of other flaviviruses is an active area of research. One of the main factors hampering further developments in the field is the difficulty in obtaining high-quality crystal information that could aid a structure-based drug discovery approach. To address this, we have developed a convenient and economical 96-well screening platform. We validated the screen by successfully obtaining crystals of both native DENV serotype 2 and 3 RdRps under several conditions included in the screen. In addition, we have obtained crystal structures of RdRp3 in complex with a previously identified fragment using both soaking and co-crystallization techniques. This work will streamline and accelerate the generation of crystal structures of viral RdRps and provide the community with a valuable tool to aid the development of structure-based antiviral design. Summary: We have developed a 96-well crystallization screen for viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps). The screen provides a convenient platform for streamlining the crystallisation of RdRps and implementing structure-based drug discovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Riccio
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Sandeep K Talapatra
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Sally Oxenford
- Translational Research Office, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Angell
- Translational Research Office, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Michela Mazzon
- UCL MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Kozielski
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
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Phoo WW, Zhang Z, Wirawan M, Chew EJC, Chew ABL, Kouretova J, Steinmetzer T, Luo D. Structures of Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease in complex with peptidomimetic inhibitors. Antiviral Res 2018; 160:17-24. [PMID: 30315877 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease plays an essential role in viral replication by processing the viral polyprotein into individual proteins. The viral protease is therefore considered as an ideal antiviral drug target. To facilitate the development of protease inhibitors, we report three high-resolution co-crystal structures of bZiPro with peptidomimetic inhibitors composed of a P1-P4 segment and different P1' residues. Compounds 1 and 2 possess small P1' groups that are split off by bZiPro, which could be detected by mass spectrometry. On the other hand, the more potent compound 3 contains a bulky P1' benzylamide structure that is resistant to cleavage by bZiPro, demonstrating that presence of an uncleavable C-terminal cap contributes to a slightly improved inhibitory potency. The N-terminal phenylacetyl residue occupies a position above the P1 side chain and therefore stabilizes a horseshoe-like backbone conformation of the bound inhibitors. The P4 moieties show unique intra- and intermolecular interactions. Our work reports the detailed binding mode interactions of substrate-analogue inhibitors within the S4-S1' pockets and explains the preference of bZiPro for basic P1-P3 residues. These new structures of protease-inhibitor complexes will guide the design of more effective NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors with improved potency and bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wint Wint Phoo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Melissa Wirawan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Edwin Jun Chen Chew
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Alvin Bing Liang Chew
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Health Technologies, Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, RTP 02-07, 50 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637553, Singapore
| | - Jenny Kouretova
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, Marburg 35032, Germany
| | - Torsten Steinmetzer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, Marburg 35032, Germany.
| | - Dahai Luo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore.
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34
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Structurally- and dynamically-driven allostery of the chymotrypsin-like proteases of SARS, Dengue and Zika viruses. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 143:52-66. [PMID: 30217495 PMCID: PMC7111307 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus 3C-like and Flavivirus NS2B-NS3 proteases utilize the chymotrypsin fold to harbor their catalytic machineries but also contain additional domains/co-factors. Over the past decade, we aimed to decipher how the extra domains/co-factors mediate the catalytic machineries of SARS 3C-like, Dengue and Zika NS2B-NS3 proteases by characterizing their folding, structures, dynamics and inhibition with NMR, X-ray crystallography and MD simulations, and the results revealed: 1) the chymotrypsin fold of the SARS 3C-like protease can independently fold, while, by contrast, those of Dengue and Zika proteases lack the intrinsic capacity to fold without co-factors. 2) Mutations on the extra domain of SARS 3C-like protease can transform the active catalytic machinery into the inactive collapsed state by structurally-driven allostery. 3) Amazingly, even without detectable structural changes, mutations on the extra domain are sufficient to either inactivate or enhance the catalytic machinery of SARS 3C-like protease by dynamically-driven allostery. 4) Global networks of correlated motions have been identified: for SARS 3C-like protease, N214A inactivates the catalytic machinery by decoupling the network, while STI/A and STIF/A enhance by altering the patterns of the network. The global networks of Dengue and Zika proteases are coordinated by their NS2B-cofactors. 5) Natural products were identified to allosterically inhibit Zika and Dengue proteases through binding a pocket on the back of the active site. Therefore, by introducing extra domains/cofactors, nature develops diverse strategies to regulate the catalytic machinery embedded on the chymotrypsin fold through folding, structurally- and dynamically-driven allostery, all of which might be exploited to develop antiviral drugs.
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Gopala Reddy SB, Chin WX, Shivananju NS. Dengue virus NS2 and NS4: Minor proteins, mammoth roles. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 154:54-63. [PMID: 29674002 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the ever-increasing global incidence of dengue fever, there are no specific chemotherapy regimens for its treatment. Structural studies on dengue virus (DENV) proteins have revealed potential drug targets. Major DENV proteins such as the envelope protein and non-structural (NS) proteins 3 and 5 have been extensively investigated in antiviral studies, but with limited success in vitro. However, the minor NS proteins NS2 and NS4 have remained relatively underreported. Emerging evidence indicating their indispensable roles in virus propagation and host immunomodulation should encourage us to target these proteins for drug discovery. This review covers current knowledge on DENV NS2 and NS4 proteins from structural and functional perspectives and assesses their potential as targets for antiviral design. Antiviral targets in NS2A include surface-exposed transmembrane regions involved in pathogenesis, while those in NS2B include protease-binding sites in a conserved hydrophilic domain. Ideal drug targets in NS4A include helix α4 and the PEPEKQR sequence, which are essential for NS4A-2K cleavage and NS4A-NS4B association, respectively. In NS4B, the cytoplasmic loop connecting helices α5 and α7 is an attractive target for antiviral design owing to its role in dimerization and NS4B-NS3 interaction. Findings implicating NS2A, NS2B, and NS4A in membrane-modulation and viroporin-like activities indicate an opportunity to target these proteins by disrupting their association with membrane lipids. Despite the lack of 3D structural data, recent topological findings and progress in structure-prediction methods should be sufficient impetus for targeting NS2 and NS4 for drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindhoora Bhargavi Gopala Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, JSS TEI Campus, Mysuru 57006, Karnataka, India
| | - Wei-Xin Chin
- Laboratory of Molecular RNA Virology and Antiviral Strategies, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Nanjunda Swamy Shivananju
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, JSS TEI Campus, Mysuru 57006, Karnataka, India.
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36
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Structural Insights into the Inhibition of Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease by a Small-Molecule Inhibitor. Structure 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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37
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The antimicrobial peptide HS-1 inhibits dengue virus infection. Virology 2017; 514:79-87. [PMID: 29153860 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family. Studies reveal that peptides secreted by amphibians have many functions, such as antiviral and antimicrobial activities. As there is no antiviral drug effective against the DENV, the antiviral activity of a synthetic peptide called HS-1, derived from the secretion of the anuran Hypsiboas semilineatus, has been evaluated. The assays of neutralization in the Vero cells show a complete inhibition of infection of the serotypes 2 and 3. Furthermore, the direct action of peptides on the viral particle can be observed through atomic force microscopy. In vivo tests display 80% protection against the dengue-2 virus due to the presence of HS-1, which reveals its potential as an antiviral against the DENV.
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38
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Brand C, Bisaillon M, Geiss BJ. Organization of the Flavivirus RNA replicase complex. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2017; 8. [PMID: 28815931 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses, such as dengue, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, yellow fever, and Zika viruses, are serious human pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality globally each year. Flaviviruses are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses, and encode two multidomain proteins, NS3 and NS5, that possess all enzymatic activities required for genome replication and capping. NS3 and NS5 interact within virus-induced replication compartments to form the RNA genome replicase complex. Although the individual enzymatic activities of both proteins have been extensively studied and are well characterized, there are still gaps in our understanding of how they interact to efficiently coordinate their respective activities during positive-strand RNA synthesis and capping. Here, we discuss what is known about the structures and functions of the NS3 and NS5 proteins and propose a preliminary NS3:NS5:RNA interaction model based on a large body of literature about how the viral enzymes function, physical restraints between NS3 and NS5, as well as critical steps in the replication process. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1437. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1437 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Brand
- Département de Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Bisaillon
- Département de Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Brian J Geiss
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Luo PH, Zhang XR, Huang L, Yuan L, Zhou XZ, Gao X, Li LS. 3D-QSAR pharmacophore-based virtual screening, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation toward identifying lead compounds for NS2B–NS3 protease inhibitors. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2017; 37:481-492. [DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2017.1358283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pei H. Luo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuan R. Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lan Huang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lun Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xang Z. Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - X. Gao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling S. Li
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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40
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Powers CN, Setzer WN. An In-Silico Investigation of Phytochemicals as Antiviral Agents Against Dengue Fever. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2017; 19:516-36. [PMID: 27151482 PMCID: PMC5411999 DOI: 10.2174/1386207319666160506123715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2016] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A virtual screening analysis of our library of phytochemical structures with dengue virus protein targets has been carried out using a molecular docking approach. A total of 2194 plant-derived secondary metabolites have been docked. This molecule set comprised of 290 alkaloids (68 indole alkaloids, 153 isoquinoline alkaloids, 5 quinoline alkaloids, 13 piperidine alkaloids, 14 steroidal alkaloids, and 37 miscellaneous alkaloids), 678 terpenoids (47 monoterpenoids, 169 sesquiterpenoids, 265 diterpenoids, 81 steroids, and 96 triterpenoids), 20 aurones, 81 chalcones, 349 flavonoids, 120 isoflavonoids, 74 lignans, 58 stilbenoids, 169 miscellaneous polyphenolic compounds, 100 coumarins, 28 xanthones, 67 quinones, and 160 miscellaneous phytochemicals. Dengue virus protein targets examined included dengue virus protease (NS2B-NS3pro), helicase (NS3 helicase), methyltransferase (MTase), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and the dengue virus envelope protein. Polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, chalcones, and other phenolics were the most numerous of the strongly docking ligands for dengue virus protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William N Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
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41
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Roy A, Lim L, Srivastava S, Lu Y, Song J. Solution conformations of Zika NS2B-NS3pro and its inhibition by natural products from edible plants. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180632. [PMID: 28700665 PMCID: PMC5503262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent Zika viral (ZIKV) epidemic has been associated with severe neurological pathologies such as neonatal microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome but unfortunately no vaccine or medication is effectively available yet. Zika NS2B-NS3pro is essential for the proteolysis of the viral polyprotein and thereby viral replication. Thus NS2B-NS3pro represents an attractive target for anti-Zika drug discovery/design. Here, we have characterized the solution conformations and catalytic parameters of both linked and unlinked Zika NS2B-NS3pro complexes and found that the unlinked complex manifested well-dispersed NMR spectra. Subsequently with selective isotope-labeling using NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrated that C-terminal residues (R73-K100) of NS2B is highly disordered without any stable tertiary and secondary structures in the Zika NS2B-NS3pro complex in the free state. Upon binding to the well-characterized serine protease inhibitor, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), only the extreme C-terminal residues (L86-K100) remain disordered. Additionally, we have identified five flavonoids and one natural phenol rich in edible plants including fruits and vegetables, which inhibit Zika NS2B-NS3pro in a non-competitive mode, with Ki ranging from 770 nM for Myricetin to 34.02 μM for Apigenin. Molecular docking showed that they all bind to a pocket on the back of the active site and their structure-activity relationship was elucidated. Our study provides valuable insights into the solution conformation of Zika NS2B-NS3pro and further deciphers its susceptibility towards allosteric inhibition by natural products. As these natural product inhibitors fundamentally differ from the currently-known active site inhibitors in terms of both inhibitory mode and chemical scaffold, our finding might open a new avenue for development of better allosteric inhibitors to fight ZIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Liangzhong Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shagun Srivastava
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yimei Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianxing Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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A conformational switch high-throughput screening assay and allosteric inhibition of the flavivirus NS2B-NS3 protease. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006411. [PMID: 28542603 PMCID: PMC5462475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The flavivirus genome encodes a single polyprotein precursor requiring multiple cleavages by host and viral proteases in order to produce the individual proteins that constitute an infectious virion. Previous studies have revealed that the NS2B cofactor of the viral NS2B-NS3 heterocomplex protease displays a conformational dynamic between active and inactive states. Here, we developed a conformational switch assay based on split luciferase complementation (SLC) to monitor the conformational change of NS2B and to characterize candidate allosteric inhibitors. Binding of an active-site inhibitor to the protease resulted in a conformational change of NS2B and led to significant SLC enhancement. Mutagenesis of key residues at an allosteric site abolished this induced conformational change and SLC enhancement. We also performed a virtual screen of NCI library compounds to identify allosteric inhibitors, followed by in vitro biochemical screening of the resultant candidates. Only three of these compounds, NSC135618, 260594, and 146771, significantly inhibited the protease of Dengue virus 2 (DENV2) in vitro, with IC50 values of 1.8 μM, 11.4 μM, and 4.8 μM, respectively. Among the three compounds, only NSC135618 significantly suppressed the SLC enhancement triggered by binding of active-site inhibitor in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that it inhibits the conformational change of NS2B. Results from virus titer reduction assays revealed that NSC135618 is a broad spectrum flavivirus protease inhibitor, and can significantly reduce titers of DENV2, Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Yellow fever virus (YFV) on A549 cells in vivo, with EC50 values in low micromolar range. In contrast, the cytotoxicity of NSC135618 is only moderate with CC50 of 48.8 μM on A549 cells. Moreover, NSC135618 inhibited ZIKV in human placental and neural progenitor cells relevant to ZIKV pathogenesis. Results from binding, kinetics, Western blot, mass spectrometry and mutagenesis experiments unambiguously demonstrated an allosteric mechanism for inhibition of the viral protease by NSC135618.
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Low JGH, Ooi EE, Vasudevan SG. Current Status of Dengue Therapeutics Research and Development. J Infect Dis 2017; 215:S96-S102. [PMID: 28403438 PMCID: PMC5388029 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a significant global health problem. Even though a vaccine against dengue is now available, which is a notable achievement, its long-term protective efficacy against each of the 4 dengue virus serotypes remains to be definitively determined. Consequently, drugs directed at the viral targets or critical host mechanisms that can be used safely as prophylaxis or treatment to effectively ameliorate disease or reduce disease severity and fatalities are still needed to reduce the burden of dengue. This review will provide a brief account of the status of therapeutics research and development for dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny G H Low
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital
| | - Eng Eong Ooi
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore.,Singapore MIT Alliance in Research and Technology Infectious Diseases Interdisciplinary Research Group
| | - Subhash G Vasudevan
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore
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44
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Lai JH, Lin YL, Hsieh SL. Pharmacological intervention for dengue virus infection. Biochem Pharmacol 2017; 129:14-25. [PMID: 28104437 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) infection has a considerable health impact in tropical and subtropical countries worldwide. Escalation of infection rates greatly increases morbidity and mortality, most commonly from deaths due to dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Although the development of an effective, long-lasting vaccine has been a major aim for control and prevention of DENV infection, the currently licensed vaccine has limitations and is less than satisfactory. Thus, there remains an important need to identify effective and tolerable medications for treatment of DENV-infected patients both in the early phase, to prevent progression to fatal outcomes, and to minimize deaths after patients develop severe complications. This review will address several specific points, including (1) approaches to identify anti-DENV medications, (2) recent advances in the development of potential compounds targeting DENV infection, (3) experience with clinical trials of regimens for DENV infection, (4) some available medications of potential for clinical trials against DENV infection, (5) reasons for unsuccessful outcomes and challenges of anti-DENV treatments, and (6) directions for developing or selecting better anti-DENV strategies. This review provides useful guidance for clinicians selecting drugs for DENV-infected patients with severe manifestations or potential fatal disease progression, and for basic researchers seeking to develop effective anti-DENV regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenn-Haung Lai
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, ROC; Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Yi-Ling Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shie-Liang Hsieh
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC; Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC; Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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45
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Abstract
Viruses are major pathogenic agents that can cause a variety of diseases, such as AIDS, hepatitis, respiratory diseases, and many more, in humans, plants, and animals. The most prominent of them have been adenoviruses, alphaviruses, flaviviruses, hepatitis C virus, herpesviruses, human immunodeficiency virus of type 1, and picornaviruses. This chapter presents an introductory remark on such viruses, mechanisms of their invasion, and diseases related to them. The inhibition of these viruses is of great concern to human beings. Each of these viruses encodes one or more proteases that play crucial roles in their replication, and thus they are important targets for the design and development of potent antiviral agents. The chapter, therefore, also introduces the readers to such proteases and their structures and functions. This chapter is thus a prelude to the remaining chapters in the book, which present in detail about the different viruses and their proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Sharma
- Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Satya P. Gupta
- National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
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46
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Lee H, Ren J, Nocadello S, Rice AJ, Ojeda I, Light S, Minasov G, Vargas J, Nagarathnam D, Anderson WF, Johnson ME. Identification of novel small molecule inhibitors against NS2B/NS3 serine protease from Zika virus. Antiviral Res 2016; 139:49-58. [PMID: 28034741 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Zika flavivirus infection during pregnancy appears to produce higher risk of microcephaly, and also causes multiple neurological problems such as Guillain-Barré syndrome. The Zika virus is now widespread in Central and South America, and is anticipated to become an increasing risk in the southern United States. With continuing global travel and the spread of the mosquito vector, the exposure is expected to accelerate, but there are no currently approved treatments against the Zika virus. The Zika NS2B/NS3 protease is an attractive drug target due to its essential role in viral replication. Our studies have identified several compounds with inhibitory activity (IC50) and binding affinity (KD) of ∼5-10 μM against the Zika NS2B-NS3 protease from testing 71 HCV NS3/NS4A inhibitors that were initially discovered by high-throughput screening of 40,967 compounds. Competition surface plasmon resonance studies and mechanism of inhibition analyses by enzyme kinetics subsequently determined the best compound to be a competitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 9.5 μM. We also determined the X-ray structure of the Zika NS2B-NS3 protease in a "pre-open conformation", a conformation never observed before for any flavivirus proteases. This provides the foundation for new structure-based inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Lee
- Novalex Therapeutics, Inc., 2242 W Harrison Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Jinhong Ren
- Center for Biomolecular Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland, IL 60607, USA
| | - Salvatore Nocadello
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Amy J Rice
- Center for Biomolecular Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland, IL 60607, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, IL 60612, USA
| | - Isabel Ojeda
- Center for Biomolecular Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland, IL 60607, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, IL 60612, USA
| | - Samuel Light
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - George Minasov
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jason Vargas
- Center for Biomolecular Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland, IL 60607, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, IL 60612, USA
| | | | - Wayne F Anderson
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID), Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Michael E Johnson
- Novalex Therapeutics, Inc., 2242 W Harrison Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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Guo F, Wu S, Julander J, Ma J, Zhang X, Kulp J, Cuconati A, Block TM, Du Y, Guo JT, Chang J. A Novel Benzodiazepine Compound Inhibits Yellow Fever Virus Infection by Specifically Targeting NS4B Protein. J Virol 2016; 90:10774-10788. [PMID: 27654301 PMCID: PMC5110185 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01253-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although a highly effective vaccine is available, the number of yellow fever cases has increased over the past 2 decades, which highlights the pressing need for antiviral therapeutics. In a high-throughput screening campaign, we identified an acetic acid benzodiazepine (BDAA) compound which potently inhibits yellow fever virus (YFV). Interestingly, while treatment of YFV-infected cultures with 2 μM BDAA reduced the virion production by greater than 2 logs, the compound was not active against 21 other viruses from 14 different viral families. Selection and genetic analysis of drug-resistant viruses revealed that replacement of the proline at amino acid 219 (P219) of the nonstructural protein 4B (NS4B) with serine, threonine, or alanine conferred YFV with resistance to BDAA without apparent loss of replication fitness in cultured mammalian cells. However, replacement of P219 with glycine conferred BDAA resistance with significant loss of replication ability. Bioinformatics analysis predicts that the P219 amino acid is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum lumen side of the fifth putative transmembrane domain of NS4B, and the mutation may render the viral protein incapable of interacting with BDAA. Our studies thus revealed an important role and the structural basis for the NS4B protein in supporting YFV replication. Moreover, in YFV-infected hamsters, oral administration of BDAA protected 90% of the animals from death, significantly reduced viral load by greater than 2 logs, and attenuated virus infection-induced liver injury and body weight loss. The encouraging preclinical results thus warrant further development of BDAA or its derivatives as antiviral agents to treat yellow fever. IMPORTANCE Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease which threatens approximately 1 billion people living in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America. Although a highly effective yellow fever vaccine has been available for more than 7 decades, the low vaccination rate fails to prevent outbreaks in at-risk regions. It has been estimated that up to 1.7 million YFV infections occur in Africa each year, resulting in 29,000 to 60,000 deaths. Thus far, there is no specific antiviral treatment for yellow fever. To cope with this medical challenge, we identified a benzodiazepine compound that selectively inhibits YFV by targeting the viral NS4B protein. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating in vivo safety and antiviral efficacy of a YFV NS4B inhibitor in an animal model. We have thus reached a critical milestone toward the development of specific antiviral therapeutics for clinical management of yellow fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shuo Wu
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Justin Julander
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Julia Ma
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xuexiang Zhang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John Kulp
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrea Cuconati
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Timothy M Block
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yanming Du
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ju-Tao Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jinhong Chang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
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48
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Byler KG, Ogungbe IV, Setzer WN. In-silico screening for anti-Zika virus phytochemicals. J Mol Graph Model 2016; 69:78-91. [PMID: 27588363 PMCID: PMC7185537 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus that has infected hundreds of thousands of people and is a rapidly expanding epidemic across Central and South America. ZIKV infection has caused serious, albeit rare, complications including Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital microcephaly. There are currently no vaccines or antiviral agents to treat or prevent ZIKV infection, but there are several ZIKV non-structural proteins that may serve as promising antiviral drug targets. In this work, we have carried out an in-silico search for potential anti-Zika viral agents from natural sources. We have generated ZIKV protease, methyltransferase, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase using homology modeling techniques and we have carried out molecular docking analyses of our in-house virtual library of phytochemicals with these protein targets as well as with ZIKV helicase. Overall, 2263 plant-derived secondary metabolites have been docked. Of these, 43 compounds that have drug-like properties have exhibited remarkable docking profiles to one or more of the ZIKV protein targets, and several of these are found in relatively common herbal medicines, suggesting promise for natural and inexpensive antiviral therapy for this emerging tropical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall G Byler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA
| | - Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, 39217, USA
| | - William N Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA.
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49
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Tseng CK, Lin CK, Wu YH, Chen YH, Chen WC, Young KC, Lee JC. Human heme oxygenase 1 is a potential host cell factor against dengue virus replication. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32176. [PMID: 27553177 PMCID: PMC4995454 DOI: 10.1038/srep32176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) infection and replication induces oxidative stress, which further contributes to the progression and pathogenesis of the DENV infection. Modulation of host antioxidant molecules may be a useful strategy for interfering with DENV replication. In this study, we showed that induction or exogenous overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an antioxidant enzyme, effectively inhibited DENV replication in DENV-infected Huh-7 cells. This antiviral effect of HO-1 was attenuated by its inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), suggesting that HO-1 was an important cellular factor against DENV replication. Biliverdin but not carbon monoxide and ferrous ions, which are products of the HO-1 on heme, mediated the HO-1-induced anti-DENV effect by non-competitively inhibiting DENV protease, with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 8.55 ± 0.38 μM. Moreover, HO-1 induction or its exogenous overexpression, rescued DENV-suppressed antiviral interferon response. Moreover, we showed that HO-1 induction by cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) and andrographolide, a natural product, as evidenced by a significant delay in the onset of disease and mortality, and virus load in the infected mice’s brains. These findings clearly revealed that a drug or therapy that induced the HO-1 signal pathway was a promising strategy for treating DENV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Kai Tseng
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Kuang Lin
- Doctoral Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, College of Marine Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsuan Wu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hsu Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Medicine, Sepsis Research Center, Center for Dengue Fever Control and Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, HsinChu, Taiwan.,Center for Dengue Fever Control and Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chun Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kung-Chia Young
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jin-Ching Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Research Center for Natural Products and Drug Development, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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50
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Lim SP, Noble CG, Seh CC, Soh TS, El Sahili A, Chan GKY, Lescar J, Arora R, Benson T, Nilar S, Manjunatha U, Wan KF, Dong H, Xie X, Shi PY, Yokokawa F. Potent Allosteric Dengue Virus NS5 Polymerase Inhibitors: Mechanism of Action and Resistance Profiling. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005737. [PMID: 27500641 PMCID: PMC4976923 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses comprise major emerging pathogens such as dengue virus (DENV) or Zika virus (ZIKV). The flavivirus RNA genome is replicated by the RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain of non-structural protein 5 (NS5). This essential enzymatic activity renders the RdRp attractive for antiviral therapy. NS5 synthesizes viral RNA via a “de novo” initiation mechanism. Crystal structures of the flavivirus RdRp revealed a “closed” conformation reminiscent of a pre-initiation state, with a well ordered priming loop that extrudes from the thumb subdomain into the dsRNA exit tunnel, close to the “GDD” active site. To-date, no allosteric pockets have been identified for the RdRp, and compound screening campaigns did not yield suitable drug candidates. Using fragment-based screening via X-ray crystallography, we found a fragment that bound to a pocket of the apo-DENV RdRp close to its active site (termed “N pocket”). Structure-guided improvements yielded DENV pan-serotype inhibitors of the RdRp de novo initiation activity with nano-molar potency that also impeded elongation activity at micro-molar concentrations. Inhibitors exhibited mixed inhibition kinetics with respect to competition with the RNA or GTP substrate. The best compounds have EC50 values of 1–2 μM against all four DENV serotypes in cell culture assays. Genome-sequencing of compound-resistant DENV replicons, identified amino acid changes that mapped to the N pocket. Since inhibitors bind at the thumb/palm interface of the RdRp, this class of compounds is proposed to hinder RdRp conformational changes during its transition from initiation to elongation. This is the first report of a class of pan-serotype and cell-active DENV RdRp inhibitors. Given the evolutionary conservation of residues lining the N pocket, these molecules offer insights to treat other serious conditions caused by flaviviruses. Dengue virus (DENV) is the world’s most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease and nearly 40% of the world’s population is at risk of infection. Currently, no specific drugs are available to treat dengue or other flaviviral diseases. DENV NS5 is a large protein of 900 amino acids composed of two domains with key enzymatic activities for viral RNA replication in the host cell and constitutes a prime target for the design of anti-viral inhibitors. We performed a fragment-based screening by X-ray crystallography targeting the DENV NS5 polymerase and identified an allosteric binding pocket at the base of the thumb subdomain close to the enzyme active site. Potent inhibitors active in both DENV polymerase biochemical and cell-based assays were developed through structure-guided design. Resistant virus replicons grown in the presence of the inhibitor, harbored amino acid changes that mapped to the compound binding site. The proposed mode of action for this class of inhibitors is by impeding RdRp protein conformational changes during the transition from initiation to elongation phase of enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tingjin Sherryl Soh
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Abbas El Sahili
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | | | - Julien Lescar
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.,UPMC UMRS CR7-CNRS ERL 8255-INSERM U1135 Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Faculté de Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Rishi Arora
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Timothy Benson
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Shahul Nilar
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore
| | | | - Kah Fei Wan
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore
| | | | - Xuping Xie
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore
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