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Li LH, Chiu W, Huang YA, Rasulova M, Vercruysse T, Thibaut HJ, Ter Horst S, Rocha-Pereira J, Vanhoof G, Borrenberghs D, Goethals O, Kaptein SJF, Leyssen P, Neyts J, Dallmeier K. Multiplexed multicolor antiviral assay amenable for high-throughput research. Nat Commun 2024; 15:42. [PMID: 38168091 PMCID: PMC10761739 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44339-z] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
To curb viral epidemics and pandemics, antiviral drugs are needed with activity against entire genera or families of viruses. Here, we develop a cell-based multiplex antiviral assay for high-throughput screening against multiple viruses at once, as demonstrated by using three distantly related orthoflaviviruses: dengue, Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever virus. Each virus is tagged with a distinct fluorescent protein, enabling individual monitoring in cell culture through high-content imaging. Specific antisera and small-molecule inhibitors are employed to validate that multiplexing approach yields comparable inhibition profiles to single-virus infection assays. To facilitate downstream analysis, a kernel is developed to deconvolute and reduce the multidimensional quantitative data to three cartesian coordinates. The methodology is applicable to viruses from different families as exemplified by co-infections with chikungunya, parainfluenza and Bunyamwera viruses. The multiplex approach is expected to facilitate the discovery of broader-spectrum antivirals, as shown in a pilot screen of approximately 1200 drug-like small-molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Hsin Li
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
- Molecular Vaccinology and Vaccine Discovery group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Winston Chiu
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yun-An Huang
- KU Leuven Department of Neuroscience, Research Group Neurophysiology, Laboratory for Circuit Neuroscience, Leuven, Belgium
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Madina Rasulova
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy (TPVC), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Vercruysse
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy (TPVC), Leuven, Belgium
- AstriVax, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Jan Thibaut
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy (TPVC), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Ter Horst
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
- Cerba Research, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joana Rocha-Pereira
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greet Vanhoof
- Janssen Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Olivia Goethals
- Janssen Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Suzanne J F Kaptein
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Leyssen
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kai Dallmeier
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium.
- Molecular Vaccinology and Vaccine Discovery group, Leuven, Belgium.
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2
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Targeting the Virus Capsid as a Tool to Fight RNA Viruses. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020174. [PMID: 35215767 PMCID: PMC8879806 DOI: 10.3390/v14020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Several strategies have been developed to fight viral infections, not only in humans but also in animals and plants. Some of them are based on the development of efficient vaccines, to target the virus by developed antibodies, others focus on finding antiviral compounds with activities that inhibit selected virus replication steps. Currently, there is an increasing number of antiviral drugs on the market; however, some have unpleasant side effects, are toxic to cells, or the viruses quickly develop resistance to them. As the current situation shows, the combination of multiple antiviral strategies or the combination of the use of various compounds within one strategy is very important. The most desirable are combinations of drugs that inhibit different steps in the virus life cycle. This is an important issue especially for RNA viruses, which replicate their genomes using error-prone RNA polymerases and rapidly develop mutants resistant to applied antiviral compounds. Here, we focus on compounds targeting viral structural capsid proteins, thereby inhibiting virus assembly or disassembly, virus binding to cellular receptors, or acting by inhibiting other virus replication mechanisms. This review is an update of existing papers on a similar topic, by focusing on the most recent advances in the rapidly evolving research of compounds targeting capsid proteins of RNA viruses.
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Abstract
Viral fusion glycoproteins catalyze membrane fusion during viral entry. Unlike most enzymes, however, they lack a conventional active site in which formation or scission of a specific covalent bond is catalyzed. Instead, they drive the membrane fusion reaction by cojoining highly regulated changes in conformation to membrane deformation. Despite the challenges in applying inhibitor design approaches to these proteins, recent advances in knowledge of the structures and mechanisms of viral fusogens have enabled the development of small-molecule inhibitors of both class I and class II viral fusion proteins. Here, we review well-validated inhibitors, including their discovery, targets, and mechanism(s) of action, while highlighting mechanistic similarities and differences. Together, these examples make a compelling case for small-molecule inhibitors as tools for probing the mechanisms of viral glycoprotein-mediated fusion and for viral glycoproteins as druggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Yuan Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Current affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94305, USA;
| | - Priscilla L Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Current affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94305, USA;
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4
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Rolt A, Talley DC, Park SB, Hu Z, Dulcey A, Ma C, Irvin P, Leek M, Wang AQ, Stachulski AV, Xu X, Southall N, Ferrer M, Liang TJ, Marugan JJ. Discovery and Optimization of a 4-Aminopiperidine Scaffold for Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus Assembly. J Med Chem 2021; 64:9431-9443. [PMID: 34184537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The majority of FDA-approved HCV therapeutics target the viral replicative machinery. An automated high-throughput phenotypic screen identified several small molecules as potent inhibitors of hepatitis C virus replication. Here, we disclose the discovery and optimization of a 4-aminopiperidine (4AP) scaffold targeting the assembly stages of the HCV life cycle. The original screening hit (1) demonstrates efficacy in the HCVcc assay but does not show potency prior to or during viral replication. Colocalization and infectivity studies indicate that the 4AP chemotype inhibits the assembly and release of infectious HCV. Compound 1 acts synergistically with FDA-approved direct-acting antiviral compounds Telaprevir and Daclatasvir, as well as broad spectrum antivirals Ribavirin and cyclosporin A. Following an SAR campaign, several derivatives of the 4AP series have been identified with increased potency against HCV, reduced in vitro toxicity, as well as improved in vitro and in vivo ADME properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Rolt
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Daniel C Talley
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Seung Bum Park
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Zongyi Hu
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Andrés Dulcey
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Christopher Ma
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Parker Irvin
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Madeleine Leek
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Amy Q Wang
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Andrew V Stachulski
- The Robert Robinson Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Xin Xu
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Noel Southall
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Marc Ferrer
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - T Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Juan J Marugan
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
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5
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Park SB, Boyer A, Hu Z, Le D, Liang TJ. Discovery and characterization of a novel HCV inhibitor targeting the late stage of HCV life cycle. Antivir Ther 2020; 24:371-381. [PMID: 30880685 DOI: 10.3851/imp3303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently approved anti-HCV drugs, the direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), are highly effective and target the viral RNA replication stage of the HCV life cycle. Due to high mutation rate of HCV, drug resistant variants can arise during DAA monotherapy. Thus, a combination of DAAs is necessary to achieve a high response rate. Novel HCV inhibitors targeting the HCV late stage such as assembly and release may further improve combination therapy with the DAAs. Here we characterize one late stage-targeting candidate compound, 6-(4-chloro-3-methylphenoxy)-pyridin-3-amine (MLS000833705). METHODS We treated HCV-infected cells with MLS000833705 and other HCV inhibitors and examined HCV RNA and infectious titres. We evaluated the colocalization of HCV core and lipid droplets by confocal microscopy. We performed HCV core-proteinase K digestion assay and several lipid assays to study the mechanism of MLS000833705. RESULTS We showed that MLS000833705 decreased extracellular HCV RNA levels more than intracellular HCV RNA levels in HCV infectious cell culture. Similarly, MLS000833705 reduced infectious HCV titres substantially more in the culture supernatant than intracellularly. Confocal microscopy showed that MLS000833705 did not affect the colocalization of HCV core protein with cellular lipid droplets where HCV assembles. HCV core-proteinase K digestion assay showed that MLS000833705 inhibited the envelopment of HCV capsid. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that MLS000833705 is a late-stage HCV inhibitor targeting HCV morphogenesis and maturation. Therefore, MLS000833705 can be used as a molecular probe to study HCV maturation and secretion and possibly guide development of a new class of HCV antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Bum Park
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Audrey Boyer
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zongyi Hu
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Derek Le
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - T Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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6
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Rolt A, Le D, Hu Z, Wang AQ, Shah P, Singleton M, Hughes E, Dulcey AE, He S, Imamura M, Uchida T, Chayama K, Xu X, Marugan JJ, Liang TJ. Preclinical Pharmacological Development of Chlorcyclizine Derivatives for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection. J Infect Dis 2019; 217:1761-1769. [PMID: 29373739 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus that infects more than an estimated 70 million people worldwide. Untreated, persistent HCV infection often results in chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure, with progression to hepatocellular carcinoma. Current anti-HCV regimens comprising direct acting antivirals (DAAs) can provide curative treatment; however, due to high costs there remains a need for effective, shorter-duration, and affordable treatments. Recently, we disclosed anti-HCV activity of the cheap antihistamine chlorcyclizine, targeting viral entry. Following our hit-to-lead optimization campaign, we report evaluation of preclinical in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion properties, and in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles of lead compounds. This led to selection of a new lead compound and evaluation of efficacy in chimeric mice engrafted with primary human hepatocytes infected with HCV. Further development and incorporation of this compound into DAA regimens has the potential to improve treatment efficacy, affordability, and accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Rolt
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Derek Le
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zongyi Hu
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Amy Q Wang
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Pranav Shah
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Marc Singleton
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Emma Hughes
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Andrés E Dulcey
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Shanshan He
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michio Imamura
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
| | - Takuro Uchida
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Chayama
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
| | - Xin Xu
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Juan J Marugan
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovations, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - T Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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7
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Xia Y, Liang TJ. Development of Direct-acting Antiviral and Host-targeting Agents for Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:311-324. [PMID: 30243618 PMCID: PMC6340783 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects approximately 300 million people worldwide. Although antiviral therapies have improved the long-term outcomes, patients often require life-long treatment and there is no cure for HBV infection. New technologies can help us learn more about the pathogenesis of HBV infection and develop therapeutic agents to reduce its burden. We review recent advances in development of direct-acting antiviral and host-targeting agents, some of which have entered clinical trials. We also discuss strategies for unbiased high-throughput screens to identify compounds that inhibit HBV and for repurposing existing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Xia
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - T Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892.
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8
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Identification of Piperazinylbenzenesulfonamides as New Inhibitors of Claudin-1 Trafficking and Hepatitis C Virus Entry. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.01982-17. [PMID: 29491159 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01982-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes 500,000 deaths annually, in association with end-stage liver diseases. Investigations of the HCV life cycle have widened the knowledge of virology, and here we discovered that two piperazinylbenzenesulfonamides inhibit HCV entry into liver cells. The entry of HCV into host cells is a complex process that is not fully understood but is characterized by multiple spatially and temporally regulated steps involving several known host factors. Through a high-content virus infection screening analysis with a library of 1,120 biologically active chemical compounds, we identified SB258585, an antagonist of serotonin receptor 6 (5-HT6), as a new inhibitor of HCV entry in liver-derived cell lines as well as primary hepatocytes. A functional characterization suggested a role for this compound and the compound SB399885, which share similar structures, as inhibitors of a late HCV entry step, modulating the localization of the coreceptor tight junction protein claudin-1 (CLDN1) in a 5-HT6-independent manner. Both chemical compounds induced an intracellular accumulation of CLDN1, reflecting export impairment. This regulation correlated with the modulation of protein kinase A (PKA) activity. The PKA inhibitor H89 fully reproduced these phenotypes. Furthermore, PKA activation resulted in increased CLDN1 accumulation at the cell surface. Interestingly, an increase of CLDN1 recycling did not correlate with an increased interaction with CD81 or HCV entry. These findings reinforce the hypothesis of a common pathway, shared by several viruses, which involves G-protein-coupled receptor-dependent signaling in late steps of viral entry.IMPORTANCE The HCV entry process is highly complex, and important details of this structured event are poorly understood. By screening a library of biologically active chemical compounds, we identified two piperazinylbenzenesulfonamides as inhibitors of HCV entry. The mechanism of inhibition was not through the previously described activity of these inhibitors as antagonists of serotonin receptor 6 but instead through modulation of PKA activity in a 5-HT6-independent manner, as proven by the lack of 5-HT6 in the liver. We thus highlighted the involvement of the PKA pathway in modulating HCV entry at a postbinding step and in the recycling of the tight junction protein claudin-1 (CLDN1) toward the cell surface. Our work underscores once more the complexity of HCV entry steps and suggests a role for the PKA pathway as a regulator of CLDN1 recycling, with impacts on both cell biology and virology.
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9
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He S, Li K, Lin B, Hu Z, Xiao J, Hu X, Wang AQ, Xu X, Ferrer M, Southall N, Zheng W, Aubé J, Schoenen FJ, Marugan JJ, Liang TJ, Frankowski KJ. Development of an Aryloxazole Class of Hepatitis C Virus Inhibitors Targeting the Entry Stage of the Viral Replication Cycle. J Med Chem 2017. [PMID: 28636348 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Reliance on hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon systems and protein-based screening assays has led to treatments that target HCV viral replication proteins. The model does not encompass other viral replication cycle steps such as entry, processing, assembly and secretion, or viral host factors. We previously applied a phenotypic high-throughput screening platform based on an infectious HCV system and discovered an aryloxazole-based anti-HCV hit. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed several compounds exhibiting EC50 values below 100 nM. Lead compounds showed inhibition of the HCV pseudoparticle entry, suggesting a different mode of action from existing HCV drugs. Hit 7a and lead 7ii both showed synergistic effects in combination with existing HCV drugs. In vivo pharmacokinetics studies of 7ii showed high liver distribution and long half-life without obvious hepatotoxicity. The lead compounds are promising as preclinical candidates for the treatment of HCV infection and as molecular probes to study HCV pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan He
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health , 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1800, United States
| | - Kelin Li
- University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Billy Lin
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health , 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1800, United States
| | - Zongyi Hu
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health , 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1800, United States
| | - Jingbo Xiao
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Xin Hu
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Amy Q Wang
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Xin Xu
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Marc Ferrer
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Noel Southall
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Wei Zheng
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Frank J Schoenen
- University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
| | - Juan J Marugan
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health , 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - T Jake Liang
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health , 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1800, United States
| | - Kevin J Frankowski
- University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
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