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Chauhan N, Gaur KK, Asuru TR, Guchhait P. Dengue virus: pathogenesis and potential for small molecule inhibitors. Biosci Rep 2024; 44:BSR20240134. [PMID: 39051974 PMCID: PMC11327219 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20240134] [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: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Dengue, caused by dengue virus (DENV), is now endemic in nearly 100 countries and infection incidence is reported in another 30 countries. Yearly an estimated 400 million cases and 2200 deaths are reported. Effective vaccines against DENV are limited and there has been significant focus on the development of effective antiviral against the disease. The World Health Organization has initiated research programs to prioritize the development and optimization of antiviral agents against several viruses including Flaviviridae. A significant effort has been taken by the researchers to develop effective antivirals against DENV. Several potential small-molecule inhibitors like efavirenz, tipranavir and dasabuvir have been tested against envelope and non-structural proteins of DENV, and are in clinical trials around the world. We recently developed one small molecule, namely 7D, targeting the host PF4-CXCR3 axis. 7D inhibited all 4 serotypes of DENV in vitro and specifically DENV2 infection in two different mice models. Although the development of dengue vaccines remains a high priority, antibody cross reactivity among the serotypes and resulting antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection are major concerns that have limited the development of effective vaccine against DENV. Therefore, there has been a significant emphasis on the development of antiviral drugs against dengue. This review article describes the rescue effects of some of the small molecule inhibitors to viral/host factors associated with DENV pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Chauhan
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Kishan Kumar Gaur
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Tejeswara Rao Asuru
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Prasenjit Guchhait
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, National Capital Region Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
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2
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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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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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McCormack CP, Goethals O, Goeyvaerts N, Woot de Trixhe XD, Geluykens P, Borrenberghs D, Ferguson NM, Ackaert O, Dorigatti I. Modelling the impact of JNJ-1802, a first-in-class dengue inhibitor blocking the NS3-NS4B interaction, on in-vitro DENV-2 dynamics. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011662. [PMID: 38055683 PMCID: PMC10699615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a public health challenge across the tropics and subtropics. Currently, there is no licensed prophylactic or antiviral treatment for dengue. The novel DENV inhibitor JNJ-1802 can significantly reduce viral load in mice and non-human primates. Here, using a mechanistic viral kinetic model calibrated against viral RNA data from experimental in-vitro infection studies, we assess the in-vitro inhibitory effect of JNJ-1802 by characterising infection dynamics of two DENV-2 strains in the absence and presence of different JNJ-1802 concentrations. Viral RNA suppression to below the limit of detection was achieved at concentrations of >1.6 nM, with a median concentration exhibiting 50% of maximal inhibitory effect (IC50) of 1.23x10-02 nM and 1.28x10-02 nM for the DENV-2/RL and DENV-2/16681 strains, respectively. This work provides important insight into the in-vitro inhibitory effect of JNJ-1802 and presents a first step towards a modelling framework to support characterization of viral kinetics and drug effect across different host systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare P. McCormack
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia Goethals
- Janssen Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Nele Goeyvaerts
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Peggy Geluykens
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
- Discovery, Charles River Beerse, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Neil M. Ferguson
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Ackaert
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ilaria Dorigatti
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Lee MF, Wu YS, Poh CL. Molecular Mechanisms of Antiviral Agents against Dengue Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030705. [PMID: 36992414 PMCID: PMC10056858 DOI: 10.3390/v15030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a major global health threat causing 390 million dengue infections and 25,000 deaths annually. The lack of efficacy of the licensed Dengvaxia vaccine and the absence of a clinically approved antiviral against dengue virus (DENV) drive the urgent demand for the development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics. Various antiviral agents have been developed and investigated for their anti-DENV activities. This review discusses the mechanisms of action employed by various antiviral agents against DENV. The development of host-directed antivirals targeting host receptors and direct-acting antivirals targeting DENV structural and non-structural proteins are reviewed. In addition, the development of antivirals that target different stages during post-infection such as viral replication, viral maturation, and viral assembly are reviewed. Antiviral agents designed based on these molecular mechanisms of action could lead to the discovery and development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics for the treatment of dengue infections. Evaluations of combinations of antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action could also lead to the development of synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of dengue at any stage of the infection.
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Goethals O, Kaptein SJF, Kesteleyn B, Bonfanti JF, Van Wesenbeeck L, Bardiot D, Verschoor EJ, Verstrepen BE, Fagrouch Z, Putnak JR, Kiemel D, Ackaert O, Straetemans R, Lachau-Durand S, Geluykens P, Crabbe M, Thys K, Stoops B, Lenz O, Tambuyzer L, De Meyer S, Dallmeier K, McCracken MK, Gromowski GD, Rutvisuttinunt W, Jarman RG, Karasavvas N, Touret F, Querat G, de Lamballerie X, Chatel-Chaix L, Milligan GN, Beasley DWC, Bourne N, Barrett ADT, Marchand A, Jonckers THM, Raboisson P, Simmen K, Chaltin P, Bartenschlager R, Bogers WM, Neyts J, Van Loock M. Blocking NS3-NS4B interaction inhibits dengue virus in non-human primates. Nature 2023; 615:678-686. [PMID: 36922586 PMCID: PMC10033419 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05790-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Dengue is a major health threat and the number of symptomatic infections caused by the four dengue serotypes is estimated to be 96 million1 with annually around 10,000 deaths2. However, no antiviral drugs are available for the treatment or prophylaxis of dengue. We recently described the interaction between non-structural proteins NS3 and NS4B as a promising target for the development of pan-serotype dengue virus (DENV) inhibitors3. Here we present JNJ-1802-a highly potent DENV inhibitor that blocks the NS3-NS4B interaction within the viral replication complex. JNJ-1802 exerts picomolar to low nanomolar in vitro antiviral activity, a high barrier to resistance and potent in vivo efficacy in mice against infection with any of the four DENV serotypes. Finally, we demonstrate that the small-molecule inhibitor JNJ-1802 is highly effective against viral infection with DENV-1 or DENV-2 in non-human primates. JNJ-1802 has successfully completed a phase I first-in-human clinical study in healthy volunteers and was found to be safe and well tolerated4. These findings support the further clinical development of JNJ-1802, a first-in-class antiviral agent against dengue, which is now progressing in clinical studies for the prevention and treatment of dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Goethals
- Janssen Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Suzanne J F Kaptein
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Kesteleyn
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Jean-François Bonfanti
- Janssen Infectious Diseases Discovery, Janssen-Cilag, Val de Reuil, France
- Galapagos, Romainville, France
| | | | | | - Ernst J Verschoor
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Babs E Verstrepen
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Zahra Fagrouch
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - J Robert Putnak
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Dominik Kiemel
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Center for Integrative Infectious Diseases Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver Ackaert
- Janssen Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Roel Straetemans
- Statistics and Decision Sciences, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Peggy Geluykens
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
- Discovery, Charles River Beerse, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Marjolein Crabbe
- Statistics and Decision Sciences, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Kim Thys
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Bart Stoops
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Oliver Lenz
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Lotke Tambuyzer
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sandra De Meyer
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Kai Dallmeier
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michael K McCracken
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Gregory D Gromowski
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Wiriya Rutvisuttinunt
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Richard G Jarman
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Nicos Karasavvas
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Franck Touret
- Unité des Virus Émergents, Aix-Marseille Université-IRD 190-Inserm 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Gilles Querat
- Unité des Virus Émergents, Aix-Marseille Université-IRD 190-Inserm 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Émergents, Aix-Marseille Université-IRD 190-Inserm 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Laurent Chatel-Chaix
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Center for Integrative Infectious Diseases Research, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gregg N Milligan
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - David W C Beasley
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Nigel Bourne
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alan D T Barrett
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch Health, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Tim H M Jonckers
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Pierre Raboisson
- Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
- Galapagos NV, Mechelen, Belgium
| | | | - Patrick Chaltin
- Cistim Leuven vzw, Leuven, Belgium
- Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Center for Integrative Infectious Diseases Research, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research, Heidelberg Partner Site, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Willy M Bogers
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Neyts
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marnix Van Loock
- Janssen Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
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Abstract
Flaviviruses are vector-borne pathogens capable of causing devastating human diseases. The re-emergence of Zika in 2016 notoriously led to a widescale epidemic in the Americas. New daunting evidence suggests that a single mutation in Zika virus genome may increase transmission and pathogenesis, further highlighting the need to be prepared for flavivirus outbreaks. Dengue, in particular infects about 400 million people each year, leading to reoccurring local outbreaks. Public health efforts to mitigate flavivirus transmission is largely dependent on vector control strategies, as only a limited number of flavivirus vaccines have been developed thus far. There are currently no commercially available antivirals for flaviviruses, leaving supportive care as the primary treatment option. In this review, we will briefly paint a broad picture of the flavivirus landscape in terms of therapeutics, with particular focus on viral targets, promising novel compounds entering the drug discovery pipeline, as well as model systems for evaluating drug efficacy.
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8
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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] [Key Words] [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
| | - Congbao Kang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
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10
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Moquin SA, Simon O, Karuna R, Lakshminarayana SB, Yokokawa F, Wang F, Saravanan C, Zhang J, Day CW, Chan K, Wang QY, Lu S, Dong H, Wan KF, Lim SP, Liu W, Seh CC, Chen YL, Xu H, Barkan DT, Kounde CS, Sim WLS, Wang G, Yeo HQ, Zou B, Chan WL, Ding M, Song JG, Li M, Osborne C, Blasco F, Sarko C, Beer D, Bonamy GMC, Sasseville VG, Shi PY, Diagana TT, Yeung BKS, Gu F. NITD-688, a pan-serotype inhibitor of the dengue virus NS4B protein, shows favorable pharmacokinetics and efficacy in preclinical animal models. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/579/eabb2181. [PMID: 33536278 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb2181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that poses a threat to public health, yet no antiviral drug is available. We performed a high-throughput phenotypic screen using the Novartis compound library and identified candidate chemical inhibitors of DENV. This chemical series was optimized to improve properties such as anti-DENV potency and solubility. The lead compound, NITD-688, showed strong potency against all four serotypes of DENV and demonstrated excellent oral efficacy in infected AG129 mice. There was a 1.44-log reduction in viremia when mice were treated orally at 30 milligrams per kilogram twice daily for 3 days starting at the time of infection. NITD-688 treatment also resulted in a 1.16-log reduction in viremia when mice were treated 48 hours after infection. Selection of resistance mutations and binding studies with recombinant proteins indicated that the nonstructural protein 4B is the target of NITD-688. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats and dogs showed a long elimination half-life and good oral bioavailability. Extensive in vitro safety profiling along with exploratory rat and dog toxicology studies showed that NITD-688 was well tolerated after 7-day repeat dosing, demonstrating that NITD-688 may be a promising preclinical candidate for the treatment of dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Moquin
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.,Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Oliver Simon
- Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Singapore 117432, Singapore
| | - Ratna Karuna
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - Fumiaki Yokokawa
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Chandra Saravanan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Translational Medicine: Preclinical Safety, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jin Zhang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Translational Medicine: Pharmacokinetics, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA
| | - Craig W Day
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Katherine Chan
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Qing-Yin Wang
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Siyan Lu
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Hongping Dong
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Kah Fei Wan
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Siew Pheng Lim
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Wei Liu
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Cheah Chen Seh
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Yen-Liang Chen
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Haoying Xu
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - David T Barkan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Cyrille S Kounde
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - Gang Wang
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Hui-Quan Yeo
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Bin Zou
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Wai Ling Chan
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Mei Ding
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Jae-Geun Song
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Min Li
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Colin Osborne
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Francesca Blasco
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - David Beer
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - Vito G Sasseville
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Translational Medicine: Preclinical Safety, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | | | - Bryan K S Yeung
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Singapore 138670, Singapore.
| | - Feng Gu
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
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11
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Yokokawa F. Recent progress on phenotype-based discovery of dengue inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:541-551. [PMID: 33479655 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00052c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue fever is the world's most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the four serotypes of dengue virus, which are widely spread throughout tropical and sub-tropical countries. There has been an urgent need to identify an effective and safe dengue inhibitor as a therapeutic and a prophylactic agent for dengue fever. Most clinically approved antiviral drugs for the treatment of human immunodeficiency syndrome-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) target virally encoded enzymes such as protease or polymerase. Inhibitors of these enzymes were typically identified by target-based screening followed by optimization via structure-based design. However, due to the lack of success to date of research efforts to identify dengue protease and polymerase inhibitors, alternative strategies for anti-dengue drug discovery need to be considered. As a complementary approach to the target-based drug discovery, phenotypic screening is a strategy often used in identification of new chemical starting points with novel mechanisms of action in the area of infectious diseases such as antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-parasitic agents. This article is an overview of recent reports on dengue phenotypic screens and discusses phenotype-based hit-to-lead chemistry optimization. The challenges encountered and the outlook on dengue phenotype-based lead discovery are discussed at the end of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Yokokawa
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases , Emeryville , CA 94608 , USA .
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12
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Hannemann H. Viral replicons as valuable tools for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:1026-1033. [PMID: 32272194 PMCID: PMC7136885 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RNA viruses can cause severe diseases such as dengue, Lassa, chikungunya and Ebola. Many of these viruses can only be propagated under high containment levels, necessitating the development of low containment surrogate systems such as subgenomic replicons and minigenome systems. Replicons are self-amplifying recombinant RNA molecules expressing proteins sufficient for their own replication but which do not produce infectious virions. Replicons can persist in cells and are passed on during cell division, enabling quick, efficient and high-throughput testing of drug candidates that act on viral transcription, translation and replication. This review will explore the history and potential for drug discovery of hepatitis C virus, dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, Ebola virus and norovirus replicon and minigenome systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Hannemann
- The Native Antigen Company, Langford Locks, Kidlington OX5 1LH, UK.
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13
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Masri MFB, Rathore APS, St. John AL. Therapeutics for Dengue. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40506-019-00193-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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14
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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: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [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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15
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Abstract
Mortality from severe dengue is low, but the economic and resource burden on health services remains substantial in endemic settings. Unfortunately, progress towards development of effective therapeutics has been slow, despite notable advances in the understanding of disease pathogenesis and considerable investment in antiviral drug discovery. For decades antibody-dependent enhancement has been the prevalent model to explain dengue pathogenesis, but it was only recently demonstrated in vivo and in clinical studies. At present, the current mainstay of management for most symptomatic dengue patients remains careful observation and prompt but judicious use of intravenous hydration therapy for those with substantial vascular leakage. Various new promising technologies for diagnosis of dengue are currently in the pipeline. New sample-in, answer-out nucleic acid amplification technologies for point-of-care use are being developed to improve performance over current technologies, with the potential to test for multiple pathogens using a single specimen. The search for biomarkers that reliably predict development of severe dengue among symptomatic individuals is also a major focus of current research efforts. The first dengue vaccine was licensed in 2015 but its performance depends on serostatus. There is an urgent need to identify correlates of both vaccine protection and disease enhancement. A crucial assessment of vector control tools should guide a research agenda for determining the most effective interventions, and how to best combine state-of-the-art vector control with vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Wilder-Smith
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Eng-Eong Ooi
- Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Olaf Horstick
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bridget Wills
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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16
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Dengue drug discovery: Progress, challenges and outlook. Antiviral Res 2018; 163:156-178. [PMID: 30597183 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the context of the only available vaccine (DENGVAXIA) that was marketed in several countries, but poses higher risks to unexposed individuals, the development of antivirals for dengue virus (DENV), whilst challenging, would bring significant benefits to public health. Here recent progress in the field of DENV drug discovery made in academic laboratories and industry is reviewed. Characteristics of an ideal DENV antiviral molecule, given the specific immunopathology provoked by this acute viral infection, are described. New chemical classes identified from biochemical, biophysical and phenotypic screens that target viral (especially NS4B) and host proteins, offer promising opportunities for further development. In particular, new methodologies ("omics") can accelerate the discovery of much awaited flavivirus specific inhibitors. Challenges and opportunities in lead identification activities as well as the path to clinical development of dengue drugs are discussed. To galvanize DENV drug discovery, collaborative public-public partnerships and open-access resources will greatly benefit both the DENV research community and DENV patients.
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17
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Alves MP, Vielle NJ, Thiel V, Pfaender S. Research Models and Tools for the Identification of Antivirals and Therapeutics against Zika Virus Infection. Viruses 2018; 10:v10110593. [PMID: 30380760 PMCID: PMC6265910 DOI: 10.3390/v10110593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus recently re-emerged and caused global outbreaks mainly in Central Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and in Central and South America. Even though there is a declining trend, the virus continues to spread throughout different geographical regions of the world. Since its re-emergence in 2015, massive advances have been made regarding our understanding of clinical manifestations, epidemiology, genetic diversity, genomic structure and potential therapeutic intervention strategies. Nevertheless, treatment remains a challenge as there is no licensed effective therapy available. This review focuses on the recent advances regarding research models, as well as available experimental tools that can be used for the identification and characterization of potential antiviral targets and therapeutic intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco P Alves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Nathalie J Vielle
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Stephanie Pfaender
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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