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Ghassabi F, Hashempour A, Dehghani B, Hasanshahi Z, Khodadad N, Behizadeh F, Davarpanah MA. Frequency of Fusion Inhibitor Resistance Mutations Among Therapy-Naïve HIV Patients. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2024. [PMID: 38553905 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2023.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycoprotein 41 (gp41) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protein plays a critical role in membrane fusion. Gp41 binds to proteins in the plasma membrane of CD4+ T cells, particularly the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR). These findings indicate that gp41 is involved in the assembly of HIV-1 at the plasma membrane of T cells and affects the stimulation of the TCR. To control HIV-1, new inhibitors were introduced to target the gp41 protein. However, mutations in this region might reduce their efficacy. The Gp41 region was amplified from the sera of 30 patients using nested polymerase chain reaction. The sequences were analyzed by bioinformatics tools to identify mutations and gp41 structural features. Subtyping and the interaction between fusion inhibitors and gp41 proteins were also examined. As the first report from Iran, docking analysis between fusion inhibitors and Iranian gp41 proteins showed that mutations in gp41 could not reduce the efficacy of the fusion inhibitors. Most of the patients were infected with CRF35-AD. Several post-modification positions, including glycosylation and phosphorylation sites, were identified in the gp41 protein. Our findings revealed no known multinational drug resistance to gp41 inhibitors; thus, fusion inhibitors can effectively inhibit HIV in Iranian patients. In addition, the present study introduced a new gp41 region (36-44 aa), which considerably influences the interactions between gp41 inhibitors and the gp41 protein. This region may play a pivotal role in suppressing gp41 inhibitors in CFR35-AD. Furthermore, gp41 can be considered a good target for subtyping analysis via the phylogenetic method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Ghassabi
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ava Hashempour
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Behzad Dehghani
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zahra Hasanshahi
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Nastaran Khodadad
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farideh Behizadeh
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohamad Ali Davarpanah
- HIV/AIDS Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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2
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Alshorman A, Al-Hosainat N, Jackson T. Analysis of HIV latent infection model with multiple infection stages and different drug classes. JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS 2022; 16:713-732. [PMID: 36264087 DOI: 10.1080/17513758.2022.2113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Latently infected CD4+ T cells represent one of the major obstacles to HIV eradication even after receiving prolonged highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Long-term use of HAART causes the emergence of drug-resistant virus which is then involved in HIV transmission. In this paper, we develop mathematical HIV models with staged disease progression by incorporating entry inhibitor and latently infected cells. We find that entry inhibitor has the same effect as protease inhibitor on the model dynamics and therefore would benefit HIV patients who developed resistance to many of current anti-HIV medications. Numerical simulations illustrate the theoretical results and show that the virus and latently infected cells reach an infected steady state in the absence of treatment and are eliminated under treatment whereas the model including homeostatic proliferation of latently infected cells maintains the virus at low level during suppressive treatment. Therefore, complete cure of HIV needs complete eradication of latent reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej Alshorman
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Trachette Jackson
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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3
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Marchetti C, Vaglietti S, Rizzo F, Di Nardo G, Colnaghi L, Ghirardi M, Fiumara F. Heptad stereotypy, S/Q layering, and remote origin of the SARS-CoV-2 fusion core. Virus Evol 2022; 7:veab097. [PMID: 35039783 PMCID: PMC8754743 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab097] [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: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fusion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with cells, a key event in the pathogenesis of Covid-19, depends on the assembly of a six-helix fusion core (FC) formed by portions of the spike protein heptad repeats (HRs) 1 and 2. Despite the critical role in regulating infectivity, its distinctive features, origin, and evolution are scarcely understood. Thus, we undertook a structure-guided positional and compositional analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 FC, in comparison with FCs of related viruses, tracing its origin and ongoing evolution. We found that clustered amino acid substitutions within HR1, distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from SARS-CoV-1, enhance local heptad stereotypy and increase sharply the FC serine-to-glutamine (S/Q) ratio, determining a neat alternate layering of S-rich and Q-rich subdomains along the post-fusion structure. Strikingly, SARS-CoV-2 ranks among viruses with the highest FC S/Q ratio, together with highly syncytiogenic respiratory pathogens (RSV, NDV), whereas MERS-Cov, HIV, and Ebola viruses display low ratios, and this feature reflects onto S/Q segregation and H-bonding patterns. Our evolutionary analyses revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 FC occurs in other SARS-CoV-1-like Sarbecoviruses identified since 2005 in Hong Kong and adjacent regions, tracing its origin to >50 years ago with a recombination-driven spread. Finally, current mutational trends show that the FC is varying especially in the FC1 evolutionary hotspot. These findings establish a novel analytical framework illuminating the sequence/structure evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 FC, tracing its long history within Sarbecoviruses, and may help rationalize the evolution of the fusion machinery in emerging pathogens and the design of novel therapeutic fusion inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Marchetti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Serena Vaglietti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, Torino 10148, Italy
| | - Giovanna Di Nardo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino 10123, Italy
| | - Luca Colnaghi
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milano 20132, Italy
| | - Mirella Ghirardi
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
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4
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Wang Q, Su S, Xue J, Yu F, Pu J, Bi W, Xia S, Meng Y, Wang C, Yang W, Xu W, Zhu Y, Zheng Q, Qin C, Jiang S, Lu L. An amphipathic peptide targeting the gp41 cytoplasmic tail kills HIV-1 virions and infected cells. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/546/eaaz2254. [PMID: 32493792 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz2254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
HIV-associated morbidity and mortality have markedly declined because of combinational antiretroviral therapy, but HIV readily mutates to develop drug resistance. Developing antivirals against previously undefined targets is essential to treat existing drug-resistant HIV strains. Some peptides derived from HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env, gp120-gp41) have been shown to be effective in inhibiting HIV-1 infection. Therefore, we screened a peptide library from HIV-1 Env and identified a peptide from the cytoplasmic region, designated F9170, able to effectively inactivate HIV-1 virions and induce necrosis of HIV-1-infected cells, and reactivated latently infected cells. F9170 specifically targeted the conserved cytoplasmic tail of HIV-1 Env and effectively disrupted the integrity of the viral membrane. Short-term monoadministration of F9170 controlled viral loads to below the limit of detection in chronically SHIV-infected macaques. F9170 can enter the brain and lymph nodes, anatomic reservoirs for HIV latency. Therefore, F9170 shows promise as a drug candidate for HIV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jing Xue
- Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Chinese Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Life and Science, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Jing Pu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenwen Bi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shuai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu Meng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenqian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qinwen Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chuan Qin
- Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Chinese Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China. .,Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
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5
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Synergistic Effect by Combining a gp120-Binding Protein and a gp41-Binding Antibody to Inactivate HIV-1 Virions and Inhibit HIV-1 Infection. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26071964. [PMID: 33807292 PMCID: PMC8036483 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26071964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has prevailed over the last 30 years. Although highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has decreased mortality and efficiently controlled the progression of disease, no vaccine or curative drugs have been approved until now. A viral inactivator is expected to inactivate cell-free virions in the absence of target cells. Previously, we identified a gp120-binding protein, mD1.22, which can inactivate laboratory-adapted HIV-1. In this study, we have found that the gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR)-binding antibody D5 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) alone cannot inactivate HIV-1 at the high concentration tested. However, D5 scFv in the combination could enhance inactivation activity of mD1.22 against divergent HIV-1 strains, including HIV-1 laboratory-adapted strains, primary HIV-1 isolates, T20- and AZT-resistant strains, and LRA-reactivated virions. Combining mD1.22 and D5 scFv exhibited synergistic effect on inhibition of infection by divergent HIV-1 strains. These results suggest good potential to develop the strategy of combining a gp120-binding protein and a gp41-binding antibody for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
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Yuan C, Wang JY, Zhao HJ, Li Y, Li D, Ling H, Zhuang M. Mutations of Glu560 within HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein N-terminal heptad repeat region contribute to resistance to peptide inhibitors of virus entry. Retrovirology 2019; 16:36. [PMID: 31796053 PMCID: PMC6889725 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-019-0496-8] [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: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Peptides corresponding to N- and C-terminal heptad repeat regions (HR1 and HR2, respectively) of gp41 can inhibit HIV-1 infection in a dominant negative manner by interfering with refolding of the viral HR1 and HR2 to form a six-helix bundle (6HB) that induces fusion between viral and host cell membranes. Previously, we found that HIV-1 acquired the mutations of Glu560 (E560) in HR1 of envelope (Env) to escape peptide inhibitors. The present study aimed to elucidate the critical role of position 560 in the virus entry and potential resistance mechanisms. Results The Glu560Lys/Asp/Gly (E560K/D/G) mutations in HR1 of gp41 that are selected under the pressure of N- and C-peptide inhibitors modified its molecular interactions with HR2 to change 6HB stability and peptide inhibitor binding. E560K mutation increased 6HB thermostability and resulted in resistance to N peptide inhibitors, but E560G or E560D as compensatory mutations destabilized the 6HB to reduce inhibitor binding and resulted in increased resistance to C peptide inhibitor, T20. Significantly, the neutralizing activities of all mutants to soluble CD4 and broadly neutralizing antibodies targeting membrane proximal external region, 2F5 and 4E10 were improved, indicating the mutations of E560 could regulate Env conformations through cross interactions with gp120 or gp41. The molecular modeling analysis of E560K/D/G mutants suggested that position 560 might interact with the residues within two potentially flexible topological layer 1 and layer 2 in the gp120 inner domain to apparently affect the CD4 utilization. The E560K/D/G mutations changed its interactions with Gln650 (Q650) in HR2 to contribute to the resistance of peptide inhibitors. Conclusions These findings identify the contributions of mutations of E560K/D/G in the highly conserved gp41 and highlight Env’s high degree of plasticity for virus entry and inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yuan
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jia-Ye Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Harbin, China
| | - Hai-Jiao Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Harbin, China.,Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Harbin, China
| | - Di Li
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Harbin, China.,Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Harbin, China
| | - Hong Ling
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. .,Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Harbin, China. .,Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Harbin, China. .,Wu Lien-Teh Institute, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Min Zhuang
- Department of Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. .,Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Harbin, China. .,Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Harbin, China. .,Wu Lien-Teh Institute, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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7
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Pu J, Wang Q, Xu W, Lu L, Jiang S. Development of Protein- and Peptide-Based HIV Entry Inhibitors Targeting gp120 or gp41. Viruses 2019; 11:v11080705. [PMID: 31374953 PMCID: PMC6722851 DOI: 10.3390/v11080705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Application of highly active antiretroviral drugs (ARDs) effectively reduces morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals. However, the emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains has led to the increased failure of ARDs, thus calling for the development of anti-HIV drugs with targets or mechanisms of action different from those of the current ARDs. The first peptide-based HIV entry inhibitor, enfuvirtide, was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2003 for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who have failed to respond to the current ARDs, which has stimulated the development of several series of protein- and peptide-based HIV entry inhibitors in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we highlighted the properties and mechanisms of action for those promising protein- and peptide-based HIV entry inhibitors targeting the HIV-1 gp120 or gp41 and discussed their advantages and disadvantages, compared with the current ARDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Pu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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8
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Su S, Rasquinha G, Du L, Wang Q, Xu W, Li W, Lu L, Jiang S. A Peptide-Based HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitor with Two Tail-Anchors and Palmitic Acid Exhibits Substantially Improved In Vitro and Ex Vivo Anti-HIV-1 Activity and Prolonged In Vivo Half-Life. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24061134. [PMID: 30901967 PMCID: PMC6470885 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Enfuvirtide (T20) is the first U.S. FDA-approved HIV fusion inhibitor-based anti-HIV drug. Its clinical application is limited because of its low potency and short half-life. We previously reported that peptide HP23-E6-IDL, containing both N- and C-terminal anchor-tails, exhibited stronger potency and a better resistance profile than T20. Here we designed an analogous peptide, YIK, by introducing a mutation, T639I, and then a lipopeptide, YIK-C16, by adding palmitic acid (C16) at the C-terminus of YIK. We found that YIK-C16 was 4.4- and 3.6-fold more potent than HP23-E6-IDL and YIK against HIV-1IIIB infection and 13.3- and 10.5-fold more effective than HP23-E6-IDL and YIK against HIV-1Bal infection, respectively. Consistently, the ex vivo anti-HIV-1IIIB activity, as determined by the highest dilution-fold of the serum causing 50% inhibition of HIV-1 infection, of YIK-C16 in the sera of pretreated mice was remarkably higher than that of YIK or HP23-E6-IDL. The serum half-life (t1/2 = 5.9 h) of YIK-C16 was also significantly longer than that of YIK (t1/2 = 1.3 h) and HP23-E6-IDL (t1/2 = 1.0 h). These results suggest that the lipopeptide YIK-C16 shows promise for further development as a new anti-HIV drug with improved anti-HIV-1 activity and a prolonged half-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Giselle Rasquinha
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Lanying Du
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Weihua Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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9
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Su S, Ma Z, Hua C, Li W, Lu L, Jiang S. Adding an Artificial Tail-Anchor to a Peptide-Based HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitor for Improvement of Its Potency and Resistance Profile. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22111996. [PMID: 29156603 PMCID: PMC6150406 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22111996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein transmembrane subunit gp41, such as T20 (enfuvirtide), can bind to the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) of gp41 and block six-helix bundle (6-HB) formation, thus inhibiting HIV-1 fusion with the target cell. However, clinical application of T20 is limited because of its low potency and genetic barrier to resistance. HP23, the shortest CHR peptide, exhibits better anti-HIV-1 activity than T20, but the HIV-1 strains with E49K mutations in gp41 will become resistant to it. Here, we modified HP23 by extending its C-terminal sequence using six amino acid residues (E6) and adding IDL (Ile-Asp-Leu) to the C-terminus of E6, which is expected to bind to the shallow pocket in the gp41 NHR N-terminal region. The newly designed peptide, designated HP23-E6-IDL, was about 2- to 16-fold more potent than HP23 against a broad spectrum of HIV-1 strains and more than 12-fold more effective against HIV-1 mutants resistant to HP23. These findings suggest that addition of an anchor-tail to the C-terminus of a CHR peptide will allow binding with the pocket in the gp41 NHR that may increase the peptide's antiviral efficacy and its genetic barrier to resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Zhenxuan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Chen Hua
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Weihua Li
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, The Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, The Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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10
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A novel HIV-1 gp41 tripartite model for rational design of HIV-1 fusion inhibitors with improved antiviral activity. AIDS 2017; 31:885-894. [PMID: 28121713 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES During HIV-1 fusion process, the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) of the HIV-1 glycoprotein 41 (gp41) interacts with the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) to form the fusion active six-helix bundle, thus being an effective target for the design of CHR peptide-based HIV-1 fusion inhibitors. To overcome the limitations of the simplified helix wheel model of six-helix bundle, we herein developed a novel HIV-1 gp41 NHR-CHR-NHR tripartite model for the rational design of HIV-1 fusion inhibitors with improved antiviral activities. DESIGN Based on the crystal structure of six-helix bundle, we evaluated the NHR-binding properties of each residue in CHR. In this new tripartite model, CHR residues were divided into three groups: major binding, nonbinding, and assistant binding sites. METHODS Eight CHR peptides were designed and synthesized to confirm the validity of the tripartite model. Their affinities to NHR and inhibitory activities were analyzed. RESULTS In this tripartite model, replacements in assistant binding sites either increased or decreased the inhibition of HIV-1 infection. We identified three peptides with mutations of the residues in CHR at the assistant binding sites in our tripartite model but nonbinding sites in the helical wheel model. These mutant peptides had anti-HIV-1 activity up to 26-fold more potent than that of C34, a CHR peptide designed on the basis of the helix wheel model. CONCLUSION These data verified the superiority and validity of our new tripartite model for the rational design of HIV-1 fusion inhibitors. This approach can be adapted for designing viral fusion inhibitors against other enveloped viruses with class I membrane fusion protein.
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Creating an Artificial Tail Anchor as a Novel Strategy To Enhance the Potency of Peptide-Based HIV Fusion Inhibitors. J Virol 2016; 91:JVI.01445-16. [PMID: 27795416 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01445-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
20 (enfuvirtide) and other peptides derived from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41 C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) region inhibit HIV fusion by binding to the hydrophobic grooves on the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) trimer and blocking six-helix-bundle (6-HB) formation. Several strategies focusing on the binding grooves of the NHR trimer have been adopted to increase the antiviral activity of the CHR peptides. Here, we developed a novel and simple strategy to greatly enhance the potency of the existing peptide-based HIV fusion inhibitors. First, we identified a shallow pocket adjacent to the groove in the N-terminal region of NHR trimer as a new drug target, and then we designed several short artificial peptides to fit this target. After the addition of IDL (Ile-Asp-Leu) to the C terminus of CHR peptide WQ or MT-WQ, the conjugated peptides, WQ-IDL and MT-WQ-IDL, showed much more potent activities than WQ and T20, respectively, in inhibiting HIV-1 IIIB infection. WQ-IDL and MT-WQ-IDL were also more effective than WQ in blocking HIV-1 Env-mediated membrane fusion and had higher levels of binding affinity with NHR peptide N46. We solved the crystal structure of the 6-HB formed by MT-WQ-IDL and N46 and found that, besides the N-terminal MT hook tail, the IDL tail anchor of MT-WQ-IDL also binds with the shallow hydrophobic pocket outside the groove of the NHR trimer, resulting in enhanced inhibition of HIV-1 fusion with the target cell. It is expected that this novel approach can be widely used to improve the potency of peptidic fusion inhibitors against other enveloped viruses with class I fusion proteins. IMPORTANCE The hydrophobic groove of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41 NHR trimer has been known as the classic drug target to develop fusion inhibitors derived from the gp41 CHR. Here, we developed a novel and simple strategy to improve the existing peptide-based HIV fusion inhibitors. We identified a shallow pocket adjacent to the groove in the NHR trimer and added a short artificial peptide consisting of three amino acids (IDL) to the C terminus of a fusion inhibitor to fit this new target. The inhibition activity of this new conjugated peptide was significantly enhanced, by 77-fold, making it much more potent than T20 (enfuvirtide) and suggesting that the IDL tail can be adopted for optimizing existing HIV-1 CHR peptide fusion inhibitors. This new approach of identifying a potential binding pocket outside the traditional target and creating an artificial tail anchor can be widely applied to design novel fusion inhibitors against other class I enveloped viruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
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Yu Y, Fu L, Gong X, Guan S, He X, Yin H, Kuai Z, Kong W, Shi Y, Shan Y. Eliciting 10E8-like antibodies by the membrane proximal external region peptide of HIV-1 in guinea pigs. Biotechnol Lett 2016; 39:367-373. [PMID: 27943074 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-016-2267-0] [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: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop an immunotherapy for HIV that can elicit 10E8-like broadly-neutralizing antibodies in guinea pigs, using a multiple antigen peptide (MAP) system as the platform and 10E8 peptide as the epitope. RESULTS The immunogen, 10E8-MAP4, was synthetized using the MAP system. The synthetic 10E8-MAP4 was stable, and the epitopes could be exposed for recognition. In addition, the 10E8 epitope was present in an α-helical structure, which was hypothesized to aid in the generation of neutralizing antibodies. In vivo analysis showed that 10E8-MAP4 could efficiently elicit HIV binding antibodies in guinea pigs, although only weak neutralizing activities were observed. CONCLUSIONS Multiple antigen peptide is an excellent vaccine platform for generating binding antibodies, but may elicit weak neutralizing antibodies for HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjiao Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Lu Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Xin Gong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Shanshan Guan
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Xiaoqiu He
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - He Yin
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Ziyu Kuai
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Wei Kong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yuhua Shi
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China
| | - Yaming Shan
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
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Zhu Y, Su S, Qin L, Wang Q, Shi L, Ma Z, Tang J, Jiang S, Lu L, Ye S, Zhang R. Rational improvement of gp41-targeting HIV-1 fusion inhibitors: an innovatively designed Ile-Asp-Leu tail with alternative conformations. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31983. [PMID: 27666394 PMCID: PMC5036048 DOI: 10.1038/srep31983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of HIV gp41 have been developed as effective fusion inhibitors against HIV-1, but facing the challenges of enhancing potency and stability. Here, we report a rationally designed novel HIV-1 fusion inhibitor derived from CHR-derived peptide (Trp628~Gln653, named CP), but with an innovative Ile-Asp-Leu tail (IDL) that dramatically increased the inhibitory activity by up to 100 folds. We also determined the crystal structures of artificial fusion peptides N36- and N43-L6-CP-IDL. Although the overall structures of both fusion peptides share the canonical six-helix bundle (6-HB) configuration, their IDL tails adopt two different conformations: a one-turn helix with the N36, and a hook-like structure with the longer N43. Structural comparison showed that the hook-like IDL tail possesses a larger interaction interface with NHR than the helical one. Further molecular dynamics simulations of the two 6-HBs and isolated CP-IDL peptides suggested that hook-like form of IDL tail can be stabilized by its binding to NHR trimer. Therefore, CP-IDL has potential for further development as a new HIV fusion inhibitor, and this strategy could be widely used in developing artificial fusion inhibitors against HIV and other enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Basic Medical College and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lili Qin
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Basic Medical College and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lei Shi
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhenxuan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Basic Medical College and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jianchao Tang
- National Center for Protein Science Shanghai, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Basic Medical College and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Basic Medical College and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sheng Ye
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Rongguang Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- National Center for Protein Science Shanghai, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
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An immunogen containing four tandem 10E8 epitope repeats with exposed key residues induces antibodies that neutralize HIV-1 and activates an ADCC reporter gene. Emerg Microbes Infect 2016; 5:e65. [PMID: 27329850 PMCID: PMC4932654 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2016.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2016] [Revised: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
After three decades of intensive research efforts, an effective vaccine against HIV-1 remains to be developed. Several broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1, such as 10E8, recognize the membrane proximal external region (MPER) of the HIV-1 gp41 protein. Thus, the MPER is considered to be a very important target for vaccine design. However, the MPER segment has very weak immunogenicity and tends to insert its epitope residues into the cell membrane, thereby avoiding antibody binding. To address this complication in vaccine development, we herein designed a peptide, designated 10E8-4P, containing four copies of the 10E8 epitope as an immunogen. As predicted by structural simulation, 10E8-4P exhibits a well-arranged tandem helical conformation, with the key residues in the 10E8 epitope oriented at different angles, thus suggesting that some of these key residues may be exposed outside of the lipid membrane. Compared with a peptide containing a single 10E8 epitope (10E8-1P), 10E8-4P not only exhibited better antigenicity but also elicited neutralizing antibody response against HIV-1 pseudoviruses, whereas 10E8-1P could not induce detectable neutralizing antibody response. Importantly, antibodies elicited by 10E8-4P also possessed a strong ability to activate an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) reporter gene, thus suggesting that they may have ADCC activity. Therefore, this strategy shows promise for further optimization and application in future HIV-1 vaccine design.
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Lai W, Wang C, Yu F, Lu L, Wang Q, Jiang X, Xu X, Zhang T, Wu S, Zheng X, Zhang Z, Dong F, Jiang S, Liu K. An effective strategy for recapitulating N-terminal heptad repeat trimers in enveloped virus surface glycoproteins for therapeutic applications. Chem Sci 2016; 7:2145-2150. [PMID: 29899942 PMCID: PMC5968561 DOI: 10.1039/c5sc04046a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequestering peptides derived from the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) of class I viral fusion proteins into a non-aggregating trimeric coiled-coil conformation remains a major challenge. Here, we implemented a synthetic strategy to stabilize NHR-helical trimers, with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41 fusion protein as the initial focus. A set of trimeric scaffolds was realized in a synthetic gp41 NHR-derived peptide sequence by relying on the tractability of coiled-coil structures and an additional isopeptide bridge-tethering strategy. Among them, (N36M)3 folded as a highly stable helical trimer and exhibited promising inhibitory activity against HIV-1 infection, exceptional resistance to proteolysis, and effective native ligand-binding capability. We anticipate that the trimeric coiled-coil recapitulation methodology described herein may have broader applicability to yield NHR trimers of other class I enveloped viruses and to prepare helical tertiary structure mimetics of certain natural protein-protein interactions for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Fei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health , Shanghai Medical College , Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center , Fudan University , Shanghai 200032 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-21-54237673
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health , Shanghai Medical College , Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center , Fudan University , Shanghai 200032 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-21-54237673
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health , Shanghai Medical College , Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center , Fudan University , Shanghai 200032 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-21-54237673
| | - Xifeng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Tianhong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Shengming Wu
- National Center of Biomedical Analysis , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China
| | - Xi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Zhenqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
| | - Fangting Dong
- National Center of Biomedical Analysis , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health , Shanghai Medical College , Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center , Fudan University , Shanghai 200032 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-21-54237673
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute , New York Blood Center , New York , NY 10065 , USA
| | - Keliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures , Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology , 27 Tai-Ping Road , Beijing , 100850 , China . ; ; Tel: +86-10-6816-9363
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Lu L, Yu F, Cai L, Debnath AK, Jiang S. Development of Small-molecule HIV Entry Inhibitors Specifically Targeting gp120 or gp41. Curr Top Med Chem 2016; 16:1074-90. [PMID: 26324044 PMCID: PMC4775441 DOI: 10.2174/1568026615666150901114527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Revised: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) glycoprotein surface subunit gp120 and transmembrane subunit gp41 play important roles in HIV-1 entry, thus serving as key targets for the development of HIV-1 entry inhibitors. T20 peptide (enfuvirtide) is the first U.S. FDA-approved HIV entry inhibitor; however, its clinical application is limited by the lack of oral availability. Here, we have described the structure and function of the HIV-1 gp120 and gp41 subunits and reviewed advancements in the development of small-molecule HIV entry inhibitors specifically targeting these two Env glycoproteins. We then compared the advantages and disadvantages of different categories of HIV entry inhibitor candidates and further predicted the future trend of HIV entry inhibitor development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Road, Building #13, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Coevolution Analysis of HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Complex. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143245. [PMID: 26579711 PMCID: PMC4651434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The HIV-1 Env spike is the main protein complex that facilitates HIV-1 entry into CD4+ host cells. HIV-1 entry is a multistep process that is not yet completely understood. This process involves several protein-protein interactions between HIV-1 Env and a variety of host cell receptors along with many conformational changes within the spike. HIV-1 Env developed due to high mutation rates and plasticity escape strategies from immense immune pressure and entry inhibitors. We applied a coevolution and residue-residue contact detecting method to identify coevolution patterns within HIV-1 Env protein sequences representing all group M subtypes. We identified 424 coevolving residue pairs within HIV-1 Env. The majority of predicted pairs are residue-residue contacts and are proximal in 3D structure. Furthermore, many of the detected pairs have functional implications due to contributions in either CD4 or coreceptor binding, or variable loop, gp120-gp41, and interdomain interactions. This study provides a new dimension of information in HIV research. The identified residue couplings may not only be important in assisting gp120 and gp41 coordinate structure prediction, but also in designing new and effective entry inhibitors that incorporate mutation patterns of HIV-1 Env.
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Yu Y, Fu L, Shi Y, Guan S, Yang L, Gong X, Yin H, He X, Liu D, Kuai Z, Shan Y, Wang S, Kong W. Elicitation of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies by presentation of 4E10 and 10E8 epitopes on Norovirus P particles. Immunol Lett 2015; 168:271-8. [PMID: 26455781 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Eliciting efficient broadly neutralizing antibodies (BnAbs) is a major goal in vaccine development against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Conserved epitopes in the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 are a significant target. In this study, Norovirus P particles (NoV PPs) were used as carriers to display conformational 4E10 and 10E8 epitopes in different patterns with an appropriate linker. Immune responses to the recombinant NoV PPs were characterized in guinea pigs and Balb/c mice and could induce high levels of MPER-binding antibodies. Modest neutralizing activities could be detected in sera of guinea pigs but not of Balb/c mice. The 4E10 or 10E8 epitopes dispersed on three loops on the outermost surface of NoV PPs (4E10-loop123 PP or 10E8-loop123 PP) elicited higher neutralizing activities than the equivalent number of epitopes presented on loop 2 only (4E10-3loop2 PP or 10E8-3loop2 PP). The epitopes on different loops of the PP were well-exposed and likely formed an appropriate conformation to induce neutralizing antibodies. Although sera of immunized guinea pigs could neutralize several HIV envelope-pseudoviruses, a vaccine candidate for efficiently inducing HIV-1 BnAbs remains to be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjiao Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Lu Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yuhua Shi
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Shanshan Guan
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Lan Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xin Gong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - He Yin
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xiaoqiu He
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Dongni Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ziyu Kuai
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yaming Shan
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Song Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Wei Kong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Improved Pharmacological and Structural Properties of HIV Fusion Inhibitor AP3 over Enfuvirtide: Highlighting Advantages of Artificial Peptide Strategy. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13028. [PMID: 26286358 PMCID: PMC4541410 DOI: 10.1038/srep13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Enfuvirtide (T20), is the first HIV fusion inhibitor approved for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who fail to respond to the current antiretroviral drugs. However, its clinical application is limited because of short half-life, drug resistance and cross-reactivity with the preexisting antibodies in HIV-infected patients. Using an artificial peptide strategy, we designed a peptide with non-native protein sequence, AP3, which exhibited potent antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of HIV-1 strains, including those resistant to T20, and had remarkably longer in vivo half-life than T20. While the preexisting antibodies in HIV-infected patients significantly suppressed T20’s antiviral activity, these antibodies neither recognized AP3, nor attenuated its anti-HIV-1 activity. Structurally different from T20, AP3 could fold into single-helix and interact with gp41 NHR. The two residues, Met and Thr, at the N-terminus of AP3 form a hook-like structure to stabilize interaction between AP3 and NHR helices. Therefore, AP3 has potential for further development as a new HIV fusion inhibitor with improved antiviral efficacy, resistance profile and pharmacological properties over enfuvirtide. Meanwhile, this study highlighted the advantages of artificially designed peptides, and confirmed that this strategy could be used in developing artificial peptide-based viral fusion inhibitors against HIV and other enveloped viruses.
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20
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Zhu X, Yu F, Liu K, Lu L, Jiang S. An artificial peptide-based HIV-1 fusion inhibitor containing M-T hook structure exhibiting improved antiviral potency and drug resistance profile. Future Virol 2015. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl.15.56] [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
SUMMARY Aim: We previously designed an artificial HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, PBDtrp-m4HR. Here, we have added two amino acid residues that can form an M-T hook structure at its N-terminus, with the aim of improving its antiviral potency and drug-resistance profile. Methods: Peptides were synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activity on HIV-1 Env-mediated cell–cell fusion and infection by HIV-1 strains, including those resistant to T2635, the third generation HIV fusion inhibitor, as well as its binding affinity to the gp41 NHR-peptide N36. Results: MT-PBDtrp-m4HR exhibited improved inhibitory activity on HIV-1 infection and Env-mediated cell–cell fusion, displayed an improved drug-resistance profile and increased NHR-binding affinity. Conclusion: The added M-T hook is able to enhance or stabilize the interaction between MT-PBDtrp-m4HR and the viral gp41 NHR domain. Therefore, MT-PBDtrp-m4HR has potential to be further developed as a new HIV fusion inhibitor. The approach described in this study can also be used for designing artificial peptides against other enveloped viruses with class I membrane fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education & Health, Shanghai Medical College & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education & Health, Shanghai Medical College & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Keliang Liu
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education & Health, Shanghai Medical College & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education & Health, Shanghai Medical College & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Wang C, Lu L, Na H, Li X, Wang Q, Jiang X, Xu X, Yu F, Zhang T, Li J, Zhang Z, Zheng B, Liang G, Cai L, Jiang S, Liu K. Conjugation of a Nonspecific Antiviral Sapogenin with a Specific HIV Fusion Inhibitor: A Promising Strategy for Discovering New Antiviral Therapeutics. J Med Chem 2014; 57:7342-54. [DOI: 10.1021/jm500763m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries
of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College and Institute of
Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Heya Na
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiangpeng Li
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries
of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College and Institute of
Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xifeng Jiang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Tianhong Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jinglai Li
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zhenqing Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Baohua Zheng
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Guodong Liang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lifeng Cai
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries
of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College and Institute of
Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Keliang Liu
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
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22
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Wang C, Shi W, Cai L, Lu L, Yu F, Wang Q, Jiang X, Xu X, Wang K, Xu L, Jiang S, Liu K. Artificial peptides conjugated with cholesterol and pocket-specific small molecules potently inhibit infection by laboratory-adapted and primary HIV-1 isolates and enfuvirtide-resistant HIV-1 strains. J Antimicrob Chemother 2014; 69:1537-45. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dku010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Yu F, Lu L, Liu Q, Yu X, Wang L, He E, Zou P, Du L, Sanders RW, Liu S, Jiang S. ADS-J1 inhibits HIV-1 infection and membrane fusion by targeting the highly conserved pocket in the gp41 NHR-trimer. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2014; 1838:1296-305. [PMID: 24388952 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2013.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Revised: 12/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We previously identified a potent small-molecule human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) fusion inhibitor, termed ADS-J1, and hypothesized that it mainly targeted the hydrophobic pocket in the gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) trimer. However, this hypothesis has been challenged by the fact that ADS-J1 cannot induce drug-resistance mutation in the gp41 pocket region. Therefore, we show herein that HIV-1 mutants resistant to T2635, a peptide derived from the gp41 C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) region with pocket-binding domain (PBD), were also resistant to ADS-J1. We also show that pseudoviruses with mutations at positions 64 and 67 in the gp41 pocket region were highly resistant to ADS-J1 and C34, another CHR-peptide with PBD, but relatively sensitive to T20, a CHR-peptide without PBD. ADS-J1 could effectively bind to N36Fd, a mimic of the gp41 NHR-trimer with pocket exposed, and block binding of C34 to N36Fd trimer to form six-helix bundle (6-HB). However, ADS-J1 was less effective in binding to N36Fd trimer with mutations in the gp41 pocket region, such as N36(Q64A)Fd, N36(Q64L)Fd, N36(A67G)Fd, N36(A67S)Fd, and N36(Q66R)Fd, as well as less effective in blocking 6-HB formation between C34 and these mutant N36Fd trimers. These results confirm that ADS-J1 mainly targets the pocket region in the HIV-1 gp41 NHR trimer and suggest that it could be used as a lead for developing small-molecule HIV fusion inhibitors and as a molecule probe for studying the mechanisms of gp41-mediated membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lili Wang
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elaine He
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Peng Zou
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lanying Du
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rogier W Sanders
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shuwen Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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24
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Tong P, Lu Z, Chen X, Wang Q, Yu F, Zou P, Yu X, Li Y, Lu L, Chen YH, Jiang S. An engineered HIV-1 gp41 trimeric coiled coil with increased stability and anti-HIV-1 activity: implication for developing anti-HIV microbicides. J Antimicrob Chemother 2013; 68:2533-44. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkt230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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25
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Wang C, Shi W, Cai L, Lu L, Wang Q, Zhang T, Li J, Zhang Z, Wang K, Xu L, Jiang X, Jiang S, Liu K. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of highly potent small molecule-peptide conjugates as new HIV-1 fusion inhibitors. J Med Chem 2013; 56:2527-39. [PMID: 23458727 DOI: 10.1021/jm3018964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The small molecule fusion inhibitors N-(4-carboxy-3-hydroxyphenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrole (NB-2) and N-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrole (A12) target a hydrophobic pocket of HIV-1 gp41 and have moderate anti-HIV-1 activity. In this paper, we report the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship of a group of hybrid molecules in which the pocket-binding domain segment of the C34 peptide was replaced with NB-2 and A12 derivatives. In addition, the synergistic effect between the small molecule and peptide moieties was analyzed, and lead compounds with a novel scaffold were discovered. We found that either the nonpeptide or peptide part alone showed weak activity against HIV-1-mediated cell-cell fusion, but the conjugates properly generated a strong synergistic effect. Among them, conjugates Aoc-βAla-P26 and Noc-βAla-P26 exhibited a low nanomolar IC50 in the cell-cell fusion assay and effectively inhibited T20-sensitive and -resistant HIV-1 strains. Furthermore, the new molecules exhibited better stability against proteinase K digestion than T20 and C34.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
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26
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Lu L, Pan C, Li Y, Lu H, He W, Jiang S. A bivalent recombinant protein inactivates HIV-1 by targeting the gp41 prehairpin fusion intermediate induced by CD4 D1D2 domains. Retrovirology 2012; 9:104. [PMID: 23217195 PMCID: PMC3531269 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-9-104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Accepted: 11/11/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Most currently approved anti-HIV drugs (e.g., reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors and fusion/entry inhibitors) must act inside or on surface of the target cell to inhibit HIV infection, but none can directly inactivate virions away from cells. Although soluble CD4 (sCD4) can inactivate laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains, it fails to reduce the viral loads in clinical trials because of its low potency against primary isolates and tendency to enhance HIV-1 infection at low concentration. Thus, it is essential to design a better HIV inactivator with improved potency for developing new anti-HIV therapeutics that can actively attack the virus in the circulation before it attaches to and enter into the target cell. Results We engineered a bivalent HIV-1 inactivator, designated 2DLT, by linking the D1D2 domain of CD4 to T1144, the next generation HIV fusion inhibitor, with a 35-mer linker. The D1D2 domain in this soluble 2DLT protein could bind to the CD4-binding site and induce the formation of the gp41 prehairpin fusion-intermediate (PFI), but showed no sCD4-mediated enhancement of HIV-1 infection. The T1144 domain in 2DLT then bound to the exposed PFI, resulting in rapid inactivation of HIV-1 virions in the absence of the target cell. Beside, 2DLT could also inhibit fusion of the virus with the target cell if the virion escapes the first attack of 2DLT. Conclusion This bivalent molecule can serve as a dual barrier against HIV infection by first inactivating HIV-1 virions away from cells and then blocking HIV-1 entry on the target cell surface, indicating its potential for development as a new class of anti-HIV drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, Shanghai Medical College, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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