Substrate analog inhibitors of HIV-1 protease containing phenylnorstatine as a transition state element

Synthesis of di- and tripeptide analogues containing alpha-ketoamide as a new core structure for inhibition of HIV-1 protease

Di- and tripeptide analogues containing alpha-ketoamide as a new core structure and incorporating allophenylnorstatine (Apns) as a transition state mimic, were designed and synthesized in the hope of obtaining a novel structural type of HIV-1 protease inhibitors. The immediate precursor, Apns-Thz-NHBu(t) was prepared by coupling of Boc-Apns with N-tert x butyl Thz-4-carboxamide hydrochloride. Removal of Boc group followed by coupling with the respective alpha-ketoacid residue (P2) gave the desired dipeptides (8-12) in almost quantitative yields. The alpha-keto tripeptides (18-21) were obtained by oxidation of the hydroxyl group of Apns (PI) in the appropriate tripeptide, iQOA-Val-Apns-(un)substituted Thz(Oxa)-NHBu(t) with DMSO/DCC. Preliminary evaluation of the activity of the synthesized derivatives was determined as percentage of enzyme inhibition at 5 microM and 50 nM levels of the di- and tripeptides respectively. The alpha-ketoamides displayed a significant enhanced potency relative to their parent isosteres as inhibitors of HIV-1 protease and are shown to be a promising new core structure for the development of enzyme inhibitors. A quantitative approach was attempted, using an LFE model, correlating the effect of structural modification and HIV-1 protease inhibition activity of the prepared dipeptides. The result indicates the contribution of the torsion angle by 84% to the activity of the inhibitors.

Structure-activity relationships of HIV-1 PR inhibitors containing AHPBA

A series of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) inhibitors that contain 3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoic acid (AHPBA) at the scission site of the substrate were prepared and evaluated for their inhibitory activity. Preliminary studies on the chain length of inhibitors and the hydroxyl configuration of AHPBA indicated that small (2S,3S)-derivatives, composed of the regions between the P3 and P2' sites, showed enough inhibitory activity toward HIV-1 PR to become prototypes for further structural modification. Systematic replacement at the sites from P3 to P2' revealed that some bicyclic heteroarylcarbonyl derivatives possessed strong potency and good enzyme selectivity.

Investigating the stereochemistry of binding to HIV-1 protease with inhibitors containing isomers of 4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid

A series of inhibitors containing all possible isomers of 4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid was synthesized and tested for inhibition of HIV-1 protease. Incorporation of the (3S,4S) isomer of the t-butyloxycarbonyl protected amino acid into the sequence Glu-Phe resulted in a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 protease (Ki = 63 nM). This inhibitor is at least 47-times more potent than the inhibitors containing other isomers of 4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid, indicating that the (3S,4S) isomer is the preferred isomer for binding to HIV-1 protease.