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Delgado R, Vishwakarma J, Moghadasi SA, Otsuka Y, Shumate J, Cuell A, Tansiongco M, Cooley CB, Chen Y, Dabrowska A, Basu R, Anindita PD, Luo D, Dosa PI, Harki DA, Bannister T, Scampavia L, Spicer TP, Harris RS. SARS-CoV-2 M pro inhibitor identification using a cellular gain-of-signal assay for high-throughput screening. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2024:100181. [PMID: 39173830 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2024.100181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, SARS2) is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic and infections that continue to affect the lives of millions of people worldwide, especially those who are older and/or immunocompromised. The SARS2 main protease enzyme, Mpro (also called 3C-like protease, 3CLpro), is a bona fide drug target as evidenced by potent inhibition with nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir, the active components of the drugs Paxlovid and Xocova, respectively. However, the existence of nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir-resistant isolates underscores the need to develop next-generation drugs with different resistance profiles and/or distinct mechanisms of action. Here, we report the results of a high-throughput screen of 649,568 compounds using a cellular gain-of-signal assay. In this assay, Mpro inhibits expression of a luciferase reporter, and 8,777 small molecules were considered hits by causing a gain in luciferase activity 3x SD above the sample field activity (6.8% gain-of-signal relative to 100 µM GC376). Single concentration and dose-response gain-of-signal experiments confirmed 3,522/8,762 compounds as candidate inhibitors. In parallel, all initial high-throughput screening hits were tested in a peptide cleavage assay with purified Mpro and only 39/8,762 showed inhibition. Importantly, 19/39 compounds (49%) re-tested positive in both SARS2 assays, including two previously reported Mpro inhibitors, demonstrating the efficacy of the overall screening strategy. This approach led to the rediscovery of known Mpro inhibitors such as calpain inhibitor II, as well as to the discovery of novel compounds that provide chemical information for future drug development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Delgado
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jyoti Vishwakarma
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Seyed Arad Moghadasi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yuka Otsuka
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Justin Shumate
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ashley Cuell
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Megan Tansiongco
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Chemistry, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | | | - Yanjun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Agnieszka Dabrowska
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Rahul Basu
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Paulina Duhita Anindita
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 308232, Singapore; Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Dahai Luo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 308232, Singapore; Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Peter I Dosa
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Daniel A Harki
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Thomas Bannister
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Louis Scampavia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Timothy P Spicer
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Reuben S Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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Oneto A, Hamwi GA, Schäkel L, Krüger N, Sylvester K, Petry M, Shamleh RA, Pillaiyar T, Claff T, Schiedel AC, Sträter N, Gütschow M, Müller CE. Nonpeptidic Irreversible Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease with Potent Antiviral Activity. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 39146284 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infections pose a high risk for vulnerable patients. In this study, we designed benzoic acid halopyridyl esters bearing a variety of substituents as irreversible inhibitors of the main viral protease (Mpro). Altogether, 55 benzoyl chloro/bromo-pyridyl esters were synthesized, with broad variation of the substitution pattern on the benzoyl moiety. A workflow was employed for multiparametric optimization, including Mpro inhibition assays of SARS-CoV-2 and related pathogenic coronaviruses, the duration of enzyme inhibition, the compounds' stability versus glutathione, cytotoxicity, and antiviral activity. Several compounds showed IC50 values in the low nanomolar range, kinact/Ki values of >100,000 M-1 s-1 and high antiviral activity. High-resolution X-ray cocrystal structures indicated an important role of ortho-fluorobenzoyl substitution, forming a water network that stabilizes the inhibitor-bound enzyme. The most potent antiviral compound was the p-ethoxy-o-fluorobenzoyl chloropyridyl ester (PSB-21110, 29b, MW 296 g/mol; EC50 2.68 nM), which may serve as a lead structure for broad-spectrum anticoronaviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Oneto
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Ghazl Al Hamwi
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Laura Schäkel
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Platform Infection Models, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Katharina Sylvester
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Marvin Petry
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Rasha Abu Shamleh
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Tobias Claff
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Anke C Schiedel
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Norbert Sträter
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Christa E Müller
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Brühler Straße 7, Bonn D-53121, Germany
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Faizan M, Kumar R, Mazumder A, Salahuddin, Kukreti N, Kumar A, Chaitanya MVNL. The medicinal chemistry of piperazines: A review. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14537. [PMID: 38888058 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The versatile basic structure of piperazine allows for the development and production of newer bioactive molecules that can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Piperazine derivatives are unique and can easily be modified for the desired pharmacological activity. The two opposing nitrogen atoms in a six-membered piperazine ring offer a large polar surface area, relative structural rigidity, and more acceptors and donors of hydrogen bonds. These properties frequently result in greater water solubility, oral bioavailability, and ADME characteristics, as well as improved target affinity and specificity. Various synthetic protocols have been reported for piperazine and its derivatives. In this review, we focused on recently published synthetic protocols for the synthesis of the piperazine and its derivatives. The structure-activity relationship concerning different biological activities of various piperazine-containing drugs has also been highlighted to provide a good understanding to researchers for future research on piperazines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Faizan
- Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida, India
| | - Rajnish Kumar
- Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida, India
| | - Avijit Mazumder
- Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida, India
| | - Salahuddin
- Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida, India
| | - Neelima Kukreti
- School of Pharmacy, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, India
| | - Arvind Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, India
| | - M V N L Chaitanya
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India
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Xiao YQ, Long J, Zhang SS, Zhu YY, Gu SX. Non-peptidic inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease: A review. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107380. [PMID: 38636432 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107380] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to global health, and sounds the alarm for research & development of effective anti-coronavirus drugs, which are crucial for the patients and urgently needed for the current epidemic and future crisis. The main protease (Mpro) stands as an essential enzyme in the maturation process of SARS-CoV-2, playing an irreplaceable role in regulating viral RNA replication and transcription. It has emerged as an ideal target for developing antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 due to its high conservation and the absence of homologous proteases in the human body. Among the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors, non-peptidic compounds hold promising prospects owing to their excellent antiviral activity and improved metabolic stability. In this review, we offer an overview of research progress concerning non-peptidic SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors since 2020. The efforts delved into molecular structures, structure-activity relationships (SARs), biological activity, and binding modes of these inhibitors with Mpro. This review aims to provide valuable clues and insights for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents as well as broad-spectrum coronavirus Mpro inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qi Xiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Jiao Long
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Shuang-Shuang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
| | - Yuan-Yuan Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
| | - Shuang-Xi Gu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China.
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5
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Desantis J, Bazzacco A, Eleuteri M, Tuci S, Bianconi E, Macchiarulo A, Mercorelli B, Loregian A, Goracci L. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of first-in-class indomethacin-based PROTACs degrading SARS-CoV-2 main protease and with broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116202. [PMID: 38394929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116202] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
To date, Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology has been successfully applied to mediate proteasomal-induced degradation of several pharmaceutical targets mainly related to oncology, immune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. On the other hand, its exploitation in the field of antiviral drug discovery is still in its infancy. Recently, we described two indomethacin (INM)-based PROTACs displaying broad-spectrum antiviral activity against coronaviruses. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a novel series of INM-based PROTACs that recruit either Von-Hippel Lindau (VHL) or cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligases. The panel of INM-based PROTACs was also enlarged by varying the linker moiety. The antiviral activity resulted very susceptible to this modification, particularly for PROTACs hijacking VHL as E3 ligase, with one piperazine-based compound (PROTAC 6) showing potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in infected human lung cells. Interestingly, degradation assays in both uninfected and virus-infected cells with the most promising PROTACs emerged so far (PROTACs 5 and 6) demonstrated that INM-PROTACs do not degrade human PGES-2 protein, as initially hypothesized, but induce the concentration-dependent degradation of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) both in Mpro-transfected and in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. Importantly, thanks to the target degradation, INM-PROTACs exhibited a considerable enhancement in antiviral activity with respect to indomethacin, with EC50 values in the low-micromolar/nanomolar range. Finally, kinetic solubility as well as metabolic and chemical stability were measured for PROTACs 5 and 6. Altogether, the identification of INM-based PROTACs as the first class of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro degraders demonstrating activity also in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells represents a significant advance in the development of effective, broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Desantis
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Michela Eleuteri
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Italy
| | - Sara Tuci
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Elisa Bianconi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Italy
| | | | | | - Arianna Loregian
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Laura Goracci
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Italy.
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