1
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Chakraborty A, Ghosh R, Soumya Mohapatra S, Barik S, Biswas A, Chowdhuri S. Repurposing of antimycobacterium drugs for COVID-19 treatment by targeting SARS CoV-2 main protease: An in-silico perspective. Gene 2024; 922:148553. [PMID: 38734190 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148553] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The global mortality rate has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus. Although the pursuit for a potent antiviral is still in progress, experimental therapies based on repurposing of existing drugs is being attempted. One important therapeutic target for COVID-19 is the main protease (Mpro) that cleaves the viral polyprotein in its replication process. Recently minocycline, an antimycobacterium drug, has been successfully implemented for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. But it's mode of action is still far from clear. Furthermore, it remains unresolved whether alternative antimycobacterium drugs can effectively regulate SARS CoV-2 by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of Mpro. To comprehend these facets, eight well-established antimycobacterium drugs were put through molecular docking experiments. Four of the antimycobacterium drugs (minocycline, rifampicin, clofazimine and ofloxacin) were selected by comparing their binding affinities towards Mpro. All of the four drugs interacted with both the catalytic residues of Mpro (His41 and Cys145). Additionally, molecular dynamics experiments demonstrated that the Mpro-minocyline complex has enhanced stability, experiences reduced conformational fluctuations and greater compactness than other three Mpro-antimycobacterium and Mpro-N3/lopinavir complexes. This research furnishes evidences for implementation of minocycline against SARS CoV-2. In addition, our findings also indicate other three antimycobacterium/antituberculosis drugs (rifampicin, clofazimine and ofloxacin) could potentially be evaluated for COVID-19 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayon Chakraborty
- University Institute of Biotechnology, University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Rajesh Ghosh
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | | | - Subhashree Barik
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ashis Biswas
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Snehasis Chowdhuri
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India.
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2
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Fomina AD, Uvarova VI, Kozlovskaya LI, Palyulin VA, Osolodkin DI, Ishmukhametov AA. Ensemble docking based virtual screening of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. Mol Inform 2024:e202300279. [PMID: 38973780 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202300279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
During the first years of COVID-19 pandemic, X-ray structures of the coronavirus drug targets were acquired at an unprecedented rate, giving hundreds of PDB depositions in less than a year. The main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the primary validated target of direct-acting antivirals. The selection of the optimal ensemble of structures of Mpro for the docking-driven virtual screening campaign was thus non-trivial and required a systematic and automated approach. Here we report a semi-automated active site RMSD based procedure of ensemble selection from the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro crystallographic data and virtual screening of its inhibitors. The procedure was compared with other approaches to ensemble selection and validated with the help of hand-picked and peer-reviewed activity-annotated libraries. Prospective virtual screening of non-covalent Mpro inhibitors resulted in a new chemotype of thienopyrimidinone derivatives with experimentally confirmed enzyme inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia D Fomina
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria I Uvarova
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819, Moscow, Russia
| | - Liubov I Kozlovskaya
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir A Palyulin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry I Osolodkin
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aydar A Ishmukhametov
- FSASI "Chumakov FSC R&D IBP RAS" (Institute of Poliomyelitis), 108819, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
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3
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Chan JFW, Yuan S, Chu H, Sridhar S, Yuen KY. COVID-19 drug discovery and treatment options. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:391-407. [PMID: 38622352 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01036-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused substantial morbidity and mortality, and serious social and economic disruptions worldwide. Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated older individuals with underlying diseases are especially prone to severe disease. In patients with non-fatal disease, long COVID affecting multiple body systems may persist for months. Unlike SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which have either been mitigated or remained geographically restricted, SARS-CoV-2 has disseminated globally and is likely to continue circulating in humans with possible emergence of new variants that may render vaccines less effective. Thus, safe, effective and readily available COVID-19 therapeutics are urgently needed. In this Review, we summarize the major drug discovery approaches, preclinical antiviral evaluation models, representative virus-targeting and host-targeting therapeutic options, and key therapeutics currently in clinical use for COVID-19. Preparedness against future coronavirus pandemics relies not only on effective vaccines but also on broad-spectrum antivirals targeting conserved viral components or universal host targets, and new therapeutics that can precisely modulate the immune response during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Siddharth Sridhar
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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4
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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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Shin JS, Jang Y, Kim DS, Jung E, Lee MK, Kim B, Ahn S, Shin Y, Jang SS, Yun CS, Yoo J, Lim YC, Han SB, Kim M. Inhibition of endocytic uptake of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and endo-lysosomal acidification by diphenoxylate. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0034124. [PMID: 38742905 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00341-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell culture-based screening of a chemical library identified diphenoxylate as an antiviral agent against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The observed 50% effective concentrations ranged between 1.4 and 4.9 µM against the original wild-type strain and its variants. Time-of-addition experiments indicated that diphenoxylate is an entry blocker targeting a host factor involved in viral infection. Fluorescence microscopic analysis visualized that diphenoxylate prevented SARS-CoV-2 particles from penetrating the cell membrane and also impaired endo-lysosomal acidification. Diphenoxylate exhibited a synergistic inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 infection in human lung epithelial Calu-3 cells when combined with a transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) inhibitor, nafamostat. This synergy suggested that efficient antiviral activity is achieved by blocking both TMPRSS2-mediated early and endosome-mediated late SARS-CoV-2 entry pathways. The antiviral efficacy of diphenoxylate against SARS-CoV-2 was reproducible in a human tonsil organoids system. In a transgenic mouse model expressing the obligate SARS-CoV-2 receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, intranasal administration of diphenoxylate (10 mg/kg/day) significantly reduced the viral RNA copy number in the lungs by 70% on day 3. This study underscores that diphenoxylate represents a promising core scaffold, warranting further exploration for chemical modifications aimed at developing a new class of clinically effective antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Soo Shin
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yejin Jang
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Su Kim
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunhye Jung
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung Kyu Lee
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungil Kim
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunjoo Ahn
- Therapeutics and Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonju Shin
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Su San Jang
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Soo Yun
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongman Yoo
- CHA Organoid Research Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Chang Lim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Research Institute, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bong Han
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Meehyein Kim
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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6
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Papini C, Ullah I, Ranjan AP, Zhang S, Wu Q, Spasov KA, Zhang C, Mothes W, Crawford JM, Lindenbach BD, Uchil PD, Kumar P, Jorgensen WL, Anderson KS. Proof-of-concept studies with a computationally designed M pro inhibitor as a synergistic combination regimen alternative to Paxlovid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320713121. [PMID: 38621119 PMCID: PMC11046628 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320713121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to spread and mutate, it remains important to focus not only on preventing spread through vaccination but also on treating infection with direct-acting antivirals (DAA). The approval of Paxlovid, a SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) DAA, has been significant for treatment of patients. A limitation of this DAA, however, is that the antiviral component, nirmatrelvir, is rapidly metabolized and requires inclusion of a CYP450 3A4 metabolic inhibitor, ritonavir, to boost levels of the active drug. Serious drug-drug interactions can occur with Paxlovid for patients who are also taking other medications metabolized by CYP4503A4, particularly transplant or otherwise immunocompromised patients who are most at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe symptoms. Developing an alternative antiviral with improved pharmacological properties is critical for treatment of these patients. By using a computational and structure-guided approach, we were able to optimize a 100 to 250 μM screening hit to a potent nanomolar inhibitor and lead compound, Mpro61. In this study, we further evaluate Mpro61 as a lead compound, starting with examination of its mode of binding to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In vitro pharmacological profiling established a lack of off-target effects, particularly CYP450 3A4 inhibition, as well as potential for synergy with the currently approved alternate antiviral, molnupiravir. Development and subsequent testing of a capsule formulation for oral dosing of Mpro61 in B6-K18-hACE2 mice demonstrated favorable pharmacological properties, efficacy, and synergy with molnupiravir, and complete recovery from subsequent challenge by SARS-CoV-2, establishing Mpro61 as a promising potential preclinical candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Papini
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Irfan Ullah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Amalendu P. Ranjan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX76107
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Qihao Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8107
| | - Krasimir A. Spasov
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Chunhui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8107
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | | | - Brett D. Lindenbach
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Pradeep D. Uchil
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Priti Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | | | - Karen S. Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
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7
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Fan Z, Pavlova A, Jenkins MC, Bassit L, Salman M, Lynch DL, Patel D, Korablyov M, Finn MG, Schinazi RF, Gumbart JC. Biophysics-Guided Lead Discovery of HBV Capsid Assembly Modifiers. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1162-1173. [PMID: 38564659 PMCID: PMC11019538 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of chronic liver pathologies worldwide. HBV nucleocapsid, a key structural component, is formed through the self-assembly of the capsid protein units. Therefore, interfering with the self-assembly process is a promising approach for the development of novel antiviral agents. Applied to HBV, this approach has led to several classes of capsid assembly modulators (CAMs). Here, we report structurally novel CAMs with moderate activity and low toxicity, discovered through a biophysics-guided approach combining docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and a series of assays with a particular emphasis on biophysical experiments. Several of the identified compounds induce the formation of aberrant capsids and inhibit HBV DNA replication in vitro, suggesting that they possess modest capsid assembly modulation effects. The synergistic computational and experimental approaches provided key insights that facilitated the identification of compounds with promising activities. The discovery of preclinical CAMs presents opportunities for subsequent optimization efforts, thereby opening new avenues for HBV inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Fan
- Interdisciplinary
Bioengineering Graduate Program, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Anna Pavlova
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Matthew C. Jenkins
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Leda Bassit
- Center
for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology,
Department of Pediatrics, Emory University
School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Mohammad Salman
- Center
for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology,
Department of Pediatrics, Emory University
School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Diane L. Lynch
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Dharmeshkumar Patel
- Center
for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology,
Department of Pediatrics, Emory University
School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Maksym Korablyov
- MIT
Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - M. G. Finn
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Raymond F. Schinazi
- Center
for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology,
Department of Pediatrics, Emory University
School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - James C. Gumbart
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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8
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Mao J, Wang J, Zeb A, Cho KH, Jin H, Kim J, Lee O, Wang Y, No KT. Transformer-Based Molecular Generative Model for Antiviral Drug Design. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:2733-2745. [PMID: 37366644 PMCID: PMC11005037 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Since the Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System (SMILES) is oriented to the atomic-level representation of molecules and is not friendly in terms of human readability and editable, however, IUPAC is the closest to natural language and is very friendly in terms of human-oriented readability and performing molecular editing, we can manipulate IUPAC to generate corresponding new molecules and produce programming-friendly molecular forms of SMILES. In addition, antiviral drug design, especially analogue-based drug design, is also more appropriate to edit and design directly from the functional group level of IUPAC than from the atomic level of SMILES, since designing analogues involves altering the R group only, which is closer to the knowledge-based molecular design of a chemist. Herein, we present a novel data-driven self-supervised pretraining generative model called "TransAntivirus" to make select-and-replace edits and convert organic molecules into the desired properties for design of antiviral candidate analogues. The results indicated that TransAntivirus is significantly superior to the control models in terms of novelty, validity, uniqueness, and diversity. TransAntivirus showed excellent performance in the design and optimization of nucleoside and non-nucleoside analogues by chemical space analysis and property prediction analysis. Furthermore, to validate the applicability of TransAntivirus in the design of antiviral drugs, we conducted two case studies on the design of nucleoside analogues and non-nucleoside analogues and screened four candidate lead compounds against anticoronavirus disease (COVID-19). Finally, we recommend this framework for accelerating antiviral drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiashun Mao
- The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Biotechnology and
Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Jianmin Wang
- The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Biotechnology and
Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Amir Zeb
- Faculty
of Natural and Basic Sciences, University
of Turbat, Balochistan 92600, Pakistan
| | - Kwang-Hwi Cho
- School
of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil
University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyan Jin
- The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Biotechnology and
Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongwan Kim
- Department
of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Bioinformatics
and Molecular Design Research Center (BMDRC), Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Onju Lee
- The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Biotechnology and
Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunyun Wang
- School
of Pharmacy and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and
Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Kyoung Tai No
- The
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Biotechnology and
Translational Medicine, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
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9
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Grifagni D, Lenci E, De Santis A, Orsetti A, Barracchia CG, Tedesco F, Bellini Puglielli R, Lucarelli F, Lauriola A, Assfalg M, Cantini F, Calderone V, Guardavaccaro D, Trabocchi A, D’Onofrio M, Ciofi-Baffoni S. Development of a GC-376 Based Peptidomimetic PROTAC as a Degrader of 3-Chymotrypsin-like Protease of SARS-CoV-2. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:250-257. [PMID: 38352832 PMCID: PMC10860180 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
We have applied a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to obtain a peptidomimetic molecule able to trigger the degradation of SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLPro). The PROTAC molecule was designed by conjugating a GC-376 based dipeptidyl 3CLPro ligand to a pomalidomide moiety through a piperazine-piperidine linker. NMR and crystallographic data complemented with enzymatic and cellular studies showed that (i) the dipeptidyl moiety of PROTAC binds to the active site of the dimeric state of SARS-CoV-2 3CLPro forming a reversible covalent bond with the sulfur atom of catalytic Cys145, (ii) the linker and the pomalidomide cereblon-ligand of PROTAC protrude from the protein, displaying a high degree of flexibility and no interactions with other regions of the protein, and (iii) PROTAC reduces the protein levels of SARS-CoV-2 3CLPro in cultured cells. This study paves the way for the future applicability of peptidomimetic PROTACs to tackle 3CLPro-dependent viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Grifagni
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Lenci
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessia De Santis
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Andrea Orsetti
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Filomena Tedesco
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Raffaele Bellini Puglielli
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Lucarelli
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Lauriola
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Michael Assfalg
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Francesca Cantini
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Vito Calderone
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Daniele Guardavaccaro
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Andrea Trabocchi
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Mariapina D’Onofrio
- Department
of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Simone Ciofi-Baffoni
- Magnetic
Resonance Center CERM, University of Florence, Via Luigi Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- Consorzio
Interuniversitario Risonanze Magnetiche di Metalloproteine (CIRMMP), Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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10
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Sulimov AV, Ilin IS, Tashchilova AS, Kondakova OA, Kutov DC, Sulimov VB. Docking and other computing tools in drug design against SARS-CoV-2. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 35:91-136. [PMID: 38353209 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2024.2306336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The use of computer simulation methods has become an indispensable component in identifying drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. There is a huge body of literature on application of molecular modelling to predict inhibitors against target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. To keep our review clear and readable, we limited ourselves primarily to works that use computational methods to find inhibitors and test the predicted compounds experimentally either in target protein assays or in cell culture with live SARS-CoV-2. Some works containing results of experimental discovery of corresponding inhibitors without using computer modelling are included as examples of a success. Also, some computational works without experimental confirmations are also included if they attract our attention either by simulation methods or by databases used. This review collects studies that use various molecular modelling methods: docking, molecular dynamics, quantum mechanics, machine learning, and others. Most of these studies are based on docking, and other methods are used mainly for post-processing to select the best compounds among those found through docking. Simulation methods are presented concisely, information is also provided on databases of organic compounds that can be useful for virtual screening, and the review itself is structured in accordance with coronavirus target proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - I S Ilin
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Tashchilova
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - O A Kondakova
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - D C Kutov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - V B Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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11
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Janin YL. On the origins of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:81-118. [PMID: 38283212 PMCID: PMC10809347 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00493g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to address the world-wide health challenge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3CL protease/SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2-Mpro) coded by its nsp5 gene became one of the biochemical targets for the design of antiviral drugs. In less than 3 years of research, 4 inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2-Mpro have actually been authorized for COVID-19 treatment (nirmatrelvir, ensitrelvir, leritrelvir and simnotrelvir) and more such as EDP-235, FB-2001 and STI-1558/Olgotrelvir or five undisclosed compounds (CDI-988, ASC11, ALG-097558, QLS1128 and H-10517) are undergoing clinical trials. This review is an attempt to picture this quite unprecedented medicinal chemistry feat and provide insights on how these cysteine protease inhibitors were discovered. Since many series of covalent SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors owe some of their origins to previous work on other proteases, we first provided a description of various inhibitors of cysteine-bearing human caspase-1 or cathepsin K, as well as inhibitors of serine proteases such as human dipeptidyl peptidase-4 or the hepatitis C protein complex NS3/4A. This is then followed by a description of the results of the approaches adopted (repurposing, structure-based and high throughput screening) to discover coronavirus main protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves L Janin
- Structure et Instabilité des Génomes (StrInG), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, INSERM, CNRS, Alliance Sorbonne Université 75005 Paris France
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12
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Tian L, Qiang T, Yang X, Gao Y, Zhai X, Kang K, Du C, Lu Q, Gao H, Zhang D, Xie X, Liang C. Development of de-novo coronavirus 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL pro) inhibitors since COVID-19 outbreak: A strategy to tackle challenges of persistent virus infection. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115979. [PMID: 38048696 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115979] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Although no longer a public health emergency of international concern, COVID-19 remains a persistent and critical health concern. The development of effective antiviral drugs could serve as the ultimate piece of the puzzle to curbing this global crisis. 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), with its substrate specificity mirroring that of the main picornavirus 3C protease and conserved across various coronaviruses, emerges as an ideal candidate for broad-spectrum antiviral drug development. Moreover, it holds the potential as a reliable contingency option to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this light, the approved drugs, promising candidates, and de-novo small molecule therapeutics targeting 3CLpro since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 are discussed. Emphasizing the significance of diverse structural characteristics in inhibitors, be they peptidomimetic or nonpeptidic, with a shared mission to minimize the risk of cross-resistance. Moreover, the authors propose an innovative optimization strategy for 3CLpro reversible covalent PROTACs, optimizing pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics to better prepare for potential future viral outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Tian
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Taotao Qiang
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China.
| | - Xiuding Yang
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Yue Gao
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511436, PR China
| | - Xiaopei Zhai
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, PR China
| | - Kairui Kang
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Cong Du
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Qi Lu
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Hong Gao
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; Shaanxi Pioneer Biotech Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710021, PR China
| | - Dezhu Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; Shaanxi Panlong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710025, PR China
| | - Xiaolin Xie
- Shaanxi Panlong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710025, PR China
| | - Chengyuan Liang
- Key Laboratory for Antiviral and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Research of Xi'an, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China; School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, PR China.
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13
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Razzaq A, Disoma C, Zhou Y, Tao S, Chen Z, Liu S, Zheng R, Zhang Y, Liao Y, Chen X, Liu S, Dong Z, Xu L, Deng X, Li S, Xia Z. Targeting epidermal growth factor receptor signalling pathway: A promising therapeutic option for COVID-19. Rev Med Virol 2024; 34:e2500. [PMID: 38126937 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2500] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is continuously producing new variants, necessitating effective therapeutics. Patients are not only confronted by the immediate symptoms of infection but also by the long-term health issues linked to long COVID-19. Activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling during SARS-CoV-2 infection promotes virus propagation, mucus hyperproduction, and pulmonary fibrosis, and suppresses the host's antiviral response. Over the long term, EGFR activation in COVID-19, particularly in COVID-19-induced pulmonary fibrosis, may be linked to the development of lung cancer. In this review, we have summarised the significance of EGFR signalling in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also discussed the targeting of EGFR signalling as a promising strategy for COVID-19 treatment and highlighted erlotinib as a superior option among EGFR inhibitors. Erlotinib effectively blocks EGFR and AAK1, thereby preventing SARS-CoV-2 replication, reducing mucus hyperproduction, TNF-α expression, and enhancing the host's antiviral response. Nevertheless, to evaluate the antiviral efficacy of erlotinib, relevant clinical trials involving an appropriate patient population should be designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aroona Razzaq
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Cyrollah Disoma
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Mindanao State University, Marawi City, Philippines
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Siyi Tao
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zongpeng Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Sixu Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Rong Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongxing Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yujie Liao
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Sijie Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zijun Dong
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liangtao Xu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xu Deng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shanni Li
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zanxian Xia
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
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14
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Song L, Gao S, Ye B, Yang M, Cheng Y, Kang D, Yi F, Sun JP, Menéndez-Arias L, Neyts J, Liu X, Zhan P. Medicinal chemistry strategies towards the development of non-covalent SARS-CoV-2 M pro inhibitors. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:87-109. [PMID: 38239241 PMCID: PMC10792984 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an attractive target in anti-COVID-19 therapy for its high conservation and major role in the virus life cycle. The covalent Mpro inhibitor nirmatrelvir (in combination with ritonavir, a pharmacokinetic enhancer) and the non-covalent inhibitor ensitrelvir have shown efficacy in clinical trials and have been approved for therapeutic use. Effective antiviral drugs are needed to fight the pandemic, while non-covalent Mpro inhibitors could be promising alternatives due to their high selectivity and favorable druggability. Numerous non-covalent Mpro inhibitors with desirable properties have been developed based on available crystal structures of Mpro. In this article, we describe medicinal chemistry strategies applied for the discovery and optimization of non-covalent Mpro inhibitors, followed by a general overview and critical analysis of the available information. Prospective viewpoints and insights into current strategies for the development of non-covalent Mpro inhibitors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letian Song
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Shenghua Gao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Bing Ye
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Mianling Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yusen Cheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Dongwei Kang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Fan Yi
- The Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Shandong Province, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jin-Peng Sun
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Luis Menéndez-Arias
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Autonomous University of Madrid), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
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15
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Kumar A, Hooda P, Puri A, Khatter R, S. Al-Dosari M, Sinha N, Parvez MK, Sehgal D. Methotrexate, an anti-inflammatory drug, inhibits Hepatitis E viral replication. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:2280500. [PMID: 37975328 PMCID: PMC11003484 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2023.2280500] [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: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is a positively oriented RNA virus having a 7.2 kb genome. HEV consists of three open reading frames (ORF1-3). Of these, ORF1 codes for the enzymes Methyltransferase (Mtase), Papain-like cysteine protease (PCP), RNA helicase, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Unavailability of a vaccine or effective drug against HEV and considering the side effects associated with the off-label use of ribavirin (RBV) and pegylated interferons, an alternative approach is required by the modulation of specific enzymes to prevent the infection. HEV helicase is involved in unwinding the double-stranded RNA, RNA processing, transcriptional regulation, and pre-mRNA processing. Therefore, we screened FDA-approved compounds from the ZINC15 database against the modelled 3D structure of HEV helicase and found that methotrexate and compound A (Pubchem ID BTB07890) inhibit the NTPase and dsRNA unwinding activity leading to inhibition of HEV RNA replication. This may be further authenticated by in vivo study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Kumar
- Department of Life Sciences, Virology lab, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Preeti Hooda
- Department of Life Sciences, Virology lab, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Anindita Puri
- Department of Life Sciences, Virology lab, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Radhika Khatter
- Department of Life Sciences, Virology lab, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Mohammed S. Al-Dosari
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Neha Sinha
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mohammad K. Parvez
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Deepak Sehgal
- Department of Life Sciences, Virology lab, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
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16
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Halip L, Avram S, Curpan R, Borota A, Bora A, Bologa C, Oprea TI. Exploring DrugCentral: from molecular structures to clinical effects. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:681-694. [PMID: 37707619 PMCID: PMC10692006 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00529-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
DrugCentral, accessible at https://drugcentral.org , is an open-access online drug information repository. It covers over 4950 drugs, incorporating structural, physicochemical, and pharmacological details to support drug discovery, development, and repositioning. With around 20,000 bioactivity data points, manual curation enhances information from several major digital sources. Approximately 724 mechanism-of-action (MoA) targets offer updated drug target insights. The platform captures clinical data: over 14,300 on- and off-label uses, 27,000 contraindications, and around 340,000 adverse drug events from pharmacovigilance reports. DrugCentral encompasses information from molecular structures to marketed formulations, providing a comprehensive pharmaceutical reference. Users can easily navigate basic drug information and key features, making DrugCentral a versatile, unique resource. Furthermore, we present a use-case example where we utilize experimentally determined data from DrugCentral to support drug repurposing. A minimum activity threshold t should be considered against novel targets to repurpose a drug. Analyzing 1156 bioactivities for human MoA targets suggests a general threshold of 1 µM: t = 6 when expressed as - log[Activity(M)]). This applies to 87% of the drugs. Moreover, t can be refined empirically based on water solubility (S): t = 3 - logS, for logS < - 3. Alongside the drug repurposing classification scheme, which considers intellectual property rights, market exclusivity protections, and market accessibility, DrugCentral provides valuable data to prioritize candidates for drug repurposing programs efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Halip
- Department of Computational Chemistry, "Coriolan Dragulescu" Institute of Chemistry, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Sorin Avram
- Department of Computational Chemistry, "Coriolan Dragulescu" Institute of Chemistry, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ramona Curpan
- Department of Computational Chemistry, "Coriolan Dragulescu" Institute of Chemistry, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ana Borota
- Department of Computational Chemistry, "Coriolan Dragulescu" Institute of Chemistry, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alina Bora
- Department of Computational Chemistry, "Coriolan Dragulescu" Institute of Chemistry, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Cristian Bologa
- Translational Informatics Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Tudor I Oprea
- Translational Informatics Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
- Expert Systems Inc, San Diego, CA, USA.
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17
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Saar A, Ghahremanpour MM, Tirado-Rives J, Jorgensen WL. Assessing Metadynamics and Docking for Absolute Binding Free Energy Calculations Using Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Main Protease Inhibitors. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7210-7218. [PMID: 37934762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Absolute binding free energy (ABFE) calculations can be an important part of the drug discovery process by identifying molecules that have the potential to be strong binders for a biomolecular target. Recent work has used free energy perturbation (FEP) theory for these calculations, focusing on a set of 16 inhibitors of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease (Mpro). Herein, the same data set is evaluated by metadynamics (MetaD), four different docking programs, and molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation. MetaD yields a Kendall τ distance of 0.28 and Pearson r2 of 0.49, which reflect somewhat less accuracy than that from the ABFE FEP results. Notably, it is demonstrated that an ensemble docking protocol by which each ligand is docked into the 13 crystal structures in this data set provides improved performance, particularly when docking is carried out with Glide XP (Kendall τ distance = 0.20, Pearson r2 = 0.71), Glide SP (Kendall τ distance = 0.19, Pearson r2 = 0.66), or AutoDock 4 (Kendall τ distance = 0.21, Pearson r2 = 0.55). The best results are obtained with "superconsensus" docking by averaging the 52 results for each compound using the 4 docking protocols and all 13 crystal structures (Kendall τ distance = 0.18, Pearson r2 = 0.73).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Saar
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | | | - Julian Tirado-Rives
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - William L Jorgensen
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
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18
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Fischhuber K, Bánki Z, Kimpel J, Kragl N, Rössler A, Bolze A, Muellauer B, Angerer J, Nagy G, Nagy E, Szijarto V. Antiviral Potential of Azelastine against Major Respiratory Viruses. Viruses 2023; 15:2300. [PMID: 38140540 PMCID: PMC10747764 DOI: 10.3390/v15122300] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the subsequent increase in respiratory viral infections highlight the need for broad-spectrum antivirals to enable a quick and efficient reaction to current and emerging viral outbreaks. We previously demonstrated that the antihistamine azelastine hydrochloride (azelastine-HCl) exhibited in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, in a phase 2 clinical study, a commercial azelastine-containing nasal spray significantly reduced the viral load in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of azelastine-HCl against additional human coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant and a seasonal human coronavirus, 229E, through in vitro infection assays, with azelastine showing a comparable potency against both. Furthermore, we determined that azelastine-HCl also inhibits the replication of Respiratory syncytial virus A (RSV A) in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings. In a human 3D nasal tissue model (MucilAirTM-Pool, Epithelix), azelastine-HCl protected tissue integrity and function from the effects of infection with influenza A H1N1 and resulted in a reduced viral load soon after infection. Our results suggest that azelastine-HCl has a broad antiviral effect and can be considered a safe option against the most common respiratory viruses to prevent or treat such infections locally in the form of a nasal spray that is commonly available globally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zoltán Bánki
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (Z.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Janine Kimpel
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (Z.B.); (A.B.)
| | | | - Annika Rössler
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (Z.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Annika Bolze
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (Z.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Brigitte Muellauer
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (Z.B.); (A.B.)
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19
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Fisher CR, Mba Medie F, Luu RJ, Gaibler RB, Mulhern TJ, Miller CR, Zhang CJ, Rubio LD, Marr EE, Vijayakumar V, Gabriel EP, Lopez Quezada L, Zhang CH, Anderson KS, Jorgensen WL, Alladina JW, Medoff BD, Borenstein JT, Gard AL. A High-Throughput, High-Containment Human Primary Epithelial Airway Organ-on-Chip Platform for SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutic Screening. Cells 2023; 12:2639. [PMID: 37998374 PMCID: PMC10669988 DOI: 10.3390/cells12222639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 emerged as a worldwide pandemic in early 2020, and while the rapid development of safe and efficacious vaccines stands as an extraordinary achievement, the identification of effective therapeutics has been less successful. This process has been limited in part by a lack of human-relevant preclinical models compatible with therapeutic screening on the native virus, which requires a high-containment environment. Here, we report SARS-CoV-2 infection and robust viral replication in PREDICT96-ALI, a high-throughput, human primary cell-based organ-on-chip platform. We evaluate unique infection kinetic profiles across lung tissue from three human donors by immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, and plaque assays over a 6-day infection period. Enabled by the 96 devices/plate throughput of PREDICT96-ALI, we also investigate the efficacy of Remdesivir and MPro61 in a proof-of-concept antiviral study. Both compounds exhibit an antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2 in the platform. This demonstration of SARS-CoV-2 infection and antiviral dosing in a high-throughput organ-on-chip platform presents a critical capability for disease modeling and therapeutic screening applications in a human physiology-relevant in vitro system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R. Fisher
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Felix Mba Medie
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Rebeccah J. Luu
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Robert B. Gaibler
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Thomas J. Mulhern
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Caitlin R. Miller
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Chelsea J. Zhang
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Logan D. Rubio
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Elizabeth E. Marr
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Vidhya Vijayakumar
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Elizabeth P. Gabriel
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Landys Lopez Quezada
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Chun-Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA (W.L.J.)
| | - Karen S. Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | | - Jehan W. Alladina
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (J.W.A.); (B.D.M.)
| | - Benjamin D. Medoff
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (J.W.A.); (B.D.M.)
| | - Jeffrey T. Borenstein
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
| | - Ashley L. Gard
- Bioengineering Division, Draper, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; (C.R.F.); (F.M.M.); (R.J.L.); (R.B.G.); (T.J.M.); (V.V.); (E.P.G.); (L.L.Q.); (J.T.B.)
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20
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Li X, Song Y. Structure and function of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 main proteases and their inhibition: A comprehensive review. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115772. [PMID: 37659195 PMCID: PMC10529944 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) identified in 2003 infected ∼8000 people in 26 countries with 800 deaths, which was soon contained and eradicated by syndromic surveillance and enhanced quarantine. A closely related coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 identified in 2019, has been dramatically more contagious and catastrophic. It has infected and caused various flu-like symptoms of billions of people in >200 countries, including >6 million people died of or with the virus. Despite the availability of several vaccines and antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2, finding new therapeutics is needed because of viral evolution and a possible emerging coronavirus in the future. The main protease (Mpro) of these coronaviruses plays important roles in their life cycle and is essential for the viral replication. This article represents a comprehensive review of the function, structure and inhibition of SARS-CoV and -CoV-2 Mpro, including structure-activity relationships, protein-inhibitor interactions and clinical trial status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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21
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Jacobs L, van der Westhuyzen A, Pribut N, Dentmon ZW, Cui D, D’Erasmo MP, Bartsch PW, Liu K, Cox RM, Greenlund SF, Plemper RK, Mitchell D, Marlow J, Andrews MK, Krueger RE, Sticher ZM, Kolykhalov AA, Natchus MG, Zhou B, Pelly SC, Liotta DC. Design and Optimization of Novel Competitive, Non-peptidic, SARS-CoV-2 M pro Inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1434-1440. [PMID: 37849558 PMCID: PMC10577883 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) has been proven to be a highly effective target for therapeutic intervention, yet only one drug currently holds FDA approval status for this target. We were inspired by a series of publications emanating from the Jorgensen and Anderson groups describing the design of potent, non-peptidic, competitive SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors, and we saw an opportunity to make several design modifications to improve the overall pharmacokinetic profile of these compounds without losing potency. To this end, we created a focused virtual library using reaction-based enumeration tools in the Schrödinger suite. These compounds were docked into the Mpro active site and subsequently prioritized for synthesis based upon relative binding affinity values calculated by FEP+. Fourteen compounds were selected, synthesized, and evaluated both biochemically and in cell culture. Several of the synthesized compounds proved to be potent, competitive Mpro inhibitors with improved metabolic stability profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Jacobs
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | | | - Nicole Pribut
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Zackery W. Dentmon
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Dan Cui
- COVID-19
Emergency Response, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, United States
| | - Michael P. D’Erasmo
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Perry W. Bartsch
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Ken Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Robert M. Cox
- Center for
Translational Antiviral Research, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
| | - Sujay F. Greenlund
- Center for
Translational Antiviral Research, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
| | - Richard K. Plemper
- Center for
Translational Antiviral Research, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
| | - Deborah Mitchell
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Joshua Marlow
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Meghan K. Andrews
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Rebecca E. Krueger
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Zachary M. Sticher
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Alexander A. Kolykhalov
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Michael G. Natchus
- Emory
Institute for Drug Development, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Bin Zhou
- COVID-19
Emergency Response, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, United States
| | - Stephen C. Pelly
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Dennis C. Liotta
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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22
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Pojtanadithee P, Hengphasatporn K, Suroengrit A, Boonyasuppayakorn S, Wilasluck P, Deetanya P, Wangkanont K, Sukanadi IP, Chavasiri W, Wolschann P, Langer T, Shigeta Y, Maitarad P, Sanachai K, Rungrotmongkol T. Identification of Promising Sulfonamide Chalcones as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro through Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Experimental Approaches. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:5244-5258. [PMID: 37581276 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
3CLpro is a viable target for developing antiviral therapies against the coronavirus. With the urgent need to find new possible inhibitors, a structure-based virtual screening approach was developed. This study recognized 75 pharmacologically bioactive compounds from our in-house library of 1052 natural product-based compounds that satisfied drug-likeness criteria and exhibited good bioavailability and membrane permeability. Among these compounds, three promising sulfonamide chalcones were identified by combined theoretical and experimental approaches, with SWC423 being the most suitable representative compound due to its competitive inhibition and low cytotoxicity in Vero E6 cells (EC50 = 0.89 ± 0.32 μM; CC50 = 25.54 ± 1.38 μM; SI = 28.70). The binding and stability of SWC423 in the 3CLpro active site were investigated through all-atom molecular dynamics simulation and fragment molecular orbital calculation, indicating its potential as a 3CLpro inhibitor for further SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic research. These findings suggested that inhibiting 3CLpro with a sulfonamide chalcone such as SWC423 may pave the effective way for developing COVID-19 treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyatida Pojtanadithee
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Kowit Hengphasatporn
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Aphinya Suroengrit
- Center of Excellence in Applied Medical Virology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Siwaporn Boonyasuppayakorn
- Center of Excellence in Applied Medical Virology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Patcharin Wilasluck
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Crop, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Peerapon Deetanya
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Crop, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Kittikhun Wangkanont
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Crop, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - I Putu Sukanadi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Warinthorn Chavasiri
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Peter Wolschann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Thierry Langer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Yasuteru Shigeta
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Phornphimon Maitarad
- Research Center of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Kamonpan Sanachai
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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23
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Ghahremanpour MM, Saar A, Tirado-Rives J, Jorgensen WL. Computation of Absolute Binding Free Energies for Noncovalent Inhibitors with SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:5309-5318. [PMID: 37561001 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Accurate, routine calculation of absolute binding free energies (ABFEs) for protein-ligand complexes remains a key goal of computer-aided drug design since it can enable screening and optimization of drug candidates. For development and testing of related methods, it is important to have high-quality datasets. To this end, from our own experimental studies, we have selected a set of 16 inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) with structural diversity and well-distributed BFEs covering a 5 kcal/mol range. There is also minimal structural uncertainty since X-ray crystal structures have been deposited for 12 of the compounds. For methods testing, we report ABFE results from 2 μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using free energy perturbation (FEP) theory. The correlation of experimental and computed results is encouraging, with a Pearson's r2 of 0.58 and a Kendall τ of 0.24. The results indicate that current FEP-based ABFE calculations can be used for identification of active compounds (hits). While their accuracy for lead optimization is not yet sufficient, this activity remains addressable in separate lead series by relative BFE calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anastasia Saar
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - Julian Tirado-Rives
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - William L Jorgensen
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
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24
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Royster A, Ren S, Ma Y, Pintado M, Kahng E, Rowan S, Mir S, Mir M. SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein Is a Potential Therapeutic Target for Anticoronavirus Drug Discovery. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0118623. [PMID: 37199631 PMCID: PMC10269701 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01186-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a highly contagious positive-sense RNA virus. Its explosive community spread and the emergence of new mutant strains have created palpable anxiety even in vaccinated people. The lack of effective anticoronavirus therapeutics continues to be a major global health concern, especially due to the high evolution rate of SARS-CoV-2. The nucleocapsid protein (N protein) of SARS-CoV-2 is highly conserved and involved in diverse processes of the virus replication cycle. Despite its critical role in coronavirus replication, N protein remains an unexplored target for anticoronavirus drug discovery. Here, we demonstrate that a novel compound, K31, binds to the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 and noncompetitively inhibits its binding to the 5' terminus of the viral genomic RNA. K31 is well tolerated by SARS-CoV-2-permissive Caco2 cells. Our results show that K31 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Caco2 cells with a selective index of ~58. These observations suggest that SARS-CoV-2 N protein is a druggable target for anticoronavirus drug discovery. K31 holds promise for further development as an anticoronavirus therapeutic. IMPORTANCE The lack of potent antiviral drugs for SARS-CoV-2 is a serious global health concern, especially with the explosive spread of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and the constant emergence of new mutant strains with improved human-to-human transmission. Although an effective coronavirus vaccine appears promising, the lengthy vaccine development processes in general and the emergence of new mutant viral strains with a potential to evade the vaccine always remain a serious concern. The antiviral drugs targeted to the highly conserved targets of viral or host origin remain the most viable and timely approach, easily accessible to the general population, in combating any new viral illness. The majority of anticoronavirus drug development efforts have focused on spike protein, envelope protein, 3CLpro, and Mpro. Our results show that virus-encoded N protein is a novel therapeutic target for anticoronavirus drug discovery. Due to its high conservation, the anti-N protein inhibitors will likely have broad-spectrum anticoronavirus activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Royster
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Songyang Ren
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Yutian Ma
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Melissa Pintado
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Eunice Kahng
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sean Rowan
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sheema Mir
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Mohammad Mir
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
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25
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Varikoti RA, Schultz KJ, Kombala CJ, Kruel A, Brandvold KR, Zhou M, Kumar N. Integrated data-driven and experimental approaches to accelerate lead optimization targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023:10.1007/s10822-023-00509-1. [PMID: 37314632 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00509-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Identification of potential therapeutic candidates can be expedited by integrating computational modeling with domain aware machine learning (ML) models followed by experimental validation in an iterative manner. Generative deep learning models can generate thousands of new candidates, however, their physiochemical and biochemical properties are typically not fully optimized. Using our recently developed deep learning models and a scaffold as a starting point, we generated tens of thousands of compounds for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro that preserve the core scaffold. We utilized and implemented several computational tools such as structural alert and toxicity analysis, high throughput virtual screening, ML-based 3D quantitative structure-activity relationships, multi-parameter optimization, and graph neural networks on generated candidates to predict biological activity and binding affinity in advance. As a result of these combined computational endeavors, eight promising candidates were singled out and put through experimental testing using Native Mass Spectrometry and FRET-based functional assays. Two of the tested compounds with quinazoline-2-thiol and acetylpiperidine core moieties showed IC[Formula: see text] values in the low micromolar range: [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]M and 3.41±0.0015 [Formula: see text]M, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations further highlight that binding of these compounds results in allosteric modulations within the chain B and the interface domains of the Mpro. Our integrated approach provides a platform for data driven lead optimization with rapid characterization and experimental validation in a closed loop that could be applied to other potential protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohith Anand Varikoti
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Katherine J Schultz
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Chathuri J Kombala
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Agustin Kruel
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Kristoffer R Brandvold
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Mowei Zhou
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Neeraj Kumar
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99352, USA.
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26
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Jaffrelot Inizan T, Plé T, Adjoua O, Ren P, Gökcan H, Isayev O, Lagardère L, Piquemal JP. Scalable hybrid deep neural networks/polarizable potentials biomolecular simulations including long-range effects. Chem Sci 2023; 14:5438-5452. [PMID: 37234902 PMCID: PMC10208042 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04815a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep-HP is a scalable extension of the Tinker-HP multi-GPU molecular dynamics (MD) package enabling the use of Pytorch/TensorFlow Deep Neural Network (DNN) models. Deep-HP increases DNNs' MD capabilities by orders of magnitude offering access to ns simulations for 100k-atom biosystems while offering the possibility of coupling DNNs to any classical (FFs) and many-body polarizable (PFFs) force fields. It allows therefore the introduction of the ANI-2X/AMOEBA hybrid polarizable potential designed for ligand binding studies where solvent-solvent and solvent-solute interactions are computed with the AMOEBA PFF while solute-solute ones are computed by the ANI-2X DNN. ANI-2X/AMOEBA explicitly includes AMOEBA's physical long-range interactions via an efficient Particle Mesh Ewald implementation while preserving ANI-2X's solute short-range quantum mechanical accuracy. The DNN/PFF partition can be user-defined allowing for hybrid simulations to include key ingredients of biosimulation such as polarizable solvents, polarizable counter ions, etc.… ANI-2X/AMOEBA is accelerated using a multiple-timestep strategy focusing on the model's contributions to low-frequency modes of nuclear forces. It primarily evaluates AMOEBA forces while including ANI-2X ones only via correction-steps resulting in an order of magnitude acceleration over standard Velocity Verlet integration. Simulating more than 10 μs, we compute charged/uncharged ligand solvation free energies in 4 solvents, and absolute binding free energies of host-guest complexes from SAMPL challenges. ANI-2X/AMOEBA average errors are discussed in terms of statistical uncertainty and appear in the range of chemical accuracy compared to experiment. The availability of the Deep-HP computational platform opens the path towards large-scale hybrid DNN simulations, at force-field cost, in biophysics and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théo Jaffrelot Inizan
- Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique UMR 7616 CNRS Paris 75005 France
| | - Thomas Plé
- Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique UMR 7616 CNRS Paris 75005 France
| | - Olivier Adjoua
- Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique UMR 7616 CNRS Paris 75005 France
| | - Pengyu Ren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Hatice Gökcan
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Olexandr Isayev
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Louis Lagardère
- Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique UMR 7616 CNRS Paris 75005 France
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Parisien de Chimie Physique et Théorique FR 2622 CNRS Paris France
| | - Jean-Philip Piquemal
- Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique UMR 7616 CNRS Paris 75005 France
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
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27
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Kattula B, Reddi B, Jangam A, Naik L, Adimoolam BM, Vavilapalli S, Are S, Thota JR, Jadav SS, Arifuddin M, Addlagatta A. Development of 2-chloroquinoline based heterocyclic frameworks as dual inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 M Pro and PL Pro. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124772. [PMID: 37172706 PMCID: PMC10171901 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 warrant the need for the continued efforts in identifying target-oriented new drugs. Dual targeting agents against MPro and PLPro not only overcome the incomplete efficacy but also the drug resistance, which is common problem. Since both these are cysteine proteases, we designed 2-chloroquinoline based molecules with additional imine moiety in the middle as possible nucleophilic warheads. In the first round of design and synthesis, three molecules (C3, C4 and C5) inhibited (Ki < 2 μM) only MPro by binding covalently to C145 and one molecule (C10) inhibited both the proteases non-covalently (Ki < 2 μM) with negligible cytotoxicity. Further conversion of the imine in C10 to azetidinone (C11) improved the potency against both the enzymes in the nanomolar range (820 nM against MPro and 350 nM against PLPro) with no cytotoxicity. Conversion of imine to thiazolidinone (C12), reduced the inhibition by 3-5 folds against both the enzymes. Biochemical and computational studies suggest that C10-C12 bind in the substrate binding pocket of MPro and in the BL2 loop of the PLPro. Since these dual inhibitors have least cytotoxicity, they could be further explored as therapeutics against the SARS-CoV-2 and other analogous viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavita Kattula
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Bharati Reddi
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Aruna Jangam
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Lekhika Naik
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad 500 037, Telangana, India
| | - Bala Manikanta Adimoolam
- Analytical and Structural Chemistry Department, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Suresh Vavilapalli
- Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Sayanna Are
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
| | - Jagadeshwar Reddy Thota
- Analytical and Structural Chemistry Department, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
| | - Surender Singh Jadav
- Department of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India.
| | - Mohammed Arifuddin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad 500 037, Telangana, India.
| | - Anthony Addlagatta
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India.
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28
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Ma Y, Li Z, Chen X, Ding B, Li N, Lu T, Zhang B, Suo B, Jin Z. Machine-learning assisted scheduling optimization and its application in quantum chemical calculations. J Comput Chem 2023; 44:1174-1188. [PMID: 36648254 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Easy and effective usage of computational resources is crucial for scientific calculations, both from the perspectives of timeliness and economic efficiency. This work proposes a bi-level optimization framework to optimize the computational sequences. Machine-learning (ML) assisted static load-balancing, and different dynamic load-balancing algorithms can be integrated. Consequently, the computational and scheduling engine of the ParaEngine is developed to invoke optimized quantum chemical (QC) calculations. Illustrated benchmark calculations include high-throughput drug suit, solvent model, P38 protein, and SARS-CoV-2 systems. The results show that the usage rate of given computational resources for high throughput and large-scale fragmentation QC calculations can primarily profit, and faster accomplishing computational tasks can be expected when employing high-performance computing (HPC) clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjin Ma
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - ZhiYing Li
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- ShenZhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bowen Ding
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Li
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wen Zhou, China
| | - Teng Lu
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baohua Zhang
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - BingBing Suo
- Department of Physics, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhong Jin
- Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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29
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Patel U, Desai K, Dabhi RC, Maru JJ, Shrivastav PS. Bioprospecting phytochemicals of Rosmarinus officinalis L. for targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro): a computational study. J Mol Model 2023; 29:161. [PMID: 37115321 PMCID: PMC10141822 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05569-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The persistent spread of highly contagious COVID-19 disease is one of the deadliest occurrences in the history of mankind. Despite the distribution of numerous efficacious vaccines and their extensive usage, the perpetual effectiveness of immunization is being catechized. Therefore, discovering an alternative therapy to control and prevent COVID-19 infections has become a top priority. The main protease (Mpro) plays a key role in viral replication, making it an intriguing pharmacological target for SARS-CoV-2. METHODS In this context, virtual screening of thirteen bioactive polyphenols and terpenoids of Rosmarinus officinalis L. was performed using several computational modules including molecular docking, ADMET, drug-likeness characteristics, and molecular dynamic simulation to predict the potential inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (PDB: 6LU7). The results suggest that apigenin, betulinic acid, luteolin, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid may emerge as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 with acceptable drug-likeness, pharmacokinetics, ADMET characteristics, and binding interactions comparable with remdesivir and favipiravir. These findings imply that some of the active components of Rosmarinus officinalis L. can serve as an effective antiviral source for the development of therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unnati Patel
- Department of Chemistry, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Krishna Desai
- Department of Botany, Bioinformatics and Climate Change Impacts Management, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Ranjitsinh C Dabhi
- Department of Chemistry, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Jayesh J Maru
- Department of Chemistry, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Pranav S Shrivastav
- Department of Chemistry, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India.
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30
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Klussmann JP, Grosheva M, Meiser P, Lehmann C, Nagy E, Szijártó V, Nagy G, Konrat R, Flegel M, Holzer F, Groß D, Steinmetz C, Scherer B, Gruell H, Schlotz M, Klein F, de Aragão PA, Morr H, Al Saleh H, Bilstein A, Russo B, Müller-Scholtz S, Acikel C, Sahin H, Werkhäuser N, Allekotte S, Mösges R. Early intervention with azelastine nasal spray may reduce viral load in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6839. [PMID: 37100830 PMCID: PMC10132439 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32546-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With the changing epidemiology of COVID-19 and its impact on our daily lives, there is still an unmet need of COVID-19 therapies treating early infections to prevent progression. The current study was a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ninety SARS-CoV-2 positive patients were randomized into 3 groups receiving placebo, 0.02% or 0.1% azelastine nasal spray for 11 days, during which viral loads were assessed by quantitative PCR. Investigators assessed patients' status throughout the trial including safety follow-ups (days 16 and 60). Symptoms were documented in patient diaries. Initial viral loads were log10 6.85 ± 1.31 (mean ± SD) copies/mL (ORF 1a/b gene). After treatment, virus load was reduced in all groups (p < 0.0001) but was greater in the 0.1% group compared to placebo (p = 0.007). In a subset of patients (initial Ct < 25) viral load was strongly reduced on day 4 in the 0.1% group compared to placebo (p = 0.005). Negative PCR results appeared earlier and more frequently in the azelastine treated groups: being 18.52% and 21.43% in the 0.1% and 0.02% groups, respectively, compared to 0% for placebo on day 8. Comparable numbers of adverse events occurred in all treatment groups with no safety concerns. The shown effects of azelastine nasal spray may thus be suggestive of azelastine's potential as an antiviral treatment.Trial registration: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00024520; Date of Registration in DRKS: 12/02/2021). EudraCT number: 2020-005544-34.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Peter Klussmann
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Grosheva
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Meiser
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Clara Lehmann
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Location Bonn-Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eszter Nagy
- CEBINA GmbH, Karl-Farkas-Gasse 22, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Gábor Nagy
- CEBINA GmbH, Karl-Farkas-Gasse 22, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Konrat
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Flegel
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Frank Holzer
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Dorothea Groß
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Charlotte Steinmetz
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Barbara Scherer
- URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Industriestraße 35, 66129, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Henning Gruell
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maike Schlotz
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Florian Klein
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Location Bonn-Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Paula Aguiar de Aragão
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henning Morr
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Helal Al Saleh
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Belisa Russo
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Cengizhan Acikel
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hacer Sahin
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nina Werkhäuser
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | - Silke Allekotte
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ralph Mösges
- ClinCompetence Cologne GmbH, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 14, 50668, Cologne, Germany.
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology (IMSB), Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
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31
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Xu Z, Shi D, Han JB, Ling Y, Jiang X, Lu X, Li C, Gong L, Ge G, Zhang Y, Zang Y, Song TZ, Feng XL, Tian RR, Ji J, Zhu M, Wu N, Wu C, Wang Z, Xu Y, Peng C, Zheng M, Yang J, Du F, Wu J, Wang P, Shen J, Zhang J, Zheng YT, Yao H, Zhu W. Preventive and therapeutic benefits of nelfinavir in rhesus macaques and human beings infected with SARS-CoV-2. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:169. [PMID: 37095086 PMCID: PMC10123561 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01429-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective drugs with broad spectrum safety profile to all people are highly expected to combat COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. Here we report that nelfinavir, an FDA approved drug for the treatment of HIV infection, is effective against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Preincubation of nelfinavir could inhibit the activity of the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 8.26 μM), while its antiviral activity in Vero E6 cells against a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2 was determined to be 2.93 μM (EC50). In comparison with vehicle-treated animals, rhesus macaque prophylactically treated with nelfinavir had significantly lower temperature and significantly reduced virus loads in the nasal and anal swabs of the animals. At necropsy, nelfinavir-treated animals had a significant reduction of the viral replication in the lungs by nearly three orders of magnitude. A prospective clinic study with 37 enrolled treatment-naive patients at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, which were randomized (1:1) to nelfinavir and control groups, showed that the nelfinavir treatment could shorten the duration of viral shedding by 5.5 days (9.0 vs. 14.5 days, P = 0.055) and the duration of fever time by 3.8 days (2.8 vs. 6.6 days, P = 0.014) in mild/moderate COVID-19 patients. The antiviral efficiency and clinical benefits in rhesus macaque model and in COVID-19 patients, together with its well-established good safety profile in almost all ages and during pregnancy, indicated that nelfinavir is a highly promising medication with the potential of preventative effect for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Danrong Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Jian-Bao Han
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650107, China
| | - Yun Ling
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Xiangrui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiangyun Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Chuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Likun Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Guangbo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yani Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yi Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tian-Zhang Song
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650107, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Xiao-Li Feng
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650107, China
| | - Ren-Rong Tian
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650107, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Jia Ji
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Miaojin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Nanping Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Chunhui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yechun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Min Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Junling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Feifei Du
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Peipei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingshan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jianliang Zhang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China.
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650107, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
| | - Hangping Yao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Weiliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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32
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Kronenberger T, Laufer SA, Pillaiyar T. COVID-19 therapeutics: small-molecule drug development targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103579. [PMID: 37028502 PMCID: PMC10074736 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative factor behind the 2019 global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The main protease, known as Mpro, is encoded by the viral genome and is essential for viral replication. It has also been an effective target for drug development. In this review, we discuss the rationale for inhibitors that specifically target SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Small molecules and peptidomimetic inhibitors are two types of inhibitor with various modes of action and we focus here on novel inhibitors that were only discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting their binding modes and structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thales Kronenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan A Laufer
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies', University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Yang KS, Blankenship LR, Kuo STA, Sheng YJ, Li P, Fierke CA, Russell DH, Yan X, Xu S, Liu WR. A Novel Y-Shaped, S-O-N-O-S-Bridged Cross-Link between Three Residues C22, C44, and K61 Is Frequently Observed in the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:449-455. [PMID: 36629751 PMCID: PMC10023456 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 relies on its main protease (MPro) for pathogenesis and replication. During crystallographic analyses of MPro crystals that were exposed to the air, a uniquely Y-shaped, S-O-N-O-S-bridged post-translational cross-link that connects three residues C22, C44, and K61 at their side chains was frequently observed. As a novel covalent modification, this cross-link serves potentially as a redox switch to regulate the catalytic activity of MPro, a demonstrated drug target of COVID-19. The formation of this linkage leads to a much more open active site that can potentially be targeted for the development of novel SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. The structural rearrangement of MPro by this cross-link indicates that small molecules that lock MPro in the cross-linked form can potentially be used with other active-site-targeting molecules such as paxlovid for synergistic effects in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai S. Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | | | - Syuan-Ting Alex Kuo
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yan J. Sheng
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Pingwei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Carol A. Fierke
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - David H. Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xin Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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He H, Duo H, Hao Y, Zhang X, Zhou X, Zeng Y, Li Y, Li B. Computational drug repurposing by exploiting large-scale gene expression data: Strategy, methods and applications. Comput Biol Med 2023; 155:106671. [PMID: 36805225 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
De novo drug development is an extremely complex, time-consuming and costly task. Urgent needs for therapies of various diseases have greatly accelerated searches for more effective drug development methods. Luckily, drug repurposing provides a new and effective perspective on disease treatment. Rapidly increased large-scale transcriptome data paints a detailed prospect of gene expression during disease onset and thus has received wide attention in the field of computational drug repurposing. However, how to efficiently mine transcriptome data and identify new indications for old drugs remains a critical challenge. This review discussed the irreplaceable role of transcriptome data in computational drug repurposing and summarized some representative databases, tools and strategies. More importantly, it proposed a practical guideline through establishing the correspondence between three gene expression data types and five strategies, which would facilitate researchers to adopt appropriate strategies to deeply mine large-scale transcriptome data and discover more effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao He
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China
| | - Hongrui Duo
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China
| | - Youjin Hao
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China
| | - Xiaoxi Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China
| | - Xinyi Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China
| | - Yujie Zeng
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China
| | - Yinghong Li
- The Key Laboratory on Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, 400065, PR China
| | - Bo Li
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 400044, PR China.
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Lessons Learnt from COVID-19: Computational Strategies for Facing Present and Future Pandemics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054401. [PMID: 36901832 PMCID: PMC10003049 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its outbreak in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the death of more than 6.5 million people around the world. The high transmissibility of its causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, coupled with its potentially lethal outcome, provoked a profound global economic and social crisis. The urgency of finding suitable pharmacological tools to tame the pandemic shed light on the ever-increasing importance of computer simulations in rationalizing and speeding up the design of new drugs, further stressing the need for developing quick and reliable methods to identify novel active molecules and characterize their mechanism of action. In the present work, we aim at providing the reader with a general overview of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing the hallmarks in its management, from the initial attempts at drug repurposing to the commercialization of Paxlovid, the first orally available COVID-19 drug. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the role of computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) techniques, especially those that fall in the structure-based drug design (SBDD) category, in facing present and future pandemics, by showcasing several successful examples of drug discovery campaigns where commonly used methods such as docking and molecular dynamics have been employed in the rational design of effective therapeutic entities against COVID-19.
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Mohseni N, Royster A, Ren S, Ma Y, Pintado M, Mir M, Mir S. A novel compound targets the feline infectious peritonitis virus nucleocapsid protein and inhibits viral replication in cell culture. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102976. [PMID: 36738790 PMCID: PMC10011503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a serious viral illness in cats, caused by feline coronavirus. Once a cat develops clinical FIP, the prognosis is poor. The effective treatment strategy for coronavirus infections with immunopathological complications such as SARS-CoV-2, MERS, and FIP is focused on antiviral and immunomodulatory agents to inhibit virus replication and enhance the protective immune response. In this article we report the binding and conformational alteration of feline alphacoronavirus (FCoV) nucleocapsid protein by a novel compound K31. K31 noncompetitively inhibited the interaction between the purified nucleocapsid protein and the synthetic 5' terminus of viral genomic RNA in vitro. K31 was well tolerated by cells and inhibited FCoV replication in cell culture with a selective index of 115. A single dose of K31inhibited FCoV replication to an undetectable level in 24 h post treatment. K31 did not affect the virus entry to the host cell but inhibited the postentry steps of virus replication. The nucleocapsid protein forms ribonucleocapsid in association with the viral genomic RNA that serves as a template for transcription and replication of the viral genome. Our results show that K31 treatment disrupted the structural integrity of ribonucleocapsid in virus-infected cells. After the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the antiviral drug development strategies have focused on RdRp and proteases encoded by the viral genome. Our results have shown that nucleocapsid protein is a druggable target for anticoronavirus drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazleen Mohseni
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Austin Royster
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Songyang Ren
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Yutian Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Melissa Pintado
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Mohammad Mir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sheema Mir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA.
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Green and efficient one-pot three-component synthesis of novel drug-like furo[2,3–d]pyrimidines as potential active site inhibitors and putative allosteric hotspots modulators of both SARS-CoV-2 MPro and PLPro. Bioorg Chem 2023; 135:106390. [PMID: 37037129 PMCID: PMC9883075 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, an environmentally benign, convenient, and efficient one-pot three-component reaction has been developed for the regioselective synthesis of novel 5-aroyl(or heteroaroyl)-6-(alkylamino)-1,3-dimethylfuro[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones (4a‒n) through the sequential condensation of aryl(or heteroaryl)glyoxal monohydrates (1a‒g), 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid (2), and alkyl(viz. cyclohexyl or tert-butyl)isocyanides (3a or 3b) catalyzed by ultra-low loading ZrOCl2•8H2O (just 2 mol%) in water at 50 ˚C. After synthesis and characterization of the mentioned furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines (4a‒n), their multi-targeting inhibitory properties were investigated against the active site and putative allosteric hotspots of both SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) and papain-like protease (PLPro) based on molecular docking studies and compare the attained results with various medicinal compounds which approximately in three past years were used, introduced, and or repurposed to fight against COVID-19. Furthermore, drug-likeness properties of the mentioned small heterocyclic frameworks (4a‒n) have been explored using in silico ADMET analyses. Interestingly, the molecular docking studies and ADMET-related data revealed that the novel series of furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines (4a‒n), especially 5-(3,4-methylendioxybenzoyl)-6-(cyclohexylamino)-1,3-dimethylfuro[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (4g) as hit one is potential COVID-19 drug candidate, can subject to further in vitro and in vivo studies. It is worthwhile to note that the protein-ligand-type molecular docking studies on the human body temperature-dependent MPro protein that surprisingly contains zincII (ZnII) ion between His41/Cys145 catalytic dyad in the active site, which undoubtedly can make new plans for designing novel SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitors, is performed for the first time in this paper, to the best of our knowledge.
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Unmasking the Conformational Stability and Inhibitor Binding to SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Active Site Mutants and Miniprecursor. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167876. [PMID: 36334779 PMCID: PMC9628131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We recently demonstrated that inhibitor binding reorganizes the oxyanion loop of a monomeric catalytic domain of SARS CoV-2 main protease (MPro) from an unwound (E) to a wound (active, E*) conformation, independent of dimerization. Here we assess the effect of the flanking N-terminal residues, to imitate the MPro precursor prior to its autoprocessing, on conformational equilibria rendering stability and inhibitor binding. Thermal denaturation (Tm) of C145A mutant, unlike H41A, increases by 6.8 °C, relative to wild-type mature dimer. An inactivating H41A mutation to maintain a miniprecursor containing TSAVL[Q or E] of the flanking nsp4 sequence in an intact form [(-6)MProH41A and (-6*)MProH41A, respectively], and its corresponding mature MProH41A were systematically examined. While the H41A mutation exerts negligible effect on Tm and dimer dissociation constant (Kdimer) of MProH41A, relative to the wild type MPro, both miniprecursors show a 4-5 °C decrease in Tm and > 85-fold increase in Kdimer as compared to MProH41A. The Kd for the binding of the covalent inhibitor GC373 to (-6*)MProH41A increases ∼12-fold, relative to MProH41A, concomitant with its dimerization. While the inhibitor-free dimer exhibits a state in transit from E to E* with a conformational asymmetry of the protomers' oxyanion loops and helical domains, inhibitor binding restores the asymmetry to mature-like oxyanion loop conformations (E*) but not of the helical domains. Disorder of the terminal residues 1-2 and 302-306 observed in both structures suggest that N-terminal autoprocessing is tightly coupled to the E-E* equilibrium and stable dimer formation.
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Iype E, Pillai U J, Kumar I, Gaastra-Nedea SV, Subramanian R, Saha RN, Dutta M. In silico and in vitro assays reveal potential inhibitors against 3CL pro main protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:12800-12811. [PMID: 34550861 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1977181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is not showing any sign of slowing down even after the ongoing efforts of vaccination. The threats of new strains are concerning, as some of them are more infectious than the original one. A therapeutic against the disease is, therefore, of urgent need. Here, we use the DrugBank database to screen for potential inhibitors against the 3CLpro main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Instead of using the traditional approach of computational screening by docking, we developed a kernel ridge regressor (using a part of the docking data) to predict the binding energy of ligands. We used this model to screen the DrugBank database and shortlist two lead candidates (bromocriptine and avoralstat) for in vitro enzymatic study. Our results show that the 3CLpro enzyme activity in presence of 100 μM concentration of bromocriptine and avoralstat is 9.9% and 15.9%, respectively. Remarkably, bromocriptine exhibited submicromolar IC50 of 130 nM (0.13 μM). Avoralstat showed an IC50 of 2.16 μM. Further, the interactions of both drugs with 3CLpro were analyzed using molecular dynamics simulations of 100 ns. Results indicate that both ligands are stable in the binding pocket of the 3CLpro receptor. In addition, the MM-PBSA analysis revealed that bromocriptine (-29.37 kcal/mol) has a lower binding free energy compared to avoralstat (-6.91 kcal/mol). Further, hydrogen bond analysis also showed that bromocriptine interacts with the two catalytic residues, His41 and Cys145, more frequently than avoralstat.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eldhose Iype
- Department of Chemical Engineering, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jisha Pillai U
- Department of Biotechnology, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Indresh Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Pilani, India
| | - Silvia V Gaastra-Nedea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Mainak Dutta
- Department of Biotechnology, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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40
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Sharma G, Song LF, Merz KM. Effect of an Inhibitor on the ACE2-Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6574-6585. [PMID: 35118864 PMCID: PMC8848506 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 infection started in Wuhan, China, and spread across China and beyond. Since the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic (March 11, 2020), three vaccines and only one antiviral drug (remdesivir) have been approved (Oct 22, 2020) by the FDA. The coronavirus enters human epithelial cells by the binding of the densely glycosylated fusion spike protein (S protein) to a receptor (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, ACE2) on the host cell surface. Therefore, inhibiting the viral entry is a promising treatment pathway for preventing or ameliorating the effects of COVID-19 infection. In the current work, we have used all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the influence of the MLN-4760 inhibitor on the conformational properties of ACE2 and its interaction with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. We have found that the presence of an inhibitor tends to completely/partially open the ACE2 receptor where the two subdomains (I and II) move away from each other, while the absence results in partial or complete closure. The current study increases our understanding of ACE inhibition by MLN-4760 and how it modulates the conformational properties of ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Lin Frank Song
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Kenneth M. Merz
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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41
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Valipour M. Recruitment of chalcone's potential in drug discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Phytother Res 2022; 36:4477-4490. [PMID: 36208000 PMCID: PMC9874432 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Chalcone is an interesting scaffold found in the structure of many naturally occurring molecules. Medicinal chemists are commonly interested in designing new chalcone-based structures because of having the α, β-unsaturated ketone functional group, which allows these compounds to participate in Michael's reaction and create strong covalent bonds at the active sites of the targets. Some studies have identified several natural chalcone-based compounds with the ability to inhibit the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus proteases. A few years after the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the publication of many findings in this regard, there is some evidence that suggests chalcone scaffolding has great potential for use in the design and development of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inhibitors. Artificial placement of this scaffold in the structure of optimized anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds can potentially provide irreversible inhibition of the viral cysteine proteases 3-chymotrypsin-like protease and papain-like protease by creating Michael interaction. Despite having remarkable capabilities, the use of chalcone scaffold in drug design and discovery of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors seems to have been largely neglected. This review addresses issues that could lead to further consideration of chalcone scaffolding in the structure of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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Russell T, Gangotia D, Barry G. Assessing the potential of repurposing ion channel inhibitors to treat emerging viral diseases and the role of this host factor in virus replication. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113850. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
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Pavan M, Menin S, Bassani D, Sturlese M, Moro S. Qualitative Estimation of Protein-Ligand Complex Stability through Thermal Titration Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:5715-5728. [PMID: 36315402 PMCID: PMC9709921 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The prediction of ligand efficacy has long been linked to thermodynamic properties such as the equilibrium dissociation constant, which considers both the association and the dissociation rates of a defined protein-ligand complex. In the last 15 years, there has been a paradigm shift, with an increased interest in the determination of kinetic properties such as the drug-target residence time since they better correlate with ligand efficacy compared to other parameters. In this article, we present thermal titration molecular dynamics (TTMD), an alternative computational method that combines a series of molecular dynamics simulations performed at progressively increasing temperatures with a scoring function based on protein-ligand interaction fingerprints for the qualitative estimation of protein-ligand-binding stability. The protocol has been applied to four different pharmaceutically relevant test cases, including protein kinase CK1δ, protein kinase CK2, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2, and SARS-CoV-2 main protease, on a variety of ligands with different sizes, structures, and experimentally determined affinity values. In all four cases, TTMD was successfully able to distinguish between high-affinity compounds (low nanomolar range) and low-affinity ones (micromolar), proving to be a useful screening tool for the prioritization of compounds in a drug discovery campaign.
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Bajrai LH, Faizo AA, Alkhaldy AA, Dwivedi VD, Azhar EI. Repositioning of anti-dengue compounds against SARS-CoV-2 as viral polyprotein processing inhibitor. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277328. [PMID: 36383621 PMCID: PMC9668197 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A therapy for COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains elusive due to the lack of an effective antiviral therapeutic molecule. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which plays a vital role in the viral life cycle, is one of the most studied and validated drug targets. In Several prior studies, numerous possible chemical entities were proposed as potential Mpro inhibitors; however, most failed at various stages of drug discovery. Repositioning of existing antiviral compounds accelerates the discovery and development of potent therapeutic molecules. Hence, this study examines the applicability of anti-dengue compounds against the substrate binding site of Mpro for disrupting its polyprotein processing mechanism. An in-silico structure-based virtual screening approach is applied to screen 330 experimentally validated anti-dengue compounds to determine their affinity to the substrate binding site of Mpro. This study identified the top five compounds (CHEMBL1940602, CHEMBL2036486, CHEMBL3628485, CHEMBL200972, CHEMBL2036488) that showed a high affinity to Mpro with a docking score > -10.0 kcal/mol. The best-docked pose of these compounds with Mpro was subjected to 100 ns molecular dynamic (MD) simulation followed by MM/GBSA binding energy. This showed the maximum stability and comparable ΔG binding energy against the reference compound (X77 inhibitor). Overall, we repurposed the reported anti-dengue compounds against SARS-CoV-2-Mpro to impede its polyprotein processing for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena H. Bajrai
- Special Infectious Agents Unit – BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arwa A. Faizo
- Special Infectious Agents Unit – BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej A. Alkhaldy
- Special Infectious Agents Unit – BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Clinical Nutrition Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vivek Dhar Dwivedi
- Center for Bioinformatics, Computational and Systems Biology, Pathfinder Research and Training Foundation, Greater Noida, India
- Bioinformatics Research Division, Quanta Calculus, Greater Noida, India
| | - Esam I. Azhar
- Special Infectious Agents Unit – BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Novel ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin-tetrazole hybrids as potential antibacterial and antiviral agents: targeting S. aureus topoisomerase and SARS-CoV-2-MPro. J Mol Struct 2022; 1274:134507. [PMID: 36406777 PMCID: PMC9640164 DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.134507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to synthesize hybridizing molecules from ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin by enhancing their biological activity with tetrazoles. The synthesized compounds were investigated in the interaction with the target enzyme of fluoroquinolones (DNA gyrase) and COVID-19 main protease using molecular similarity, molecular docking, and QSAR studies. A QSAR study was carried out to explore the antibacterial activity of our compounds over Staphylococcus aureus a QSAR study, using descriptors obtained from the docking with DNA gyrase, in combination with steric type descriptors, was done obtaining suitable statistical parameters (R2=87.00, QLMO2=71.67, and QEXT2=73.49) to support our results. The binding interaction of our compounds with CoV-2-Mpro was done by molecular docking and were compared with different covalent and non-covalent inhibitors of this enzyme. For the docking studies we used several crystallographic structures of the CoV-2-Mpro. The interaction energy values and binding mode with several key residues, by our compounds, support the capability of them to be CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors. The characterization of the compounds was completed using FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 19F-NMR and HRMS spectroscopic methods. The results showed that compounds 1, 4, 5, 10 and 12 had the potential to be further studied as new antibacterial and antiviral compounds
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A multi-pronged evaluation of aldehyde-based tripeptidyl main protease inhibitors as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114570. [PMID: 35779291 PMCID: PMC9235293 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
As an essential enzyme of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 pathogen, main protease (MPro) is a viable target to develop antivirals for the treatment of COVID-19. By varying chemical compositions at both P2 and P3 positions and the N-terminal protection group, we synthesized 18 tripeptidyl MPro inhibitors that contained also an aldehyde warhead and β-(S-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-alaninal at the P1 position. Systematic characterizations of these inhibitors were conducted, including their in vitro enzymatic inhibition potency, X-ray crystal structures of their complexes with MPro, their inhibition of MPro transiently expressed in 293T cells, and cellular toxicity and SARS-CoV-2 antiviral potency of selected inhibitors. These inhibitors have a large variation of determined in vitro enzymatic inhibition IC50 values that range from 4.8 to 650 nM. The determined in vitro enzymatic inhibition IC50 values reveal that relatively small side chains at both P2 and P3 positions are favorable for achieving high in vitro MPro inhibition potency, the P3 position is tolerable toward unnatural amino acids with two alkyl substituents on the α-carbon, and the inhibition potency is sensitive toward the N-terminal protection group. X-ray crystal structures of MPro bound with 16 inhibitors were determined. In all structures, the MPro active site cysteine interacts covalently with the aldehyde warhead of the bound inhibitor to form a hemithioacetal that takes an S configuration. For all inhibitors, election density around the N-terminal protection group is weak indicating possible flexible binding of this group to MPro. In MPro, large structural variations were observed on residues N142 and Q189. Unlike their high in vitro enzymatic inhibition potency, most inhibitors showed low potency to inhibit MPro that was transiently expressed in 293T cells. Inhibitors that showed high potency to inhibit MPro transiently expressed in 293T cells all contain O-tert-butyl-threonine at the P3 position. These inhibitors also exhibited relatively low cytotoxicity and high antiviral potency. Overall, our current and previous studies indicate that O-tert-butyl-threonine at the P3 site is a key component to achieve high cellular and antiviral potency for tripeptidyl aldehyde inhibitors of MPro.
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Alugubelli YR, Geng ZZ, Yang KS, Shaabani N, Khatua K, Ma XR, Vatansever EC, Cho CC, Ma Y, Xiao J, Blankenship LR, Yu G, Sankaran B, Li P, Allen R, Ji H, Xu S, Liu WR. A systematic exploration of boceprevir-based main protease inhibitors as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114596. [PMID: 35839690 PMCID: PMC9264725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Boceprevir is an HCV NSP3 inhibitor that was explored as a repurposed drug for COVID-19. It inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) and contains an α-ketoamide warhead, a P1 β-cyclobutylalanyl moiety, a P2 dimethylcyclopropylproline, a P3 tert-butylglycine, and a P4 N-terminal tert-butylcarbamide. By introducing modifications at all four positions, we synthesized 20 boceprevir-based MPro inhibitors including PF-07321332 and characterized their MPro inhibition potency in test tubes (in vitro) and 293T cells (in cellulo). Crystal structures of MPro bound with 10 inhibitors and cytotoxicity and antiviral potency of 4 inhibitors were characterized as well. Replacing the P1 site with a β-(S-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl)-alanyl (Opal) residue and the warhead with an aldehyde leads to high in vitro potency. The original moieties at P2, P3 and the P4 N-terminal cap positions in boceprevir are better than other tested chemical moieties for high in vitro potency. In crystal structures, all inhibitors form a covalent adduct with the MPro active site cysteine. The P1 Opal residue, P2 dimethylcyclopropylproline and P4 N-terminal tert-butylcarbamide make strong hydrophobic interactions with MPro, explaining high in vitro potency of inhibitors that contain these moieties. A unique observation was made with an inhibitor that contains a P4 N-terminal isovaleramide. In its MPro complex structure, the P4 N-terminal isovaleramide is tucked deep in a small pocket of MPro that originally recognizes a P4 alanine side chain in a substrate. Although all inhibitors show high in vitro potency, they have drastically different in cellulo potency to inhibit ectopically expressed MPro in human 293T cells. In general, inhibitors with a P4 N-terminal carbamide or amide have low in cellulo potency. This trend is reversed when the P4 N-terminal cap is changed to a carbamate. The installation of a P3 O-tert-butyl-threonine improves in cellulo potency. Three molecules that contain a P4 N-terminal carbamate were advanced to cytotoxicity tests on 293T cells and antiviral potency tests on three SARS-CoV-2 variants. They all have relatively low cytotoxicity and high antiviral potency with EC50 values around 1 μM. A control compound with a nitrile warhead and a P4 N-terminal amide has undetectable antiviral potency. Based on all observations, we conclude that a P4 N-terminal carbamate in a boceprevir derivative is key for high antiviral potency against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yugendar R Alugubelli
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Zhi Zachary Geng
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kai S Yang
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | | | - Kaustav Khatua
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Xinyu R Ma
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Erol C Vatansever
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chia-Chuan Cho
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Yuying Ma
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jing Xiao
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Lauren R Blankenship
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ge Yu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Banumathi Sankaran
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Berkeley Center for Structural Biology, Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Pingwei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Robert Allen
- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Henry Ji
- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Texas A&M Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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Sulimov A, Ilin I, Kutov D, Shikhaliev K, Shcherbakov D, Pyankov O, Stolpovskaya N, Medvedeva S, Sulimov V. New Chemicals Suppressing SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Cell Culture. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27175732. [PMID: 36080498 PMCID: PMC9457583 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Candidates to being inhibitors of the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 were selected from the database of Voronezh State University using molecular modeling. The database contained approximately 19,000 compounds represented by more than 41,000 ligand conformers. These ligands were docked into Mpro using the SOL docking program. For one thousand ligands with best values of the SOL score, the protein–ligand binding enthalpy was calculated by the PM7 quantum-chemical method with the COSMO solvent model. Using the SOL score and the calculated protein–ligand binding enthalpies, eighteen compounds were selected for the experiments. Several of these inhibitors suppressed the replication of the coronavirus in cell culture, and we used the best three among them in the search for chemical analogs. Selection among analogs using the same procedure followed by experiments led to identification of seven inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture with EC50 values at the micromolar level. The identified inhibitors belong to three chemical classes. The three inhibitors, 4,4-dimethyldithioquinoline derivatives, inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cell culture just as effectively as the best published non-covalent inhibitors, and show low cytotoxicity. These results open up a possibility to develop antiviral drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., 15 Nagornaya Str., Bldg 8, 117186 Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Building 4, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan Ilin
- Dimonta Ltd., 15 Nagornaya Str., Bldg 8, 117186 Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Building 4, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Danil Kutov
- Dimonta Ltd., 15 Nagornaya Str., Bldg 8, 117186 Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Building 4, 119234 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (D.K.); (V.S.)
| | - Khidmet Shikhaliev
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Voronezh State University, 1 Universitetskaya Sq., 394018 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Dmitriy Shcherbakov
- State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”, 630559 Koltsovo, Russia
| | - Oleg Pyankov
- State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”, 630559 Koltsovo, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Stolpovskaya
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Voronezh State University, 1 Universitetskaya Sq., 394018 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Svetlana Medvedeva
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Voronezh State University, 1 Universitetskaya Sq., 394018 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Vladimir Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., 15 Nagornaya Str., Bldg 8, 117186 Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, Building 4, 119234 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (D.K.); (V.S.)
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49
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Hu Q, Xiong Y, Zhu GH, Zhang YN, Zhang YW, Huang P, Ge GB. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro): Structure, function, and emerging therapies for COVID-19. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e151. [PMID: 35845352 PMCID: PMC9283855 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The main proteases (Mpro), also termed 3‐chymotrypsin‐like proteases (3CLpro), are a class of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β‐coronaviruses. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that 3CLpros play an indispensable role in viral replication and have been recognized as key targets for preventing and treating coronavirus‐caused infectious diseases, including COVID‐19. This review is focused on the structural features and biological function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) main protease Mpro (also known as 3CLpro), as well as recent advances in discovering and developing SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors. To better understand the characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, the inhibition activities, inhibitory mechanisms, and key structural features of various 3CLpro inhibitors (including marketed drugs, peptidomimetic, and non‐peptidomimetic synthetic compounds, as well as natural compounds and their derivatives) are summarized comprehensively. Meanwhile, the challenges in this field are highlighted, while future directions for designing and developing efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus therapies are also proposed. Collectively, all information and knowledge presented here are very helpful for understanding the structural features and inhibitory mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, which offers new insights or inspiration to medicinal chemists for designing and developing more efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.,Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Yuan Xiong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Guang-Hao Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Ya-Ni Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Ping Huang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Guang-Bo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
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50
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Chauhan M, Bhardwaj VK, Kumar A, Kumar V, Kumar P, Enayathullah MG, Thomas J, George J, Kumar BK, Purohit R, Kumar A, Kumar S. Theaflavin 3-gallate inhibits the main protease (M pro) of SARS-CoV-2 and reduces its count in vitro. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13146. [PMID: 35908093 PMCID: PMC9338964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17558-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 has been recognized as an attractive drug target because of its central role in viral replication. Our previous preliminary molecular docking studies showed that theaflavin 3-gallate (a natural bioactive molecule derived from theaflavin and found in high abundance in black tea) exhibited better docking scores than repurposed drugs (Atazanavir, Darunavir, Lopinavir). In this study, conventional and steered MD-simulations analyses revealed stronger interactions of theaflavin 3-gallate with the active site residues of Mpro than theaflavin and a standard molecule GC373 (a known inhibitor of Mpro and novel broad-spectrum anti-viral agent). Theaflavin 3-gallate inhibited Mpro protein of SARS-CoV-2 with an IC50 value of 18.48 ± 1.29 μM. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (Indian/a3i clade/2020 isolate) with 200 μM of theaflavin 3-gallate in vitro using Vero cells and quantifying viral transcripts demonstrated reduction of viral count by 75% (viral particles reduced from Log106.7 to Log106.1). Overall, our findings suggest that theaflavin 3-gallate effectively targets the Mpro thus limiting the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Chauhan
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Bhardwaj
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India.,Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India
| | - Asheesh Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India
| | - Pawan Kumar
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India.,Chemical Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India
| | - M Ghalib Enayathullah
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Annexe-II, Medical Biotechnology Complex, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India
| | - Jessie Thomas
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Annexe-II, Medical Biotechnology Complex, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India
| | - Joel George
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Annexe-II, Medical Biotechnology Complex, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India
| | - Bokara Kiran Kumar
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Annexe-II, Medical Biotechnology Complex, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India.
| | - Rituraj Purohit
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India. .,Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India.
| | - Arun Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India.
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, 176061, India
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