1
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Iman K, Mirza MU, Sadia F, Froeyen M, Trant JF, Chaudhary SU. Pharmacophore-Assisted Covalent Docking Identifies a Potential Covalent Inhibitor for Drug-Resistant Genotype 3 Variants of Hepatitis C Viral NS3/4A Serine Protease. Viruses 2024; 16:1250. [PMID: 39205224 PMCID: PMC11359326 DOI: 10.3390/v16081250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistance-inducing mutations in Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coupled with genotypic heterogeneity has made targeting NS3/4A serine protease difficult. In this work, we investigated the mutagenic variations in the binding pocket of Genotype 3 (G3) HCV NS3/4A and evaluated ligands for efficacious inhibition. We report mutations at 14 positions within the ligand-binding residues of HCV NS3/4A, including H57R and S139P within the catalytic triad. We then modelled each mutational variant for pharmacophore-based virtual screening (PBVS) followed by covalent docking towards identifying a potential covalent inhibitor, i.e., cpd-217. The binding stability of cpd-217 was then supported by molecular dynamic simulation followed by MM/GBSA binding free energy calculation. The free energy decomposition analysis indicated that the resistant mutants alter the HCV NS3/4A-ligand interaction, resulting in unbalanced energy distribution within the binding site, leading to drug resistance. Cpd-217 was identified as interacting with all NS3/4A G3 variants with significant covalent docking scores. In conclusion, cpd-217 emerges as a potential inhibitor of HCV NS3/4A G3 variants that warrants further in vitro and in vivo studies. This study provides a theoretical foundation for drug design and development targeting HCV G3 NS3/4A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanzal Iman
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
| | - Muhammad Usman Mirza
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Fazila Sadia
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
| | - Matheus Froeyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - John F. Trant
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Safee Ullah Chaudhary
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
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2
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Kubyshkin V, Rubini M. Proline Analogues. Chem Rev 2024; 124:8130-8232. [PMID: 38941181 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00007] [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: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Within the canonical repertoire of the amino acid involved in protein biogenesis, proline plays a unique role as an amino acid presenting a modified backbone rather than a side-chain. Chemical structures that mimic proline but introduce changes into its specific molecular features are defined as proline analogues. This review article summarizes the existing chemical, physicochemical, and biochemical knowledge about this peculiar family of structures. We group proline analogues from the following compounds: substituted prolines, unsaturated and fused structures, ring size homologues, heterocyclic, e.g., pseudoproline, and bridged proline-resembling structures. We overview (1) the occurrence of proline analogues in nature and their chemical synthesis, (2) physicochemical properties including ring conformation and cis/trans amide isomerization, (3) use in commercial drugs such as nirmatrelvir recently approved against COVID-19, (4) peptide and protein synthesis involving proline analogues, (5) specific opportunities created in peptide engineering, and (6) cases of protein engineering with the analogues. The review aims to provide a summary to anyone interested in using proline analogues in systems ranging from specific biochemical setups to complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Rubini
- School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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3
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Martino SD, Petri GL, De Rosa M. Hepatitis C: The Story of a Long Journey through First, Second, and Third Generation NS3/4A Peptidomimetic Inhibitors. What Did We Learn? J Med Chem 2024; 67:885-921. [PMID: 38179950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01971] [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: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection is the leading cause of liver failure and still represents a global health burden. Over the past decade, great advancements made HCV curable, and sustained viral remission significantly improved to more than 98%. Historical treatment with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin has been displaced by combinations of direct-acting antivirals. These regimens include drugs targeting different stages of the HCV life cycle. However, the emergence of viral resistance remains a big concern. The design of peptidomimetic inhibitors (PIs) able to fit and fill the conserved substrate envelope region within the active site helped avoid contact with the vulnerable sites of the most common resistance-associated substitutions Arg155, Ala156, and Asp168. Herein, we give an overview of HCV NS3 PIs discovered during the past decade, and we deeply discuss the rationale behind the structural optimization efforts essential to achieve pangenotypic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Di Martino
- Drug Discovery Unit, Medicinal Chemistry Group, Ri.MED Foundation, Palermo 90133, Italy
| | - Giovanna Li Petri
- Drug Discovery Unit, Medicinal Chemistry Group, Ri.MED Foundation, Palermo 90133, Italy
| | - Maria De Rosa
- Drug Discovery Unit, Medicinal Chemistry Group, Ri.MED Foundation, Palermo 90133, Italy
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4
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Choi K. The Structure-property Relationships of Clinically Approved Protease Inhibitors. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:1441-1463. [PMID: 37031455 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230409232655] [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: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Proteases play important roles in the regulation of many physiological processes, and protease inhibitors have become one of the important drug classes. Especially because the development of protease inhibitors often starts from a substrate- based peptidomimetic strategy, many of the initial lead compounds suffer from pharmacokinetic liabilities. OBJECTIVE To reduce drug attrition rates, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics studies are fully integrated into modern drug discovery research, and the structure-property relationship illustrates how the modification of the chemical structure influences the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of drug compounds. Understanding the structure- property relationships of clinically approved protease inhibitor drugs and their analogues could provide useful information on the lead-to-candidate optimization strategies. METHODS About 70 inhibitors against human or pathogenic viral proteases have been approved until the end of 2021. In this review, 17 inhibitors are chosen for the structure- property relationship analysis because detailed pharmacological and/or physicochemical data have been disclosed in the medicinal chemistry literature for these inhibitors and their close analogues. RESULTS The compiled data are analyzed primarily focusing on the pharmacokinetic or toxicological deficiencies found in lead compounds and the structural modification strategies used to generate candidate compounds. CONCLUSION The structure-property relationships hereby summarized how the overall druglike properties could be successfully improved by modifying the structure of protease inhibitors. These specific examples are expected to serve as useful references and guidance for developing new protease inhibitor drugs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihang Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea (ROK)
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5
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Ren P, Li S, Wang S, Zhang X, Bai F. Computer-Aided Prediction of the Interactions of Viral Proteases with Antiviral Drugs: Antiviral Potential of Broad-Spectrum Drugs. Molecules 2023; 29:225. [PMID: 38202808 PMCID: PMC10780089 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010225] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Human society is facing the threat of various viruses. Proteases are promising targets for the treatment of viral infections. In this study, we collected and profiled 170 protease sequences from 125 viruses that infect humans. Approximately 73 of them are viral 3-chymotrypsin-like proteases (3CLpro), and 11 are pepsin-like aspartic proteases (PAPs). Their sequences, structures, and substrate characteristics were carefully analyzed to identify their conserved nature for proposing a pan-3CLpro or pan-PAPs inhibitor design strategy. To achieve this, we used computational prediction and modeling methods to predict the binding complex structures for those 73 3CLpro with 4 protease inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 and 11 protease inhibitors of HCV. Similarly, the complex structures for the 11 viral PAPs with 9 protease inhibitors of HIV were also obtained. The binding affinities between these compounds and proteins were also evaluated to assess their pan-protease inhibition via MM-GBSA. Based on the drugs targeting viral 3CLpro and PAPs, repositioning of the active compounds identified several potential uses for these drug molecules. As a result, Compounds 1-2, modified based on the structures of Ray1216 and Asunaprevir, indicate potential inhibition of DENV protease according to our computational simulation results. These studies offer ideas and insights for future research in the design of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxuan Ren
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; (P.R.); (S.L.); (S.W.)
| | - Shiwei Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; (P.R.); (S.L.); (S.W.)
| | - Shihang Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; (P.R.); (S.L.); (S.W.)
| | - Xianglei Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; (P.R.); (S.L.); (S.W.)
| | - Fang Bai
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; (P.R.); (S.L.); (S.W.)
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai 201210, China
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6
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Faiz S, Irfan M, Farooq S, Khan IA, Iqbal H, Wahab AT, Shakeel M, Gong P, Iftner T, Choudhary MI. Study of drug resistance-associated genetic mutations, and phylo-genetic analysis of HCV in the Province of Sindh, Pakistan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12213. [PMID: 37500705 PMCID: PMC10374889 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39339-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Current management of HCV infection is based on Direct-Acting Antiviral Drugs (DAAs). However, resistance-associated mutations, especially in the NS3 and NS5B regions are gradually decreasing the efficacy of DAAs. The aim of the current study was to identify such mutations in the NS3, and NS5B genes in DAAs treatment-naïve Pakistani chronic HCV 3a patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 233 chronic HCV 3a patients at different tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, between August 2020 to September 2021. PCR-amplified target regions of the NS3/NS5B gene were subjected to Sanger sequencing to identify resistance-associated mutations. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified amino acid sequences was performed using HCV3a sequences of the global population in the virus pathogen resource (VIPR) database. Sequence analysis identified five amino acid mutations, Leu36Pro, Gln41His, Gln80Lys/Arg, Ala156Tyr, and Gln168Arg in the NS3 region, and two mutations Leu159Phe and Cys316Arg in the NS5B region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a high genetic diversity in the studied isolates. Overall, the prevalence of resistance-associated substitutions was almost similar to other geographic regions worldwide. This data could be helpful in selecting the most effective treatment regimen for HCV chronically infected people in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirmast Faiz
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Institute of Virology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Saba Farooq
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Institute of Virology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Hana'a Iqbal
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Institute of Virology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Atia-Tul Wahab
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shakeel
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Peng Gong
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.44 Xiao Hong Shan, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Thomas Iftner
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Institute of Virology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
- Institute for Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - M Iqbal Choudhary
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Institute of Virology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
- Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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7
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Wieske LHE, Atilaw Y, Poongavanam V, Erdélyi M, Kihlberg J. Going Viral: An Investigation into the Chameleonic Behaviour of Antiviral Compounds. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202202798. [PMID: 36286339 PMCID: PMC10107787 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202202798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ability to adjust conformations in response to the polarity of the environment, i.e. molecular chameleonicity, is considered to be important for conferring both high aqueous solubility and high cell permeability to drugs in chemical space beyond Lipinski's rule of 5. We determined the conformational ensembles populated by the antiviral drugs asunaprevir, simeprevir, atazanavir and daclatasvir in polar (DMSO-d6 ) and non-polar (chloroform) environments with NMR spectroscopy. Daclatasvir was fairly rigid, whereas the first three showed large flexibility in both environments, that translated into major differences in solvent accessible 3D polar surface area within each conformational ensemble. No significant differences in size and polar surface area were observed between the DMSO-d6 and chloroform ensembles of these three drugs. We propose that such flexible compounds are characterized as "partial molecular chameleons" and hypothesize that their ability to adopt conformations with low polar surface area contributes to their membrane permeability and oral absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne H E Wieske
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Máté Erdélyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
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8
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Chen Q, Zhou J, Yang Z, Guo J, Liu Z, Sun X, Jiang Q, Fang L, Wang D, Xiao S. An intermolecular salt bridge linking substrate binding and P1 substrate specificity switch of arterivirus 3C-like proteases. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3409-3421. [PMID: 35832618 PMCID: PMC9271976 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.06.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine arteritis virus (EAV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) represent two members of the family Arteriviridae and pose a major threat to the equine- and swine-breeding industries throughout the world. Previously, we and others demonstrated that PRRSV 3C-like protease (3CLpro) had very high glutamic acid (Glu)-specificity at the P1 position (P1-Glu). Comparably, EAV 3CLpro exhibited recognition of both Glu and glutamine (Gln) at the P1 position. However, the underlying mechanisms of the P1 substrate specificity shift of arterivirus 3CLpro remain unclear. We systematically screened the specific amino acids in the S1 subsite of arterivirus 3CLpro using a cyclized luciferase-based biosensor and identified Gly116, His133 and Ser136 (using PRRSV 3CLpro numbering) are important for recognition of P1-Glu, whereas Ser136 is nonessential for recognition of P1-Gln. Molecular dynamics simulations and biochemical experiments highlighted that the PRRSV 3CLpro and EAV 3CLpro formed distinct S1 subsites for the P1 substrate specificity switch. Mechanistically, a specific intermolecular salt bridge between PRRSV 3CLpro and substrate P1-Glu (Lys138/P1-Glu) are invaluable for high Glu-specificity at the P1 position, and the exchange of K138T (salt bridge interruption, from PRRSV to EAV) shifted the specificity of PRRSV 3CLpro toward P1-Gln. In turn, the T139K exchange of EAV 3CLpro showed a noticeable shift in substrate specificity, such that substrates containing P1-Glu are likely to be recognized more efficiently. These findings identify an evolutionarily accessible mechanism for disrupting or reorganizing salt bridge with only a single mutation of arterivirus 3CLpro to trigger a substrate specificity switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Junwei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhixiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiahui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zimin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xinyi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qingshi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liurong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shaobo Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
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9
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Shaqra AM, Zvornicanin SN, Huang QYJ, Lockbaum GJ, Knapp M, Tandeske L, Bakan DT, Flynn J, Bolon DNA, Moquin S, Dovala D, Kurt Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA. Defining the substrate envelope of SARS-CoV-2 main protease to predict and avoid drug resistance. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3556. [PMID: 35729165 PMCID: PMC9211792 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31210-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses can evolve and spread rapidly to cause severe disease morbidity and mortality, as exemplified by SARS-CoV-2 variants of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although currently available vaccines remain mostly effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants, additional treatment strategies are needed. Inhibitors that target essential viral enzymes, such as proteases and polymerases, represent key classes of antivirals. However, clinical use of antiviral therapies inevitably leads to emergence of drug resistance. In this study we implemented a strategy to pre-emptively address drug resistance to protease inhibitors targeting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, an essential enzyme that promotes viral maturation. We solved nine high-resolution cocrystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro bound to substrate peptides and six structures with cleavage products. These structures enabled us to define the substrate envelope of Mpro, map the critical recognition elements, and identify evolutionarily vulnerable sites that may be susceptible to resistance mutations that would compromise binding of the newly developed Mpro inhibitors. Our results suggest strategies for developing robust inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 that will retain longer-lasting efficacy against this evolving viral pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala M Shaqra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Sarah N Zvornicanin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Qiu Yu J Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Gordon J Lockbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Mark Knapp
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Laura Tandeske
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - David T Bakan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Julia Flynn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Daniel N A Bolon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US
| | - Stephanie Moquin
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Dustin Dovala
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US.
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, US.
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10
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Abstract
Viral proteases are diverse in structure, oligomeric state, catalytic mechanism, and substrate specificity. This chapter focuses on proteases from viruses that are relevant to human health: human immunodeficiency virus subtype 1 (HIV-1), hepatitis C (HCV), human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), flaviviruses, enteroviruses, and coronaviruses. The proteases of HIV-1 and HCV have been successfully targeted for therapeutics, with picomolar FDA-approved drugs currently used in the clinic. The proteases of HTLV-1 and the other virus families remain emerging therapeutic targets at different stages of the drug development process. This chapter provides an overview of the current knowledge on viral protease structure, mechanism, substrate recognition, and inhibition. Particular focus is placed on recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of diverse substrate recognition and resistance, which is essential toward designing novel protease inhibitors as antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
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11
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Malandris K, Kalopitas G, Theocharidou E, Germanidis G. The Role of RASs /RVs in the Current Management of HCV. Viruses 2021; 13:2096. [PMID: 34696525 PMCID: PMC8539246 DOI: 10.3390/v13102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The approval of combination therapies with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens has led to significant progress in the field of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. Although most patients treated with these agents achieve a virological cure, resistance to DAAs is a major issue. The rapid emergence of resistance-associated substitutions (RASs), in particular in the context of incomplete drug pressure, has an impact on sustained virological response (SVR) rates. Several RASs in NS3, NS5A and NS5B have been linked with reduced susceptibility to DAAs. RAS vary based on HCV characteristics and the different drug classes. DAA-resistant HCV variant haplotypes (RVs) are dominant in cases of virological failure. Viruses with resistance to NS3-4A protease inhibitors are only detected in the peripheral blood in a time frame ranging from weeks to months following completion of treatment, whereas NS5A inhibitor-resistant viruses may persist for years. Novel agents have been developed that demonstrate promising results in DAA-experienced patients. The recent approval of broad-spectrum drug combinations with a high genetic barrier to resistance and antiviral potency may overcome the problem of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Malandris
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (K.M.); (E.T.)
| | - Georgios Kalopitas
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Theocharidou
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (K.M.); (E.T.)
| | - Georgios Germanidis
- First Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
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12
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Nageswara Rao D, Zephyr J, Henes M, Chan ET, Matthew AN, Hedger AK, Conway HL, Saeed M, Newton A, Petropoulos CJ, Huang W, Kurt Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA, Ali A. Discovery of Quinoxaline-Based P1-P3 Macrocyclic NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors with Potent Activity against Drug-Resistant Hepatitis C Virus Variants. J Med Chem 2021; 64:11972-11989. [PMID: 34405680 PMCID: PMC9228641 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The three pan-genotypic HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors (PIs) currently in clinical use-grazoprevir, glecaprevir, and voxilaprevir-are quinoxaline-based P2-P4 macrocycles and thus exhibit similar resistance profiles. Using our quinoxaline-based P1-P3 macrocyclic lead compounds as an alternative chemical scaffold, we explored structure-activity relationships (SARs) at the P2 and P4 positions to develop pan-genotypic PIs that avoid drug resistance. A structure-guided strategy was used to design and synthesize two series of compounds with different P2 quinoxalines in combination with diverse P4 groups of varying sizes and shapes, with and without fluorine substitutions. Our SAR data and cocrystal structures revealed the interplay between the P2 and P4 groups, which influenced inhibitor binding and the overall resistance profile. Optimizing inhibitor interactions in the S4 pocket led to PIs with excellent antiviral activity against clinically relevant PI-resistant HCV variants and genotype 3, providing potential pan-genotypic inhibitors with improved resistance profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desaboini Nageswara Rao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Elise T Chan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Ashley N Matthew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Adam K Hedger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Hasahn L Conway
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Mohsan Saeed
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Alicia Newton
- Monogram Biosciences, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | | | - Wei Huang
- Monogram Biosciences, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
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13
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Hou S, Lee JM, Myint W, Matsuo H, Kurt Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA. Structural basis of substrate specificity in human cytidine deaminase family APOBEC3s. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100909. [PMID: 34171358 PMCID: PMC8313598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The human cytidine deaminase family of APOBEC3s (A3s) plays critical roles in both innate immunity and the development of cancers. A3s comprise seven functionally overlapping but distinct members that can be exploited as nucleotide base editors for treating genetic diseases. Although overall structurally similar, A3s have vastly varying deamination activity and substrate preferences. Recent crystal structures of ssDNA-bound A3s together with experimental studies have provided some insights into distinct substrate specificities among the family members. However, the molecular interactions responsible for their distinct biological functions and how structure regulates substrate specificity are not clear. In this study, we identified the structural basis of substrate specificities in three catalytically active A3 domains whose crystal structures have been previously characterized: A3A, A3B- CTD, and A3G-CTD. Through molecular modeling and dynamic simulations, we found an interdependency between ssDNA substrate binding conformation and nucleotide sequence specificity. In addition to the U-shaped conformation seen in the crystal structure with the CTC0 motif, A3A can accommodate the CCC0 motif when ssDNA is in a more linear (L) conformation. A3B can also bind both U- and L-shaped ssDNA, unlike A3G, which can stably recognize only linear ssDNA. These varied conformations are stabilized by sequence-specific interactions with active site loops 1 and 7, which are highly variable among A3s. Our results explain the molecular basis of previously observed substrate specificities in A3s and have implications for designing A3-specific inhibitors for cancer therapy as well as engineering base-editing systems for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shurong Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wazo Myint
- Basic Research Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Hiroshi Matsuo
- Basic Research Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
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14
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Arutyunova E, Khan MB, Fischer C, Lu J, Lamer T, Vuong W, van Belkum MJ, McKay RT, Tyrrell DL, Vederas JC, Young HS, Lemieux MJ. N-Terminal Finger Stabilizes the S1 Pocket for the Reversible Feline Drug GC376 in the SARS-CoV-2 M pro Dimer. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167003. [PMID: 33895266 PMCID: PMC8061786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro, also known as 3CL protease) of SARS-CoV-2 is a high priority drug target in the development of antivirals to combat COVID-19 infections. A feline coronavirus antiviral drug, GC376, has been shown to be effective in inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease and live virus growth. As this drug moves into clinical trials, further characterization of GC376 with the main protease of coronaviruses is required to gain insight into the drug's properties, such as reversibility and broad specificity. Reversibility is an important factor for therapeutic proteolytic inhibitors to prevent toxicity due to off-target effects. Here we demonstrate that GC376 has nanomolar Ki values with the Mpro from both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV strains. Restoring enzymatic activity after inhibition by GC376 demonstrates reversible binding with both proteases. In addition, the stability and thermodynamic parameters of both proteases were studied to shed light on physical chemical properties of these viral enzymes, revealing higher stability for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The comparison of a new X-ray crystal structure of Mpro from SARS-CoV complexed with GC376 reveals similar molecular mechanism of inhibition compared to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, and gives insight into the broad specificity properties of this drug. In both structures, we observe domain swapping of the N-termini in the dimer of the Mpro, which facilitates coordination of the drug's P1 position. These results validate that GC376 is a drug with an off-rate suitable for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Arutyunova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Alberta, Canada
| | - Muhammad Bashir Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Alberta, Canada
| | - Conrad Fischer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jimmy Lu
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tess Lamer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - Wayne Vuong
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marco J van Belkum
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan T McKay
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - D Lorne Tyrrell
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Alberta, Canada
| | - John C Vederas
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Alberta, Canada
| | - Howard S Young
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Alberta, Canada.
| | - M Joanne Lemieux
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Alberta, Canada.
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15
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Matthew AN, Leidner F, Lockbaum GJ, Henes M, Zephyr J, Hou S, Desaboini NR, Timm J, Rusere LN, Ragland DA, Paulsen JL, Prachanronarong K, Soumana DI, Nalivaika EA, Yilmaz NK, Ali A, Schiffer CA. Drug Design Strategies to Avoid Resistance in Direct-Acting Antivirals and Beyond. Chem Rev 2021; 121:3238-3270. [PMID: 33410674 PMCID: PMC8126998 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is prevalent across many diseases, rendering therapies ineffective with severe financial and health consequences. Rather than accepting resistance after the fact, proactive strategies need to be incorporated into the drug design and development process to minimize the impact of drug resistance. These strategies can be derived from our experience with viral disease targets where multiple generations of drugs had to be developed to combat resistance and avoid antiviral failure. Significant efforts including experimental and computational structural biology, medicinal chemistry, and machine learning have focused on understanding the mechanisms and structural basis of resistance against direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs. Integrated methods show promise for being predictive of resistance and potency. In this review, we give an overview of this research for human immunodeficiency virus type 1, hepatitis C virus, and influenza virus and the lessons learned from resistance mechanisms of DAAs. These lessons translate into rational strategies to avoid resistance in drug design, which can be generalized and applied beyond viral targets. While resistance may not be completely avoidable, rational drug design can and should incorporate strategies at the outset of drug development to decrease the prevalence of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N. Matthew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University
| | - Florian Leidner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Gordon J. Lockbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Shurong Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Nages Rao Desaboini
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Jennifer Timm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Rutgers University
| | - Linah N. Rusere
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Raybow Pharmaceutical
| | - Debra A. Ragland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Janet L. Paulsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Schrodinger, Inc
| | - Kristina Prachanronarong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | - Djade I. Soumana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
- Cytiva
| | - Ellen A. Nalivaika
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
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16
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Liu F, Chen R, Song W, Li L, Lei C, Nie Z. Modular Combination of Proteolysis-Responsive Transcription and Spherical Nucleic Acids for Smartphone-Based Colorimetric Detection of Protease Biomarkers. Anal Chem 2021; 93:3517-3525. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Ru Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Wenlu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Liangwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Chunyang Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
| | - Zhou Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China
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17
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Boonma T, Nutho B, Darai N, Rungrotmongkol T, Nunthaboot N. Exploring of paritaprevir and glecaprevir resistance due to A156T mutation of HCV NS3/4A protease: molecular dynamics simulation study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:5283-5294. [PMID: 33430709 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1869587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A serine protease is a promising drug target for the discovery of anti-HCV drugs. However, its amino acid mutations, particularly A156T, commonly lead to rapid emergence of drug resistance. Paritaprevir and glecaprevir, the newly FDA-approved HCV drugs, exhibit distinct resistance profiles against the A156T mutation of HCV NS3/4A serine protease. To illustrate their different molecular resistance mechanisms, molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations were carried out on the two compounds complexed with both wild-type (WT) and A156T variants of HCV NS3/4A protease. QM/MM-GBSA-based binding free energy calculations revealed that the binding affinities of paritaprevir and glecaprevir towards A156T NS3/4A were significantly reduced by ∼4 kcal/mol with respect to their WT complexes, which were in line with the experimental resistance folds. Moreover, the relatively weak intermolecular interactions with amino acids such as H57, R155, and T156 of NS3 protein, the steric effect and the destabilized protein binding surface, which is caused by the loss of salt bridge between R123 and D168, are the main contributions for the higher fold-loss in potency of glecaprevir due to A156T mutation. An insight into the difference of molecular mechanism of drug resistance against the A156T substitution among the two classes of serine protease inhibitors could be useful for further optimization of new generation HCV NS3/4A inhibitors with enhanced inhibitory potency.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thitiya Boonma
- Supramolecular Chemistry Research Unit and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.,Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH‒CIC), Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand
| | - Bodee Nutho
- Center of Excellence in Computational Chemistry (CECC), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nitchakan Darai
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Structural and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nadtanet Nunthaboot
- Supramolecular Chemistry Research Unit and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.,Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH‒CIC), Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Thailand
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18
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Sun LQ, Mull E, D'Andrea S, Zheng B, Hiebert S, Gillis E, Bowsher M, Kandhasamy S, Baratam VR, Puttaswamy S, Pulicharla N, Vishwakrishnan S, Reddy S, Trivedi R, Sinha S, Sivaprasad S, Rao A, Desai S, Ghosh K, Anumula R, Kumar A, Rajamani R, Wang YK, Fang H, Mathur A, Rampulla R, Zvyaga TA, Mosure K, Jenkins S, Falk P, Tagore DM, Chen C, Rendunchintala K, Loy J, Meanwell NA, McPhee F, Scola PM. Discovery of BMS-986144, a Third-Generation, Pan-Genotype NS3/4A Protease Inhibitor for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection. J Med Chem 2020; 63:14740-14760. [PMID: 33226226 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of a pan-genotypic hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor based on a P1-P3 macrocyclic tripeptide motif is described. The all-carbon tether linking the P1-P3 subsites of 21 is functionalized with alkyl substituents, which are shown to effectively modulate both potency and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. The CF3Boc-group that caps the P3 amino moiety was discovered to be an essential contributor to metabolic stability, while positioning a methyl group at the C1 position of the P1' cyclopropyl ring enhanced plasma trough values following oral administration to rats. The C7-fluoro, C6-CD3O substitution pattern of the P2* isoquinoline heterocycle of 21 was essential to securing the targeted potency, pharmacokinetic (PK), and toxicological profiles. The C6-CD3O redirected metabolism away from a problematic pathway, thereby circumventing the time-dependent cytochrome P (CYP) 450 inhibition observed with the C6-CH3O prototype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Qiang Sun
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, Route 206 & Province Line Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Eric Mull
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Stanley D'Andrea
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Barbara Zheng
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, Route 206 & Province Line Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Sheldon Hiebert
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Eric Gillis
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Michael Bowsher
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Sarkunam Kandhasamy
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Venkata Rao Baratam
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Sunitha Puttaswamy
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Nagalakshmi Pulicharla
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Sureshbabu Vishwakrishnan
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Subba Reddy
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Ravi Trivedi
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Sarmistha Sinha
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Sankar Sivaprasad
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Abhijith Rao
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Salil Desai
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Kaushik Ghosh
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Rushith Anumula
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Ramkumar Rajamani
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, 100 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Ying-Kai Wang
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, Route 206 & Province Line Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Hua Fang
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Arvind Mathur
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Richard Rampulla
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Tatyana A Zvyaga
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Kathy Mosure
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, 100 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Susan Jenkins
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Paul Falk
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Debarati M Tagore
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Chaoqun Chen
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Kishore Rendunchintala
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Bommasandra IV Phase, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - James Loy
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, 100 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Nicholas A Meanwell
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, Route 206 & Province Line Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Fiona McPhee
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, 100 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Paul M Scola
- Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Early Development, 100 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
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19
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Miao M, Jing X, De Clercq E, Li G. Danoprevir for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Design, Development, and Place in Therapy. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2020; 14:2759-2774. [PMID: 32764876 PMCID: PMC7368560 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s254754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
On June 8, 2018, an NS3/4A protease inhibitor called danoprevir was approved in China to treat the infections of HCV genotype (GT) 1b – the most common HCV genotype worldwide. Based on phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, the 12-week regimen of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (danoprevir/r) plus peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin offered 97.1% (200/206) of sustained virologic response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) in treatment-naïve non-cirrhotic patients infected with HCV genotype 1b. Adverse events such as anemia, fatigue, fever, and headache were associated with the inclusion of peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin in the danoprevir-based regimen. Moreover, drug resistance to danoprevir could be traced to amino acid substitutions (Q80K/R, R155K, D168A/E/H/N/T/V) near the drug-binding pocket of HCV NS3 protease. Despite its approval, the clinical use of danoprevir is currently limited to its combination with peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin, thereby driving its development towards interferon-free, ribavirin-free regimens with improved tolerability and adherence. In the foreseeable future, pan-genotypic direct-acting antivirals with better clinical efficacy and less adverse events will be available to treat HCV infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Miao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
| | - Xixi Jing
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
| | - Erik De Clercq
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Guangdi Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, People's Republic of China
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20
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Matthew AN, Zephyr J, Nageswara Rao D, Henes M, Kamran W, Kosovrasti K, Hedger AK, Lockbaum GJ, Timm J, Ali A, Kurt Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA. Avoiding Drug Resistance by Substrate Envelope-Guided Design: Toward Potent and Robust HCV NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors. mBio 2020; 11:e00172-20. [PMID: 32234812 PMCID: PMC7157764 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00172-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects millions of people worldwide, causing chronic liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplant. In the last several years, the advent of direct-acting antivirals, including NS3/4A protease inhibitors (PIs), has remarkably improved treatment outcomes of HCV-infected patients. However, selection of resistance-associated substitutions and polymorphisms among genotypes can lead to drug resistance and in some cases treatment failure. A proactive strategy to combat resistance is to constrain PIs within evolutionarily conserved regions in the protease active site. Designing PIs using the substrate envelope is a rational strategy to decrease the susceptibility to resistance by using the constraints of substrate recognition. We successfully designed two series of HCV NS3/4A PIs to leverage unexploited areas in the substrate envelope to improve potency, specifically against resistance-associated substitutions at D168. Our design strategy achieved better resistance profiles over both the FDA-approved NS3/4A PI grazoprevir and the parent compound against the clinically relevant D168A substitution. Crystallographic structural analysis and inhibition assays confirmed that optimally filling the substrate envelope is critical to improve inhibitor potency while avoiding resistance. Specifically, inhibitors that enhanced hydrophobic packing in the S4 pocket and avoided an energetically frustrated pocket performed the best. Thus, the HCV substrate envelope proved to be a powerful tool to design robust PIs, offering a strategy that can be translated to other targets for rational design of inhibitors with improved potency and resistance profiles.IMPORTANCE Despite significant progress, hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to be a major health problem with millions of people infected worldwide and thousands dying annually due to resulting complications. Recent antiviral combinations can achieve >95% cure, but late diagnosis, low access to treatment, and treatment failure due to drug resistance continue to be roadblocks against eradication of the virus. We report the rational design of two series of HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors with improved resistance profiles by exploiting evolutionarily constrained regions of the active site using the substrate envelope model. Optimally filling the S4 pocket is critical to avoid resistance and improve potency. Our results provide drug design strategies to avoid resistance that are applicable to other quickly evolving viral drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Matthew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Desaboini Nageswara Rao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wasih Kamran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Klajdi Kosovrasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam K Hedger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gordon J Lockbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer Timm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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Omar AM, Elfaky MA, Arold ST, Soror SH, Khayat MT, Asfour HZ, Bamane FH, El-Araby ME. 1 H-Imidazole-2,5-Dicarboxamides as NS4A Peptidomimetics: Identification of a New Approach to Inhibit HCV-NS3 Protease. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E479. [PMID: 32245218 PMCID: PMC7175367 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonstructural (NS) protein NS3/4A protease is a critical factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) maturation that requires activation by NS4A. Synthetic peptide mutants of NS4A were found to inhibit NS3 function. The bridging from peptide inhibitors to heterocyclic peptidomimetics of NS4A has not been considered in the literature and, therefore, we decided to explore this strategy for developing a new class of NS3 inhibitors. In this report, a structure-based design approach was used to convert the bound form of NS4A into 1H-imidazole-2,5-dicarboxamide derivatives as first generation peptidomimetics. This scaffold mimics the buried amino acid sequence Ile-25` to Arg-28` at the core of NS4A21`-33` needed to activate the NS3 protease. Some of the synthesized compounds (Coded MOC) were able to compete with and displace NS4A21`-33` for binding to NS3. For instance, N5-(4-guanidinobutyl)-N2-(n-hexyl)-1H-imidazole-2,5-dicarboxamide (MOC-24) inhibited the binding of NS4A21`-33` with a competition half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.9 ± 0.12 µM in a fluorescence anisotropy assay and stabilized the denaturation of NS3 by increasing the aggregation temperature (40% compared to NS4A21`-33`). MOC-24 also inhibited NS3 protease activity in a fluorometric assay. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to rationalize the differences in structure-activity relationship (SAR) between the active MOC-24 and the inactive MOC-26. Our data show that MOC compounds are possibly the first examples of NS4A peptidomimetics that have demonstrated promising activities against NS3 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelsattar M. Omar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.O.); (M.T.K.)
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A. Elfaky
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Stefan T. Arold
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sameh H. Soror
- Center for Scientific Excellence Helwan Structural Biology Research (HSBR), Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Cairo 11795, Egypt
| | - Maan T. Khayat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.O.); (M.T.K.)
| | - Hani Z. Asfour
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Faida H. Bamane
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Moustafa E. El-Araby
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.O.); (M.T.K.)
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22
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Timm J, Kosovrasti K, Henes M, Leidner F, Hou S, Ali A, Kurt-Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA. Molecular and Structural Mechanism of Pan-Genotypic HCV NS3/4A Protease Inhibition by Glecaprevir. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:342-352. [PMID: 31868341 PMCID: PMC7747061 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus, causative agent of chronic viral hepatitis, infects 71 million people worldwide and is divided into seven genotypes and multiple subtypes with sequence identities between 68 to 82%. While older generation direct-acting antivirals had varying effectiveness against different genotypes, the newest NS3/4A protease inhibitors including glecaprevir (GLE) have pan-genotypic activity. The structural basis for pan-genotypic inhibition and effects of polymorphisms on inhibitor potency were not well-known due to lack of crystal structures of GLE-bound NS3/4A or genotypes other than 1. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of NS3/4A from genotypes 1a, 3a, 4a, and 5a in complex with GLE. Comparison with the highly similar grazoprevir indicated the mechanism of GLE's drastic improvement in potency. We found that, while GLE is highly potent against wild-type NS3/4A of all genotypes, specific resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) confer orders of magnitude loss in inhibition. Our crystal structures reveal molecular mechanisms behind pan-genotypic activity of GLE, including potency loss due to RASs at D168. Our structures permit for the first time analysis of changes due to polymorphisms among genotypes, providing insights into design principles that can aid future drug development and potentially can be extended to other proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Timm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Klajdi Kosovrasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Florian Leidner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Shurong Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nese Kurt-Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Celia A. Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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23
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El-Araby ME, Omar AM, Soror SH, Arold ST, Khayat MT, Asfour HZ, Bamane F, Elfaky MA. Synthetic bulky NS4A peptide variants bind to and inhibit HCV NS3 protease. J Adv Res 2020; 24:251-259. [PMID: 32373358 PMCID: PMC7195562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
NS4A is a non-structural multi-tasking small peptide that is essential for HCV maturation and replication. The central odd-numbered hydrophobic residues of NS4A (Val-23‘ to Leu-31‘)i are essential for activating NS3 upon NS3/4A protease complex formation. This study aims to design new specific allosteric NS3/4A protease inhibitors by mutating Val-23‘, Ile-25‘, and Ile-29‘ into bulkier amino acids. Pep-15, a synthetic peptide, showed higher binding affinity towards HCV-NS3 subtype-4 than native NS4A. The Kd of Pep-15 (80.0 ± 8.0 nM) was twice as high as that of native NS4A (169 ± 37 nM). The mutant Pep-15 inhibited the catalytic activity of HCV-NS3 by forming an inactive complex. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that a cascade of conformational changes occurred, especially in the catalytic triad arrangements, thereby inactivating NS3. A large shift in the position of Ser-139 was observed, leading to loss of critical hydrogen bonding with His-57. Even though this study is not a classic drug discovery study—nor do we propose Pep-15 as a drug candidate—it serves as a stepping stone towards developing a potent inhibitor of hitherto untargeted HCV subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa E El-Araby
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelsattar M Omar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt
| | - Sameh H Soror
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, P.O. 11795, Cairo, Egypt.,Center for Scientific Excellence Helwan Structural Biology Research (HSBR), Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, P.O. 11795, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Stefan T Arold
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Computational Bioscience Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maan T Khayat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani Z Asfour
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faida Bamane
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud A Elfaky
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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24
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Zhou J, Fang L, Yang Z, Xu S, Lv M, Sun Z, Chen J, Wang D, Gao J, Xiao S. Identification of novel proteolytically inactive mutations in coronavirus 3C-like protease using a combined approach. FASEB J 2019; 33:14575-14587. [PMID: 31690127 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901624rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) infect humans and multiple other animal species, causing highly prevalent and severe diseases. 3C-like proteases (3CLpros) from CoVs (also called main proteases) are essential for viral replication and are also involved in polyprotein cleavage and immune regulation, making them attractive and effective targets for the development of antiviral drugs. Herein, the 3CLpro from the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, an enteropathogenic CoV, was used as a model to identify novel crucial residues for enzyme activity. First, we established a rapid, sensitive, and efficient luciferase-based biosensor to monitor the activity of PDEV 3CLproin vivo. Using this luciferase biosensor, along with confirming the well-known catalytic residues (His41 and Cys144), we identified 4 novel proteolytically inactivated mutants of PDEV 3CLpro, which was also confirmed in mammalian cells by biochemical experiments. Our molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that the hydrogen bonding interactions occurring within and outside of the protease's active site and the dynamic fluctuations of the substrate, especially the van der Waals contacts, were drastically altered, a situation related to the loss of 3CLpro activity. These data suggest that changing the intermolecular dynamics in protein-substrate complexes eliminates the mechanism underlying the protease activity. The discovery of novel crucial residues for enzyme activity in the binding pocket could potentially provide more druggable sites for the design of protease inhibitors. In addition, our in-depth study of the dynamic substrate's envelope model using MD simulations is an approach that could augment the discovery of new inhibitors against 3CLpro in CoVs and other viral 3C proteases.-Zhou, J., Fang, L., Yang, Z., Xu, S., Lv, M., Sun, Z., Chen, J., Wang, D., Gao, J., Xiao, S. Identification of novel proteolytically inactive mutations in coronavirus 3C-like protease using a combined approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Liurong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhixiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Shangen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengting Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiyao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Dang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Gao
- Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaobo Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
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25
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Henes M, Lockbaum GJ, Kosovrasti K, Leidner F, Nachum GS, Nalivaika EA, Lee SK, Spielvogel E, Zhou S, Swanstrom R, Bolon DN, Yilmaz NK, Schiffer CA. Picomolar to Micromolar: Elucidating the Role of Distal Mutations in HIV-1 Protease in Conferring Drug Resistance. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2441-2452. [PMID: 31361460 PMCID: PMC6941144 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance continues to be a growing global problem. The efficacy of small molecule inhibitors is threatened by pools of genetic diversity in all systems, including antibacterials, antifungals, cancer therapeutics, and antivirals. Resistant variants often include combinations of active site mutations and distal "secondary" mutations, which are thought to compensate for losses in enzymatic activity. HIV-1 protease is the ideal model system to investigate these combinations and underlying molecular mechanisms of resistance. Darunavir (DRV) binds wild-type (WT) HIV-1 protease with a potency of <5 pM, but we have identified a protease variant that loses potency to DRV 150 000-fold, with 11 mutations in and outside the active site. To elucidate the roles of these mutations in DRV resistance, we used a multidisciplinary approach, combining enzymatic assays, crystallography, and molecular dynamics simulations. Analysis of protease variants with 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11 mutations showed that the primary active site mutations caused ∼50-fold loss in potency (2 mutations), while distal mutations outside the active site further decreased DRV potency from 13 nM (8 mutations) to 0.76 μM (11 mutations). Crystal structures and simulations revealed that distal mutations induce subtle changes that are dynamically propagated through the protease. Our results reveal that changes remote from the active site directly and dramatically impact the potency of the inhibitor. Moreover, we find interdependent effects of mutations in conferring high levels of resistance. These mechanisms of resistance are likely applicable to many other quickly evolving drug targets, and the insights may have implications for the design of more robust inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Gordon J. Lockbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Klajdi Kosovrasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Florian Leidner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Gily S. Nachum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Ellen A. Nalivaika
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Sook-Kyung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the UNC Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Ean Spielvogel
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the UNC Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Shuntai Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the UNC Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Ronald Swanstrom
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the UNC Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Daniel N.A. Bolon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States,Corresponding authors Celia A. Schiffer: Phone: +1 508 856 8008; , Nese Kurt Yilmaz: Phone: +1 508 856 1867;
| | - Celia A. Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States,Corresponding authors Celia A. Schiffer: Phone: +1 508 856 8008; , Nese Kurt Yilmaz: Phone: +1 508 856 1867;
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26
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Boonma T, Nutho B, Rungrotmongkol T, Nunthaboot N. Understanding of the drug resistance mechanism of hepatitis C virus NS3/4A to paritaprevir due to D168N/Y mutations: A molecular dynamics simulation perspective. Comput Biol Chem 2019; 83:107154. [PMID: 31751885 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2019.107154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease is an attractive target for the development of antiviral therapy. However, the evolution of antiviral drug resistance is a major problem for treatment of HCV infected patients. Understanding of drug-resistance mechanisms at molecular level is therefore very important for the guidance of further design of antiviral drugs with high efficiency and specificity. Paritaprevir is a potent inhibitor against HCV NS3/4A protease genotype 1a. Unfortunately, this compound is highly susceptible to the substitution at D168 in the protease. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations of paritaprevir complexed with wild-type (WT) and two mutated strains (D168 N and D168Y) were carried out. Due to such mutations, the inhibitor-protein hydrogen bonding between them was weakened and the salt-bridge network among residues R123, R155 and D168 responsible for inhibitor binding was disrupted. Moreover, the per-residue free energy decomposition suggested that the main contributions from key residues such as Q80, V132, K136, G137 and R155 were lost in the D168 N/Y mutations. These lead to a lower binding affinity of paritaprevir for D168 N/Y variants of the HCV NS3/4A protease, consistent with the experimental data. This detailed information could be useful for further design of high potency anti-HCV NS3/4A inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thitiya Boonma
- Supramolecular Chemistry Research Unit and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH‒CIC), Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand
| | - Bodee Nutho
- Center of Excellence in Computational Chemistry (CECC), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Structural and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Ph.D. Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Nadtanet Nunthaboot
- Supramolecular Chemistry Research Unit and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH‒CIC), Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand.
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27
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Meewan I, Zhang X, Roy S, Ballatore C, O’Donoghue AJ, Schooley RT, Abagyan R. Discovery of New Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease and Its D168A Mutant. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:16999-17008. [PMID: 31646247 PMCID: PMC6796237 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a human pathogen with high morbidity. The HCV NS3/4A protease is essential for viral replication and is one of the top three drug targets. Several drugs targeting the protease have been developed, but drug-resistant mutant strains emerged. Here, we screened a library and synthesized a novel class of small molecules based on a tryptophan derivative scaffold identified as HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors that are active against both wild type and mutant form of the protease. Only the compounds with predicted binding poses not affected by the most frequent mutations in the active site were selected for experimental validation. The antiviral activities were evaluated by replicon and enzymatic assays. Twenty-two compounds were found to inhibit HCV with EC50 values ranging between 0.64 and 63 μM with compound 22 being the most active. In protease assays, 22 had a comparable inhibition profile for the common mutant HCV GT1b D168A and the wild-type enzyme. However, in the same assay, the potency of the approved drug, simeprevir, decreased 5.7-fold for the mutant enzyme relative to the wild type. The top three inhibitors were also tested against four human serine proteases and were shown to be specific to the viral protease. The fluorescence-based cell viability assay demonstrated a sufficient therapeutic range for the top three candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ittipat Meewan
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Xingquan Zhang
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Suchismita Roy
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Carlo Ballatore
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Robert T. Schooley
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry, and School of Medicine, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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28
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Construction and characterization of Genotype-3 hepatitis C virus replicon revealed critical genotype-3-specific polymorphism for drug resistance and viral fitness. Antiviral Res 2019; 171:104612. [PMID: 31542377 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.104612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a major causative agent of chronic hepatitis, is a positive-stranded RNA virus and has a high degree of genetic diversity due to its error-prone RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Development of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has greatly improved the therapeutic outcome of chronic hepatitis C patients. However, naturally existing resistance-associated variants (RAVs) or occurrence of resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in the HCV genome may impose a challenge to the long-term success of the DAA-based therapies. Genotype-3 HCV is the most difficult genotype to treat by DAAs, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be explored. Here we developed a novel genotype-3a subgenomic replicon PR87A7 by screening a HCV cDNA pool amplified from a patient serum RNA. PR87A7 replicon displayed strong resistance to anti-NS3 DAAs, mainly owing to a genotype-3-specific polymorphism 168Q in NS3. Introduction of NS3 168Q into a genotype-2a JFH1 strain rendered resistance to anti-NS3 DAAs while greatly diminished the viral replication, and yet this fitness defect can be rescued by additional genotype-3-specific polymorphism. In conclusion, we developed a novel genotype-3a subgenomic replicon by a functional screening approach, and revealed genotype-3-specfic amino acid residues that confer resistance to anti-NS3 DAAs while retaining viral fitness.
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Rusere LN, Lockbaum GJ, Lee SK, Henes M, Kosovrasti K, Spielvogel E, Nalivaika EA, Swanstrom R, Yilmaz NK, Schiffer CA, Ali A. HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors Incorporating Stereochemically Defined P2' Ligands To Optimize Hydrogen Bonding in the Substrate Envelope. J Med Chem 2019; 62:8062-8079. [PMID: 31386368 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A structure-guided design strategy was used to improve the resistance profile of HIV-1 protease inhibitors by optimizing hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions with the protease while staying within the substrate envelope. Stereoisomers of 4-(1-hydroxyethyl)benzene and 4-(1,2-dihydroxyethyl)benzene moieties were explored as P2' ligands providing pairs of diastereoisomers epimeric at P2', which exhibited distinct potency profiles depending on the configuration of the hydroxyl group and size of the P1' group. While compounds with the 4-(1-hydroxyethyl)benzene P2' moiety maintained excellent antiviral potency against a panel of multidrug-resistant HIV-1 strains, analogues with the polar 4-(1,2-dihydroxyethyl)benzene moiety were less potent, and only the (R)-epimer incorporating a larger 2-ethylbutyl P1' group showed improved potency. Crystal structures of protease-inhibitor complexes revealed strong hydrogen bonding interactions of both (R)- and (S)-stereoisomers of the hydroxyethyl group with Asp30'. Notably, the (R)-dihydroxyethyl group was involved in a unique pattern of direct hydrogen bonding interactions with the backbone amides of Asp29' and Asp30'. The SAR data and analysis of crystal structures provide insights for optimizing these promising HIV-1 protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linah N Rusere
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Gordon J Lockbaum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Sook-Kyung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and the UNC Center for AIDS Research , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - Mina Henes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Klajdi Kosovrasti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Ean Spielvogel
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and the UNC Center for AIDS Research , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - Ellen A Nalivaika
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Ronald Swanstrom
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and the UNC Center for AIDS Research , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
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30
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Ren J, Ojeda I, Patel M, Johnson ME, Lee H. Exploring small molecules with pan-genotypic inhibitory activities against hepatitis C virus NS3/4A serine protease. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:2349-2353. [PMID: 31201062 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Among the many Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and subtypes, genotypes 1b and 3a are most prevalent in United States and Asia, respectively. A total of 132 commercially available analogs of a previous lead compound were initially investigated against wild-type HCV genotype 1b NS3/4A protease. Ten compounds showed inhibitory activities (IC50 values) below 10 µM with comparable direct binding affinities (KD values) determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). To identify pan-genotypic inhibitors, these ten selected compounds were tested against four additional genotypes (1a, 2a, 3a, and 4) and three drug-resistant mutants (A156S, R155K, and V36M). Four new analogs have been identified with better activities against all five tested genotypes than the prior lead compound. Further, the original lead compound did not show activity against genotype 3a NS3/4A, whereas four newly identified compounds exhibited IC50 values below 33 µM against genotype 3a NS3/4A. Encouragingly, the best new compound F1813-0710 possessed promising activity toward genotype 3a, which is a huge improvement over the previous lead compound that had no effect on genotype 3a. This intriguing observation was further analyzed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand their different binding interactions, which should benefit future pan-genotypic inhibitor design and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhong Ren
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Isabel Ojeda
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Maulik Patel
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Michael E Johnson
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Hyun Lee
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; Biophysics Core at Research Resource Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 S. Wood Street, IL 60612, USA.
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31
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Dong L, Shen S, Xu Y, Wang L, Feng R, Zhang J, Lu H. Computational Studies on the Potency and Selectivity of PUGNAc Derivatives Against GH3, GH20, and GH84 β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidases. Front Chem 2019; 7:235. [PMID: 31111026 PMCID: PMC6499197 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidases have attracted significant attention due to their crucial role in diverse physiological functions including antibacterial synergists, pathogen defense, virus infection, lysosomal storage, and protein glycosylation. In particular, the GH3 β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase of V. cholerae (VcNagZ), human GH20 β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase B (HsHexB), and human GH84 β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase (hOGA) are three important representative glycosidases. These have been found to be implicated in β-lactam resistance (VcNagZ), lysosomal storage disorders (HsHexB) and Alzheimer's disease (hOGA). Considering the profound effects of these three enzymes, many small molecule inhibitors with good potency and selectivity have been reported to regulate the corresponding physiological functions. In this paper, the best-known inhibitors PUGNAc and two of its derivatives (N-valeryl-PUGNAc and EtBuPUG) were selected as model compounds and docked into the active pockets of VcNagZ, HsHexB, and hOGA, respectively. Subsequently, molecular dynamics simulations of the nine systems were performed to systematically compare their binding modes from active pocket architecture and individual interactions. Furthermore, the binding free energy and free energy decomposition are calculated using the MM/GBSA methods to predict the binding affinities of enzyme-inhibitor systems and to quantitatively analyze the contribution of each residue. The results show that PUGNAc is deeply-buried in the active pockets of all three enzymes, which indicates its potency (but not selectivity) against VcNagZ, HsHexB, and hOGA. However, EtBuPUG, bearing branched 2-isobutamido, adopted strained conformations and was only located in the active pocket of VcNagZ. It has completely moved out of the pocket of HsHexB and lacks interactions with HsHexB. This indicates why the selectivity of EtBuPUG to VcNagZ/HsHexB is the largest, reaching 968-fold. In addition, the contributions of the catalytic residue Asp253 (VcNagZ), Asp254 (VcNagZ), Asp175 (hOGA), and Asp354 (HsHexB) are important to distinguish the activity and selectivity of these inhibitors. The results of this study provide a helpful structural guideline to promote the development of novel and selective inhibitors against specific β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Dong
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengqiang Shen
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yefei Xu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Leng Wang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ruirui Feng
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Huizhe Lu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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32
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Taylor JG, Zipfel S, Ramey K, Vivian R, Schrier A, Karki KK, Katana A, Kato D, Kobayashi T, Martinez R, Sangi M, Siegel D, Tran CV, Yang ZY, Zablocki J, Yang CY, Wang Y, Wang K, Chan K, Barauskas O, Cheng G, Jin D, Schultz BE, Appleby T, Villaseñor AG, Link JO. Discovery of the pan-genotypic hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor voxilaprevir (GS-9857): A component of Vosevi ®. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:2428-2436. [PMID: 31133531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been historically challenging due the high viral genetic complexity wherein there are eight distinct genotypes and at least 86 viral subtypes. While HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors are an established treatment option for genotype 1 infection, limited coverage of genotypes 2 and/or 3 combined with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) elevations for some compounds has limited the broad utility of this therapeutic class. Our discovery efforts were focused on identifying an NS3/4A protease inhibitor with pan-genotypic antiviral activity, improved coverage of resistance associated substitutions, and a decreased risk of hepatotoxicity. Towards this goal, distinct interactions with the conserved catalytic triad of the NS3/4A protease were identified that improved genotype 3 antiviral activity. We further discovered that protein adduct formation strongly correlated with clinical ALT elevation for this therapeutic class. Improving metabolic stability and decreasing protein adduct formation through structural modifications ultimately resulted in voxilaprevir. Voxilaprevir, in combination with sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, has demonstrated pan-genotypic antiviral clinical activity. Furthermore, hepatotoxicity was not observed in Phase 3 clinical trials with voxilaprevir, consistent with our design strategy. Vosevi® (sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir) is now an approved pan-genotypic treatment option for the most difficult-to-cure individuals who have previously failed direct acting antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Taylor
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States.
| | - Sheila Zipfel
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Kyla Ramey
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Randy Vivian
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Adam Schrier
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Kapil K Karki
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Ashley Katana
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Darryl Kato
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Tetsuya Kobayashi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Ruben Martinez
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Michael Sangi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Dustin Siegel
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Chinh V Tran
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Zheng-Yu Yang
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Jeff Zablocki
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Cheng Y Yang
- Drug Metabolism, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Yujin Wang
- Drug Metabolism, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Kelly Wang
- Drug Metabolism, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Katie Chan
- Biology, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Ona Barauskas
- Biology, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Biology, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Debi Jin
- Biology, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Brian E Schultz
- Biology, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Todd Appleby
- Structural Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - Armando G Villaseñor
- Structural Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
| | - John O Link
- Medicinal Chemistry, Gilead Sciences, 333 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
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33
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Kammarabutr J, Mahalapbutr P, Nutho B, Kungwan N, Rungrotmongkol T. Low susceptibility of asunaprevir towards R155K and D168A point mutations in HCV NS3/4A protease: A molecular dynamics simulation. J Mol Graph Model 2019; 89:122-130. [PMID: 30884449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C has become an important health problem that requires expensive treatment and leads to liver tumorigenesis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is the main cause of hepatitis C, has a high mutation rate due to the lack of proofreading activity of the RNA polymerase enzyme. The NS3/4A serine protease is an important target for anti-HCV drug discovery and development because of its crucial role in the cleavage of the polypeptides involved in viral replication. In the present study, all-atom molecular dynamics simulation was performed to elucidate the effect of the single point mutations R155K and D168A in the HCV genotype 1 NS3/4A protease on the structural dynamics, molecular interactions and susceptibility of asunaprevir (ASV), a second-generation NS3/4A protease inhibitor. Principal component analysis indicated that these two mutations converted the direction of motion of residues 123, 155 and 168 in the binding pocket to significantly point outwards from ASV, resulting in a loss of the hydrogen bond network of residues R123···R155···D168. The free energy calculations based on different semiempirical QM/MM-GBSA methods revealed that the binding affinity of ASV with the two mutant forms of the NS3/4A protease was significantly decreased in the order of wild-type < R155K < D168A. This work provided useful structural information regarding the atomistic understanding of acquired drug resistance against ASV caused by the R155K and D168A mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirayu Kammarabutr
- Structural and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Panupong Mahalapbutr
- Structural and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Bodee Nutho
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Nawee Kungwan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Structural and Computational Biology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Ph.D. Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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34
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Özen A, Prachanronarong K, Matthew AN, Soumana DI, Schiffer CA. Resistance outside the substrate envelope: hepatitis C NS3/4A protease inhibitors. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 54:11-26. [PMID: 30821513 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2019.1568962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Direct acting antivirals have dramatically increased the efficacy and tolerability of hepatitis C treatment, but drug resistance has emerged with some of these inhibitors, including nonstructural protein 3/4 A protease inhibitors (PIs). Although many co-crystal structures of PIs with the NS3/4A protease have been reported, a systematic review of these crystal structures in the context of the rapidly emerging drug resistance especially for early PIs has not been performed. To provide a framework for designing better inhibitors with higher barriers to resistance, we performed a quantitative structural analysis using co-crystal structures and models of HCV NS3/4A protease in complex with natural substrates and inhibitors. By comparing substrate structural motifs and active site interactions with inhibitor recognition, we observed that the selection of drug resistance mutations correlates with how inhibitors deviate from viral substrates in molecular recognition. Based on this observation, we conclude that guiding the design process with native substrate recognition features is likely to lead to more robust small molecule inhibitors with decreased susceptibility to resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşegül Özen
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA
| | - Kristina Prachanronarong
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA
| | - Ashley N Matthew
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA
| | - Djade I Soumana
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA
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35
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Lockbaum GJ, Leidner F, Rusere LN, Henes M, Kosovrasti K, Nachum GS, Nalivaika EA, Bolon DN, Ali A, Yilmaz NK, Schiffer CA. Structural Adaptation of Darunavir Analogues against Primary Mutations in HIV-1 Protease. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:316-325. [PMID: 30543749 PMCID: PMC6941150 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
HIV-1 protease is one of the prime targets of agents used in antiretroviral therapy against HIV. However, under selective pressure of protease inhibitors, primary mutations at the active site weaken inhibitor binding to confer resistance. Darunavir (DRV) is the most potent HIV-1 protease inhibitor in clinic; resistance is limited, as DRV fits well within the substrate envelope. Nevertheless, resistance is observed due to hydrophobic changes at residues including I50, V82, and I84 that line the S1/S1' pocket within the active site. Through enzyme inhibition assays and a series of 12 crystal structures, we interrogated susceptibility of DRV and two potent analogues to primary S1' mutations. The analogues had modifications at the hydrophobic P1' moiety compared to DRV to better occupy the unexploited space in the S1' pocket where the primary mutations were located. Considerable losses of potency were observed against protease variants with I84V and I50V mutations for all three inhibitors. The crystal structures revealed an unexpected conformational change in the flap region of I50V protease bound to the analogue with the largest P1' moiety, indicating interdependency between the S1' subsite and the flap region. Collective analysis of protease-inhibitor interactions in the crystal structures using principle component analysis was able to distinguish inhibitor identity and relative potency solely based on van der Waals contacts. Our results reveal the complexity of the interplay between inhibitor P1' moiety and S1' mutations and validate principle component analyses as a useful tool for distinguishing resistance and inhibitor potency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Corresponding Author Celia A. Schiffer: Phone: +1 508 856 8008; , Nese Kurt Yilmaz: Phone: +1 508 856-1867;
| | - Celia A. Schiffer
- Corresponding Author Celia A. Schiffer: Phone: +1 508 856 8008; , Nese Kurt Yilmaz: Phone: +1 508 856-1867;
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36
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Mutations in Influenza A Virus Neuraminidase and Hemagglutinin Confer Resistance against a Broadly Neutralizing Hemagglutinin Stem Antibody. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01639-18. [PMID: 30381484 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01639-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV), a major cause of human morbidity and mortality, continuously evolves in response to selective pressures. Stem-directed, broadly neutralizing antibodies (sBnAbs) targeting the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) are a promising therapeutic strategy, but neutralization escape mutants can develop. We used an integrated approach combining viral passaging, deep sequencing, and protein structural analyses to define escape mutations and mechanisms of neutralization escape in vitro for the F10 sBnAb. IAV was propagated with escalating concentrations of F10 over serial passages in cultured cells to select for escape mutations. Viral sequence analysis revealed three mutations in HA and one in neuraminidase (NA). Introduction of these specific mutations into IAV through reverse genetics confirmed their roles in resistance to F10. Structural analyses revealed that the selected HA mutations (S123G, N460S, and N203V) are away from the F10 epitope but may indirectly impact influenza virus receptor binding, endosomal fusion, or budding. The NA mutation E329K, which was previously identified to be associated with antibody escape, affects the active site of NA, highlighting the importance of the balance between HA and NA function for viral survival. Thus, whole-genome population sequencing enables the identification of viral resistance mutations responding to antibody-induced selective pressure.IMPORTANCE Influenza A virus is a public health threat for which currently available vaccines are not always effective. Broadly neutralizing antibodies that bind to the highly conserved stem region of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) can neutralize many influenza virus strains. To understand how influenza virus can become resistant or escape such antibodies, we propagated influenza A virus in vitro with escalating concentrations of antibody and analyzed viral populations by whole-genome sequencing. We identified HA mutations near and distal to the antibody binding epitope that conferred resistance to antibody neutralization. Additionally, we identified a neuraminidase (NA) mutation that allowed the virus to grow in the presence of high concentrations of the antibody. Virus carrying dual mutations in HA and NA also grew under high antibody concentrations. We show that NA mutations mediate the escape of neutralization by antibodies against HA, highlighting the importance of a balance between HA and NA for optimal virus function.
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Ezat AA, Elshemey WM. A comparative study of the efficiency of HCV NS3/4A protease drugs against different HCV genotypes using in silico approaches. Life Sci 2018; 217:176-184. [PMID: 30528183 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate the efficacy of Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) in the treatment of different Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes. MAIN METHODS Homology modeling is used to predict the 3D structures of different genotypes while molecular docking is employed to predict genotype - drug interactions (Binding Mode) and binding free energy (Docking Score). KEY FINDINGS Simeprevir (TMC435) and to a lesser degree MK6325 are the best drugs among the studied drugs. The predicted affinity of drugs against genotype 1a is always better than other genotypes. P2-P4 macrocyclic drugs show better performance against genotypes 2, 3 and 5. Macrocyclic drugs are better than linear drugs. SIGNIFICANCE HCV is one of the major health problems worldwide. Until the discovery of DAAs, HCV treatment faced many failures. DAAs target key functional machines of the virus life cycle and shut it down. NS3/4A protease is an important target and several drugs have been designed to inhibit its functions. There are several NS3/4A protease drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, the virus exhibits resistance against these drugs. This study is significant in elucidating that no one drug is able to treat different genotypes with the same efficiency. Therefore, treatment should be prescribed based on the HCV genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Ezat
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt.
| | - Wael M Elshemey
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt
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Matthew AN, Leidner F, Newton A, Petropoulos CJ, Huang W, Ali A, KurtYilmaz N, Schiffer CA. Molecular Mechanism of Resistance in a Clinically Significant Double-Mutant Variant of HCV NS3/4A Protease. Structure 2018; 26:1360-1372.e5. [PMID: 30146168 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite significant progress in hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor (PI) drug design, resistance remains a problem causing treatment failure. Double-substitution variants, notably Y56H/D168A, have emerged in patients who fail therapy with a PI-containing regimen. The resistance conferred by Asp168 substitutions has been well characterized and avoided in newer inhibitors. However, an additional mutation at Tyr56 confers resistance to even the most robust inhibitors. Here, we elucidate the molecular mechanisms of resistance for the Y56H/D168A variant against grazoprevir (and four analogs), paritaprevir, and danoprevir through inhibition assays, co-crystal structures, and molecular dynamics simulations. The PIs' susceptibility to Y56H/D168A varies, with those stacking on the catalytic His57 losing the most potency. For such inhibitors, the Y56H substitution disrupts favorable stacking interactions with the neighboring catalytic His57. This indirect mechanism of resistance threatens to cause multi-PI failure as all HCV PIs in clinical development rely on interactions with the catalytic triad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Matthew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Florian Leidner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Alicia Newton
- Monogram Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Wei Huang
- Monogram Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nese KurtYilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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de Leuw P, Stephan C. Protease inhibitor therapy for hepatitis C virus-infection. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2018; 19:577-587. [PMID: 29595065 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2018.1454428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has affected an estimated of 80 million individuals worldwide and is a strain on public health. Around 25-30% of patients in Europe and the US who are infected with HIV are coinfected with HCV. Prior to 2013, treatment modalities containing an NS3/4A protease inhibitor in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin improved sustained virological response (SVR) rates. However, rates of severe side effects were high. Nowadays, oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapy offers excellent treatment efficacy, safety and tolerability. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on the current literature and clinical evidence and their impact regarding NS3/4A protease inhibitors. The pitfalls encountered in treating HIV- and HBV-coinfected patients are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION In the era of DAA treatment, third-generation pan-genotypic NS3/4A protease inhibitors (mainly glecaprevir and voxilaprevir) show high antiviral activity and a genetic resistance barrier with cure rates of over 95% when combined with an NS5A inhibitor, irrespective of baseline resistance associated variants (RASs) being present. These new key components of DAA combination therapy are impressive options to eradicate HCV in the so-called difficult-to-treat population (e.g. compensated cirrhosis, end-stage renal disease and patients who failed previous DAA treatment).
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Affiliation(s)
- P de Leuw
- a Medical Clinic II, Infectious Diseases Unit , Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt , Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| | - C Stephan
- a Medical Clinic II, Infectious Diseases Unit , Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt , Frankfurt am Main , Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review provides an overview of HCV resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) with a focus on NS3 protease and NS5A inhibitor resistance. Treatment approaches for managing resistance are also covered including the use of newly approved therapies with improved resistance profiles. RECENT FINDINGS HCV RASs are frequently selected if the patient is not cured during treatment; NS5A RASs persist for prolonged periods of time (years) after treatment failure and may adversely impact retreatment responses. Newly approved regimens with improved potency and resistance profiles are less impacted by resistance and provide the best retreatment options for patients who previously failed DAA therapy. The clinical impact of HCV RASs has been lessened significantly with the introduction of new DAA treatment regimens. Routine testing for resistance is unlikely to impact retreatment approaches if newer regimens are accessible. Knowledge of factors, such as the presence of cirrhosis and prior treatment regimens, remain as the key to optimizing retreatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Wyles
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Denver Health Medical Center, 660 Bannock St, MC 4000, Denver, CO, 80204, USA.
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Sorbo MC, Cento V, Di Maio VC, Howe AYM, Garcia F, Perno CF, Ceccherini-Silberstein F. Hepatitis C virus drug resistance associated substitutions and their clinical relevance: Update 2018. Drug Resist Updat 2018. [PMID: 29525636 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nowadays, due to the development of potent Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents (DAAs) that specifically target NS3, NS5A and NS5B viral proteins, several new and highly efficacious options to treat chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are available. The natural presence of resistance associated substitutions (RASs), as well as their rapid emergence during incomplete drug-pressure, are intrinsic characteristics of HCV that greatly affect treatment outcome and the chances to achieve a virolgical cure. To date, a high number of RASs in NS3, NS5A, and NS5B have been associated in vivo and/or in vitro with reduced susceptibility to DAAs, but no comprehensive RASs list is available. This review thus provides an updated, systematic overview of the role of RASs to currently approved DAAs or in phase II/III of clinical development against HCV-infection, discriminating their impact in different HCV-genotypes and DAAs, providing assistance for a fruitful use of HCV resistance testing in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Sorbo
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Cento
- Residency program in Microbiology and Virology, Università degli Studi di Milano. Milan, Italy.
| | - Velia C Di Maio
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Anita Y M Howe
- Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Federico Garcia
- Clinical Microbiology Service, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
| | - Carlo F Perno
- Department of Oncology and Oncohematology, Università degli Studi di Milano. Milan, Italy.
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42
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Hung HM, Hang TD, Nguyen MT. Molecular details of spontaneous insertion and interaction of HCV non-structure 3 protease protein domain with PIP2-containing membrane. Proteins 2018; 86:423-433. [PMID: 29341226 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), known as the leading cause of liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, has been affecting more than 150 million people globally. The HCV non-structure 3 (NS3) protease protein domain plays a key role in HCV replication and pathogenesis; and is currently a primary target for HCV antiviral therapy. Through unbiased molecular dynamics simulations which take advantage of the novel highly mobile membrane mimetic model, we constructed the membrane-bound state of the protein domain at the atomic level. Our results indicated that protease domain of HCV NS3 protein can spontaneously bind and penetrate to an endoplasmic reticulum complex membrane containing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). An amphipathic helix α0 and loop S1 show their anchoring role to keep the protein on the membrane surface. Proper orientation of the protein domain at membrane surface was identified through measuring tilt angles of two specific vectors, wherein residue R161 plays a crucial role in its final orientation. Remarkably, PIP2 molecules were observed to bind to three main sites of the protease domain via specific electrostatic contacts and hydrogen bonds. PIP2-interaction determines the protein orientation at the membrane while both hydrophobic interplay and PIP2-interaction can stabilize the NS3 - membrane complex. Simulated results provide us with a detailed characterization of insertion, orientation and PIP2-interaction of NS3 protease domain at membrane environment, thus enhancing our understanding of structural functions and mechanism for the association of HCV non-structure 3 protein with respect to ER membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huynh Minh Hung
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium.,Department of Chemistry, Quy Nhon University, Quy Nhon, Vietnam
| | - Tran Dieu Hang
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium.,Department of Chemistry, Quy Nhon University, Quy Nhon, Vietnam
| | - Minh Tho Nguyen
- Computational Chemistry Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
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de Leuw P, Stephan C. Protease inhibitors for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. GMS INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2017; 5:Doc08. [PMID: 30671330 PMCID: PMC6301719 DOI: 10.3205/id000034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has affected an estimate of 80 million individuals worldwide and is a strain of public health. Around 25-30% of patients in Europe and the US infected with HIV are coinfected with HCV. Despite treatment modalities containing a NS3/4A protease inhibitor in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin prior to 2013 improved SVR rates, the amount of severe side effects was high. Nowadays, oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) combination therapy offers excellent treatment efficacy, safety and tolerability. This review focuses on current literature and clinical evidence and their impact regarding NS3/4A protease inhibitors. In addition, pitfalls in treatment from HIV- and HBV-coinfected patients will also be discussed. In the era of DAA treatment, the third-generation pan-genotypic NS3/4A protease inhibitors (mainly grazoprevir, glecaprevir and voxilaprevir) show a high antiviral activity and genetic resistance barrier with cure rates of over 95% when combined with an NS5A inhibitor, irrespectively of baseline resistance associated variants (RASs) being present. These new key components of DAA combination therapy are impressive options to eradicate HCV in the so called difficult-to-treat population (e.g. compensated cirrhosis, end-stage renal disease and patients who failed previous DAA treatment).
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp de Leuw
- Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Medical Clinic II, Infectious Diseases Unit, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christoph Stephan
- Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Medical Clinic II, Infectious Diseases Unit, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Matthew AN, Zephyr J, Hill CJ, Jahangir M, Newton A, Petropoulos CJ, Huang W, Kurt-Yilmaz N, Schiffer CA, Ali A. Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors Incorporating Flexible P2 Quinoxalines Target Drug Resistant Viral Variants. J Med Chem 2017; 60:5699-5716. [PMID: 28594175 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A substrate envelope-guided design strategy is reported for improving the resistance profile of HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors. Analogues of 5172-mcP1P3 were designed by incorporating diverse quinoxalines at the P2 position that predominantly interact with the invariant catalytic triad of the protease. Exploration of structure-activity relationships showed that inhibitors with small hydrophobic substituents at the 3-position of P2 quinoxaline maintain better potency against drug resistant variants, likely due to reduced interactions with residues in the S2 subsite. In contrast, inhibitors with larger groups at this position were highly susceptible to mutations at Arg155, Ala156, and Asp168. Excitingly, several inhibitors exhibited exceptional potency profiles with EC50 values ≤5 nM against major drug resistant HCV variants. These findings support that inhibitors designed to interact with evolutionarily constrained regions of the protease, while avoiding interactions with residues not essential for substrate recognition, are less likely to be susceptible to drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Matthew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Caitlin J Hill
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Muhammad Jahangir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Alicia Newton
- Monogram Biosciences , South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | | | - Wei Huang
- Monogram Biosciences , South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Nese Kurt-Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States
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Current therapy for chronic hepatitis C: The role of direct-acting antivirals. Antiviral Res 2017; 142:83-122. [PMID: 28238877 PMCID: PMC7172984 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
One of the most exciting developments in antiviral research has been the discovery of the direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that effectively cure chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Based on more than 100 clinical trials and real-world studies, we provide a comprehensive overview of FDA-approved therapies and newly discovered anti-HCV agents with a special focus on drug efficacy, mechanisms of action, and safety. We show that HCV drug development has advanced in multiple aspects: (i) interferon-based regimens were replaced by interferon-free regimens; (ii) genotype-specific drugs evolved to drugs for all HCV genotypes; (iii) therapies based upon multiple pills per day were simplified to a single pill per day; (iv) drug potency increased from moderate (∼60%) to high (>90%) levels of sustained virologic responses; (v) treatment durations were shortened from 48 to 12 or 8 weeks; and (vi) therapies could be administered orally regardless of prior treatment history and cirrhotic status. However, despite these remarkable achievements made in HCV drug discovery, challenges remain in the management of difficult-to-treat patients. HCV genotype-specific drugs evolve to pan-genotypic drugs. Drug potency increases from moderate (∼60%) to high (>90%) levels of sustained virologic response. Treatment durations are shortened from a 48-week to 12-week or 8-week period. HCV therapies based upon multiple pills per day are simplified to a single pill per day. HCV therapies are administered orally regardless of prior treatment history and cirrhotic status.
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46
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Ganesan A, Barakat K. Applications of computer-aided approaches in the development of hepatitis C antiviral agents. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2017; 12:407-425. [PMID: 28164720 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2017.1291628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem that causes several chronic life-threatening liver diseases. The numbers of people affected by HCV are rising annually. Since 2011, the FDA has approved several anti-HCV drugs; while many other promising HCV drugs are currently in late clinical trials. Areas covered: This review discusses the applications of different computational approaches in HCV drug design. Expert opinion: Molecular docking and virtual screening approaches have emerged as a low-cost tool to screen large databases and identify potential small-molecule hits against HCV targets. Ligand-based approaches are useful for filtering-out compounds with rich physicochemical properties to inhibit HCV targets. Molecular dynamics (MD) remains a useful tool in optimizing the ligand-protein complexes and understand the ligand binding modes and drug resistance mechanisms in HCV. Despite their varied roles, the application of in-silico approaches in HCV drug design is still in its infancy. A more mature application should aim at modelling the whole HCV replicon in its active form and help to identify new effective druggable sites within the replicon system. With more technological advancements, the roles of computer-aided methods are only going to increase several folds in the development of next-generation HCV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravindhan Ganesan
- a Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Canada
| | - Khaled Barakat
- a Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Canada
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