1
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Gayatri, Brewitz L, Ibbotson L, Salah E, Basak S, Choudhry H, Schofield CJ. Thiophene-fused γ-lactams inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease via reversible covalent acylation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:7667-7678. [PMID: 38784729 PMCID: PMC11110133 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01027b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Enzyme inhibitors working by O-acylation of nucleophilic serine residues are of immense medicinal importance, as exemplified by the β-lactam antibiotics. By contrast, inhibition of nucleophilic cysteine enzymes by S-acylation has not been widely exploited for medicinal applications. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a nucleophilic cysteine protease and a validated therapeutic target for COVID-19 treatment using small-molecule inhibitors. The clinically used Mpro inhibitors nirmatrelvir and simnotrelvir work via reversible covalent reaction of their electrophilic nitrile with the Mpro nucleophilic cysteine (Cys145). We report combined structure activity relationship and mass spectrometric studies revealing that appropriately functionalized γ-lactams can potently inhibit Mpro by reversible covalent reaction with Cys145 of Mpro. The results suggest that γ-lactams have potential as electrophilic warheads for development of covalently reacting small-molecule inhibitors of Mpro and, by implication, other nucleophilic cysteine enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
| | - Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
| | - Lewis Ibbotson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
| | - Eidarus Salah
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
| | - Shyam Basak
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
| | - Hani Choudhry
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah Saudi Arabia
| | - Christopher J Schofield
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford 12 Mansfield Road OX1 3TA Oxford UK
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2
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Janin YL. On the origins of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:81-118. [PMID: 38283212 PMCID: PMC10809347 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00493g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to address the world-wide health challenge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3CL protease/SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2-Mpro) coded by its nsp5 gene became one of the biochemical targets for the design of antiviral drugs. In less than 3 years of research, 4 inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2-Mpro have actually been authorized for COVID-19 treatment (nirmatrelvir, ensitrelvir, leritrelvir and simnotrelvir) and more such as EDP-235, FB-2001 and STI-1558/Olgotrelvir or five undisclosed compounds (CDI-988, ASC11, ALG-097558, QLS1128 and H-10517) are undergoing clinical trials. This review is an attempt to picture this quite unprecedented medicinal chemistry feat and provide insights on how these cysteine protease inhibitors were discovered. Since many series of covalent SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors owe some of their origins to previous work on other proteases, we first provided a description of various inhibitors of cysteine-bearing human caspase-1 or cathepsin K, as well as inhibitors of serine proteases such as human dipeptidyl peptidase-4 or the hepatitis C protein complex NS3/4A. This is then followed by a description of the results of the approaches adopted (repurposing, structure-based and high throughput screening) to discover coronavirus main protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves L Janin
- Structure et Instabilité des Génomes (StrInG), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, INSERM, CNRS, Alliance Sorbonne Université 75005 Paris France
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3
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Brewitz L, Henry Chan HT, Lukacik P, Strain-Damerell C, Walsh MA, Duarte F, Schofield CJ. Mass spectrometric assays monitoring the deubiquitinase activity of the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inform on the basis of substrate selectivity and have utility for substrate identification. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 95:117498. [PMID: 37857256 PMCID: PMC10933793 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) and main protease (Mpro) are nucleophilic cysteine enzymes that catalyze hydrolysis of the viral polyproteins pp1a/1ab. By contrast with Mpro, PLpro is also a deubiquitinase (DUB) that accepts post-translationally modified human proteins as substrates. Here we report studies on the DUB activity of PLpro using synthetic Nε-lysine-branched oligopeptides as substrates that mimic post-translational protein modifications by ubiquitin (Ub) or Ub-like modifiers (UBLs), such as interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15). Mass spectrometry (MS)-based assays confirm the DUB activity of isolated recombinant PLpro. They reveal that the sequence of both the peptide fragment derived from the post-translationally modified protein and that derived from the UBL affects PLpro catalysis; the nature of substrate binding in the S sites appears to be more important for catalytic efficiency than binding in the S' sites. Importantly, the results reflect the reported cellular substrate selectivity of PLpro, i.e. human proteins conjugated to ISG15 are better substrates than those conjugated to Ub or other UBLs. The combined experimental and modelling results imply that PLpro catalysis is affected not only by the identity of the substrate residues binding in the S and S' sites, but also by the substrate fold and the conformational dynamics of the blocking loop 2 of the PLpro:substrate complex. Nε-Lysine-branched oligopeptides thus have potential to help the identification of PLpro substrates. More generally, the results imply that MS-based assays with Nε-lysine-branched oligopeptides have potential to monitor catalysis by human DUBs and hence to inform on their substrate preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom; The Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - H T Henry Chan
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Martin A Walsh
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Fernanda Duarte
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Schofield
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom; The Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom.
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4
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Schultz B, DeLong LN, Masny A, Lentzen M, Raschka T, van Dijk D, Zaliani A, Fröhlich H. A machine learning method for the identification and characterization of novel COVID-19 drug targets. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7159. [PMID: 37137934 PMCID: PMC10156718 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34287-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to vaccines, the World Health Organization sees novel medications as an urgent matter to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. One possible strategy is to identify target proteins, for which a perturbation by an existing compound is likely to benefit COVID-19 patients. In order to contribute to this effort, we present GuiltyTargets-COVID-19 ( https://guiltytargets-covid.eu/ ), a machine learning supported web tool to identify novel candidate drug targets. Using six bulk and three single cell RNA-Seq datasets, together with a lung tissue specific protein-protein interaction network, we demonstrate that GuiltyTargets-COVID-19 is capable of (i) prioritizing meaningful target candidates and assessing their druggability, (ii) unraveling their linkage to known disease mechanisms, (iii) mapping ligands from the ChEMBL database to the identified targets, and (iv) pointing out potential side effects in the case that the mapped ligands correspond to approved drugs. Our example analyses identified 4 potential drug targets from the datasets: AKT3 from both the bulk and single cell RNA-Seq data as well as AKT2, MLKL, and MAPK11 in the single cell experiments. Altogether, we believe that our web tool will facilitate future target identification and drug development for COVID-19, notably in a cell type and tissue specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Schultz
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany
- Fraunhofer Center for Machine Learning, Sankt, Germany
| | - Lauren Nicole DeLong
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany
- Artificial Intelligence and its Applications Institute, University of Edinburgh School of Informatics, 10 Crichton St, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB, UK
| | - Aliaksandr Masny
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany
- Fraunhofer Center for Machine Learning, Sankt, Germany
| | - Manuel Lentzen
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany
- University of Bonn, Bonn-Aachen Center for IT (b-it), Friedrich Hirzebruch-Allee 6, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tamara Raschka
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany
- University of Bonn, Bonn-Aachen Center for IT (b-it), Friedrich Hirzebruch-Allee 6, 53115, Bonn, Germany
- Fraunhofer Center for Machine Learning, Sankt, Germany
| | - David van Dijk
- Center for Biomedical Data Science, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Andrea Zaliani
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacologie (ITMP), Drug Discovery Research ScreeningPort, VolksparkLabs, Schnackenburgallee 114, 22535, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Holger Fröhlich
- Department of Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI), 53757, Sankt, Augustin, Germany.
- University of Bonn, Bonn-Aachen Center for IT (b-it), Friedrich Hirzebruch-Allee 6, 53115, Bonn, Germany.
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5
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Ershov PV, Yablokov EO, Mezentsev YV, Chuev GN, Fedotova MV, Kruchinin SE, Ivanov AS. SARS-COV-2 Coronavirus Papain-like Protease PLpro as an Antiviral Target for Inhibitors of Active Site and Protein-Protein Interactions. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2023; 67:902-912. [PMID: 36883182 PMCID: PMC9984130 DOI: 10.1134/s0006350922060082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The papain-like protease PLpro of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is a multifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the proteolytic processing of two viral polyproteins, pp1a and pp1ab. PLpro also cleaves peptide bonds between host cell proteins and ubiquitin (or ubiquitin-like proteins), which is associated with a violation of immune processes. Nine structures of the most effective inhibitors of the PLpro active center were prioritized according to the parameters of biochemical (IC 50) and cellular tests to assess the suppression of viral replication (EC 50) and cytotoxicity (CC 50). A literature search has shown that PLpro can interact with at least 60 potential protein partners in cells, 23 of which are targets for other viral proteins (human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus). The analysis of protein-protein interactions showed that the proteins USP3, UBE2J1, RCHY1, and FAF2 involved in deubiquitinylation and ubiquitinylation processes contain the largest number of bonds with other proteins; the interaction of viral proteins with them can affect the architecture of the entire network of protein-protein interactions. Using the example of a spatial model of the PLpro/ubiquitin complex and a set of 154 naturally occurring compounds with known antiviral activity, 13 compounds (molecular masses in the range of 454-954 Da) were predicted as potential PLpro inhibitors. These compounds bind to the "hot" amino acid residues of the protease at the positions Gly163, Asp164, Arg166, Glu167, and Tyr264 involved in the interaction with ubiquitin. Thus, pharmacological effects on peripheral PLpro sites, which play important roles in binding protein substrates, may be an additional target-oriented antiviral strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. V. Ershov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - E. O. Yablokov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - G. N. Chuev
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow oblast Russia
| | - M. V. Fedotova
- Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - S. E. Kruchinin
- Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - A. S. Ivanov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
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6
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Gao H, Dai R, Su R. Computer-aided drug design for the pain-like protease (PL pro) inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 159:114247. [PMID: 36689835 PMCID: PMC9841087 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A new coronavirus, known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly contagious virus and has caused a massive worldwide health crisis. While large-scale vaccination efforts are underway, the management of population health, economic impact and asof-yet unknown long-term effects on physical and mental health will be a key challenge for the next decade. The papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is a promising target for antiviral drugs. This report used pharmacophore-based drug design technology to identify potential compounds as PLpro inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. The optimal pharmacophore model was fully validated using different strategies and then was employed to virtually screen out 10 compounds with inhibitory. Molecular docking and non-bonding interactions between the targeted protein PLpro and compounds showed that UKR1129266 was the best compound. These results provided a theoretical foundation for future studies of PLpro inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Gao
- School of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong 264025, China.
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7
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Brewitz L, Dumjahn L, Zhao Y, Owen CD, Laidlaw SM, Malla TR, Nguyen D, Lukacik P, Salah E, Crawshaw AD, Warren AJ, Trincao J, Strain-Damerell C, Carroll MW, Walsh MA, Schofield CJ. Alkyne Derivatives of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Including Nirmatrelvir Inhibit by Reacting Covalently with the Nucleophilic Cysteine. J Med Chem 2023; 66:2663-2680. [PMID: 36757959 PMCID: PMC9924091 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332) is a nitrile-bearing small-molecule inhibitor that, in combination with ritonavir, is used to treat infections by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nirmatrelvir interrupts the viral life cycle by inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which is essential for processing viral polyproteins into functional nonstructural proteins. We report studies which reveal that derivatives of nirmatrelvir and other Mpro inhibitors with a nonactivated terminal alkyne group positioned similarly to the electrophilic nitrile of nirmatrelvir can efficiently inhibit isolated Mpro and SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells. Mass spectrometric and crystallographic evidence shows that the alkyne derivatives inhibit Mpro by apparent irreversible covalent reactions with the active site cysteine (Cys145), while the analogous nitriles react reversibly. The results highlight the potential for irreversible covalent inhibition of Mpro and other nucleophilic cysteine proteases by alkynes, which, in contrast to nitriles, can be functionalized at their terminal position to optimize inhibition and selectivity, as well as pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - Leo Dumjahn
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - Yilin Zhao
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - C. David Owen
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, United
Kingdom
| | - Stephen M. Laidlaw
- Wellcome
Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Tika R. Malla
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - Dung Nguyen
- Wellcome
Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, United
Kingdom
| | - Eidarus Salah
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - Adam D. Crawshaw
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Anna J. Warren
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Trincao
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, United
Kingdom
| | - Miles W. Carroll
- Wellcome
Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Martin A. Walsh
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and
Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, United
Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
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8
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Yadav R, Courouble VV, Dey SK, Harrison JJE, Timm J, Hopkins JB, Slack RL, Sarafianos SG, Ruiz FX, Griffin PR, Arnold E. Biochemical and structural insights into SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein processing by Mpro. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd2191. [PMID: 36490335 PMCID: PMC9733933 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a human coronavirus, is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its genome is translated into two large polyproteins subsequently cleaved by viral papain-like protease and main protease (Mpro). Polyprotein processing is essential yet incompletely understood. We studied Mpro-mediated processing of the nsp7-11 polyprotein, whose mature products include cofactors of the viral replicase, and identified the order of cleavages. Integrative modeling based on mass spectrometry (including hydrogen-deuterium exchange and cross-linking) and x-ray scattering yielded a nsp7-11 structural ensemble, demonstrating shared secondary structural elements with individual nsps. The pattern of cross-links and HDX footprint of the C145A Mpro and nsp7-11 complex demonstrate preferential binding of the enzyme active site to the polyprotein junction sites and additional transient contacts to help orient the enzyme on its substrate for cleavage. Last, proteolysis assays were used to characterize the effect of inhibitors/binders on Mpro processing/inhibition using the nsp7-11 polyprotein as substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Yadav
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Valentine V. Courouble
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Sanjay K. Dey
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Timm
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jesse B. Hopkins
- BioCAT, Department of Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ryan L. Slack
- Division of Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stefan G. Sarafianos
- Division of Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Francesc X. Ruiz
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Patrick R. Griffin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UF Scripps Biomedical Research, University of Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Eddy Arnold
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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9
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Abdel-Halim H, Hajar M, Hasouneh L, Abdelmalek SMA. Identification of Drug Combination Therapies for SARS-CoV-2: A Molecular Dynamics Simulations Approach. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:2995-3013. [PMID: 36110398 PMCID: PMC9469804 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s366423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The development of effective treatments for coronavirus infectious disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-Coronavirus-2 was hindered by the little data available about this virus at the start of the pandemic. Drug repurposing provides a good strategy to explore approved drugs' possible SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity. Moreover, drug synergism is essential in antiviral treatment due to improved efficacy and reduced toxicity. In this work, we studied the effect of approved and investigational drugs on one of SARS-CoV-2 essential proteins, the main protease (Mpro), in search of antiviral treatments and/or drug combinations. Methods Different possible druggable sites of Mpro were identified and screened against an in-house library of more than 4000 chemical compounds. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to explore conformational changes induced by different ligands' binding. Subsequently, the inhibitory effect of the identified compounds and the suggested drug combinations on the Mpro were established using a 3CL protease (SARS-CoV-2) assay kit. Results Three potential inhibitors in three different binding sites were identified; favipiravir, cefixime, and carvedilol. Molecular dynamics simulations predicted the synergistic effect of two drug combinations: favipiravir/cefixime, and favipiravir/carvedilol. The in vitro inhibitory effect of the predicted drug combinations was established on this enzyme. Conclusion In this work, we could study one of the promising SARS-CoV-2 viral protein targets in searching for treatments for COVID-19. The inhibitory effect of several drugs on Mpro was established in silico and in vitro assays. Molecular dynamics simulations showed promising results in predicting the synergistic effect of drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heba Abdel-Halim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman, Jordan
| | - Malak Hajar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman, Jordan
| | - Luma Hasouneh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman, Jordan
| | - Suzanne M A Abdelmalek
- Department of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman, Jordan
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10
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Hu Q, Xiong Y, Zhu GH, Zhang YN, Zhang YW, Huang P, Ge GB. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro): Structure, function, and emerging therapies for COVID-19. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e151. [PMID: 35845352 PMCID: PMC9283855 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The main proteases (Mpro), also termed 3‐chymotrypsin‐like proteases (3CLpro), are a class of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β‐coronaviruses. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that 3CLpros play an indispensable role in viral replication and have been recognized as key targets for preventing and treating coronavirus‐caused infectious diseases, including COVID‐19. This review is focused on the structural features and biological function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) main protease Mpro (also known as 3CLpro), as well as recent advances in discovering and developing SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors. To better understand the characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, the inhibition activities, inhibitory mechanisms, and key structural features of various 3CLpro inhibitors (including marketed drugs, peptidomimetic, and non‐peptidomimetic synthetic compounds, as well as natural compounds and their derivatives) are summarized comprehensively. Meanwhile, the challenges in this field are highlighted, while future directions for designing and developing efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus therapies are also proposed. Collectively, all information and knowledge presented here are very helpful for understanding the structural features and inhibitory mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, which offers new insights or inspiration to medicinal chemists for designing and developing more efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.,Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Yuan Xiong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Guang-Hao Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Ya-Ni Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Ping Huang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Guang-Bo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
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11
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Ligand-based and structure-based studies to develop predictive models for SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors through the 3d-qsar.com portal. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2022; 36:483-505. [PMID: 35716228 PMCID: PMC9206107 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-022-00460-7] [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: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-Cov-2 is the essential enzyme for maturation of functional proteins implicated in viral replication and transcription. The peculiarity of its specific cleavage site joint with its high degree of conservation among all coronaviruses promote it as an attractive target to develop broad-spectrum inhibitors, with high selectivity and tolerable safety profile. Herein is reported a combination of three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationships (3-D QSAR) and comparative molecular binding energy (COMBINE) analysis to build robust and predictive ligand-based and structure-based statistical models, respectively. Models were trained on experimental binding poses of co-crystallized Mpro-inhibitors and validated on available literature data. By means of deep optimization both models’ goodness and robustness reached final statistical values of r2/q2 values of 0.97/0.79 and 0.93/0.79 for the 3-D QSAR and COMBINE approaches respectively, and an overall predictiveness values of 0.68 and 0.57 for the SDEPPRED and AAEP metrics after application to a test set of 60 compounds covered by the training set applicability domain. Despite the different nature (ligand-based and structure-based) of the employed methods, their outcome fully converged. Furthermore, joint ligand- and structure-based structure–activity relationships were found in good agreement with nirmatrelvir chemical features properties, a novel oral Mpro-inhibitor that has recently received U.S. FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for the oral treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infected patients. The obtained results will guide future rational design and/or virtual screening campaigns with the aim of discovering new potential anti-coronavirus lead candidates, minimizing both time and financial resources. Moreover, as most of calculation were performed through the well-established web portal 3d-qsar.com the results confirm the portal as a useful tool for drug design.
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12
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Malla TR, Brewitz L, Muntean DG, Aslam H, Owen CD, Salah E, Tumber A, Lukacik P, Strain-Damerell C, Mikolajek H, Walsh MA, Schofield CJ. Penicillin Derivatives Inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Reaction with Its Nucleophilic Cysteine. J Med Chem 2022; 65:7682-7696. [PMID: 35549342 PMCID: PMC9115881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a medicinal chemistry target for COVID-19 treatment. Given the clinical efficacy of β-lactams as inhibitors of bacterial nucleophilic enzymes, they are of interest as inhibitors of viral nucleophilic serine and cysteine proteases. We describe the synthesis of penicillin derivatives which are potent Mpro inhibitors and investigate their mechanism of inhibition using mass spectrometric and crystallographic analyses. The results suggest that β-lactams have considerable potential as Mpro inhibitors via a mechanism involving reaction with the nucleophilic cysteine to form a stable acyl-enzyme complex as shown by crystallographic analysis. The results highlight the potential for inhibition of viral proteases employing nucleophilic catalysis by β-lactams and related acylating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tika R. Malla
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dorian-Gabriel Muntean
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hiba Aslam
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - C. David Owen
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Eidarus Salah
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Tumber
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Halina Mikolajek
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Martin A. Walsh
- Diamond
Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research
Complex at Harwell, Harwell
Science and Innovation Campus, OX11
0FA Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford
Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University
of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, United Kingdom
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13
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Gildea RJ, Beilsten-Edmands J, Axford D, Horrell S, Aller P, Sandy J, Sanchez-Weatherby J, Owen CD, Lukacik P, Strain-Damerell C, Owen RL, Walsh MA, Winter G. xia2. multiplex: a multi-crystal data-analysis pipeline. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:752-769. [PMID: 35647922 PMCID: PMC9159281 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322004399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A new program, xia2.multiplex, has been developed to facilitate symmetry analysis, scaling and merging of multi-crystal data sets. In macromolecular crystallography, radiation damage limits the amount of data that can be collected from a single crystal. It is often necessary to merge data sets from multiple crystals; for example, small-wedge data collections from micro-crystals, in situ room-temperature data collections and data collection from membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases. Whilst the indexing and integration of individual data sets may be relatively straightforward with existing software, merging multiple data sets from small wedges presents new challenges. The identification of a consensus symmetry can be problematic, particularly in the presence of a potential indexing ambiguity. Furthermore, the presence of non-isomorphous or poor-quality data sets may reduce the overall quality of the final merged data set. To facilitate and help to optimize the scaling and merging of multiple data sets, a new program, xia2.multiplex, has been developed which takes data sets individually integrated with DIALS and performs symmetry analysis, scaling and merging of multi-crystal data sets. xia2.multiplex also performs analysis of various pathologies that typically affect multi-crystal data sets, including non-isomorphism, radiation damage and preferential orientation. After the description of a number of use cases, the benefit of xia2.multiplex is demonstrated within a wider autoprocessing framework in facilitating a multi-crystal experiment collected as part of in situ room-temperature fragment-screening experiments on the SARS-CoV-2 main protease.
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14
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Potential of Microneedle Systems for COVID-19 Vaccination: Current Trends and Challenges. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14051066. [PMID: 35631652 PMCID: PMC9144974 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14051066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and aid restoration to prepandemic normality, global mass vaccination is urgently needed. Inducing herd immunity through mass vaccination has proven to be a highly effective strategy for preventing the spread of many infectious diseases, which protects the most vulnerable population groups that are unable to develop immunity, such as people with immunodeficiencies or weakened immune systems due to underlying medical or debilitating conditions. In achieving global outreach, the maintenance of the vaccine potency, transportation, and needle waste generation become major issues. Moreover, needle phobia and vaccine hesitancy act as hurdles to successful mass vaccination. The use of dissolvable microneedles for COVID-19 vaccination could act as a major paradigm shift in attaining the desired goal to vaccinate billions in the shortest time possible. In addressing these points, we discuss the potential of the use of dissolvable microneedles for COVID-19 vaccination based on the current literature.
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15
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Brewitz L, Kamps JJAG, Lukacik P, Strain‐Damerell C, Zhao Y, Tumber A, Malla TR, Orville AM, Walsh MA, Schofield CJ. Mass Spectrometric Assays Reveal Discrepancies in Inhibition Profiles for the SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200016. [PMID: 35085423 PMCID: PMC9015526 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The two SARS-CoV-2 proteases, i. e. the main protease (Mpro ) and the papain-like protease (PLpro ), which hydrolyze the viral polypeptide chain giving functional non-structural proteins, are essential for viral replication and are medicinal chemistry targets. We report a high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS)-based assay which directly monitors PLpro catalysis in vitro. The assay was applied to investigate the effect of reported small-molecule PLpro inhibitors and selected Mpro inhibitors on PLpro catalysis. The results reveal that some, but not all, PLpro inhibitor potencies differ substantially from those obtained using fluorescence-based assays. Some substrate-competing Mpro inhibitors, notably PF-07321332 (nirmatrelvir) which is in clinical development, do not inhibit PLpro . Less selective Mpro inhibitors, e. g. auranofin, inhibit PLpro , highlighting the potential for dual PLpro /Mpro inhibition. MS-based PLpro assays, which are orthogonal to widely employed fluorescence-based assays, are of utility in validating inhibitor potencies, especially for inhibitors operating by non-covalent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Brewitz
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Jos J. A. G. Kamps
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Claire Strain‐Damerell
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Yilin Zhao
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Anthony Tumber
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Tika R. Malla
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Martin A. Walsh
- Diamond Light Source Ltd.Harwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0DEDidcotUK
- Research Complex at HarwellHarwell Science and Innovation CampusOX11 0FADidcotUK
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial ResearchUniversity of Oxford12 Mansfield RoadOX1 3TAOxfordUK
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16
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Calleja DJ, Lessene G, Komander D. Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Front Chem 2022; 10:876212. [PMID: 35559224 PMCID: PMC9086436 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.876212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted how a combination of urgency, collaboration and building on existing research can enable rapid vaccine development to fight disease outbreaks. However, even countries with high vaccination rates still see surges in case numbers and high numbers of hospitalized patients. The development of antiviral treatments hence remains a top priority in preventing hospitalization and death of COVID-19 patients, and eventually bringing an end to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 proteome contains several essential enzymatic activities embedded within its non-structural proteins (nsps). We here focus on nsp3, that harbours an essential papain-like protease (PLpro) domain responsible for cleaving the viral polyprotein as part of viral processing. Moreover, nsp3/PLpro also cleaves ubiquitin and ISG15 modifications within the host cell, derailing innate immune responses. Small molecule inhibition of the PLpro protease domain significantly reduces viral loads in SARS-CoV-2 infection models, suggesting that PLpro is an excellent drug target for next generation antivirals. In this review we discuss the conserved structure and function of PLpro and the ongoing efforts to design small molecule PLpro inhibitors that exploit this knowledge. We first discuss the many drug repurposing attempts, concluding that it is unlikely that PLpro-targeting drugs already exist. We next discuss the wealth of structural information on SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibition, for which there are now ∼30 distinct crystal structures with small molecule inhibitors bound in a surprising number of distinct crystallographic settings. We focus on optimisation of an existing compound class, based on SARS-CoV PLpro inhibitor GRL-0617, and recapitulate how new GRL-0617 derivatives exploit different features of PLpro, to overcome some compound liabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale J. Calleja
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Guillaume Lessene
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Komander
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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17
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Calleja DJ, Kuchel N, Lu BGC, Birkinshaw RW, Klemm T, Doerflinger M, Cooney JP, Mackiewicz L, Au AE, Yap YQ, Blackmore TR, Katneni K, Crighton E, Newman J, Jarman KE, Call MJ, Lechtenberg BC, Czabotar PE, Pellegrini M, Charman SA, Lowes KN, Mitchell JP, Nachbur U, Lessene G, Komander D. Insights Into Drug Repurposing, as Well as Specificity and Compound Properties of Piperidine-Based SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors. Front Chem 2022; 10:861209. [PMID: 35494659 PMCID: PMC9039177 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.861209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues unabated, emphasizing the need for additional antiviral treatment options to prevent hospitalization and death of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The papain-like protease (PLpro) domain is part of the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein (nsp)-3, and represents an essential protease and validated drug target for preventing viral replication. PLpro moonlights as a deubiquitinating (DUB) and deISGylating enzyme, enabling adaptation of a DUB high throughput (HTS) screen to identify PLpro inhibitors. Drug repurposing has been a major focus through the COVID-19 pandemic as it may provide a fast and efficient route for identifying clinic-ready, safe-in-human antivirals. We here report our effort to identify PLpro inhibitors by screening the ReFRAME library of 11,804 compounds, showing that none inhibit PLpro with any reasonable activity or specificity to justify further progression towards the clinic. We also report our latest efforts to improve piperidine-scaffold inhibitors, 5c and 3k, originally developed for SARS-CoV PLpro. We report molecular details of binding and selectivity, as well as in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) studies of this scaffold. A co-crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro bound to inhibitor 3k guides medicinal chemistry efforts to improve binding and ADME characteristics. We arrive at compounds with improved and favorable solubility and stability characteristics that are tested for inhibiting viral replication. Whilst still requiring significant improvement, our optimized small molecule inhibitors of PLpro display decent antiviral activity in an in vitro SARS-CoV-2 infection model, justifying further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale J. Calleja
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nathan Kuchel
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bernadine G. C. Lu
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard W. Birkinshaw
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Theresa Klemm
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marcel Doerflinger
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - James P. Cooney
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Liana Mackiewicz
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amanda E. Au
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yu Q. Yap
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Timothy R Blackmore
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kasiram Katneni
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elly Crighton
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Janet Newman
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Biomedical Program, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kate E. Jarman
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Melissa J. Call
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bernhard C. Lechtenberg
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter E. Czabotar
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marc Pellegrini
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan A. Charman
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kym N. Lowes
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jeffrey P. Mitchell
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ueli Nachbur
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Guillaume Lessene
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Komander
- Department of Medical Biology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Timmons JA, Anighoro A, Brogan RJ, Stahl J, Wahlestedt C, Farquhar DG, Taylor-King J, Volmar CH, Kraus WE, Phillips SM. A human-based multi-gene signature enables quantitative drug repurposing for metabolic disease. eLife 2022; 11:68832. [PMID: 35037854 PMCID: PMC8763401 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin resistance (IR) contributes to the pathophysiology of diabetes, dementia, viral infection, and cardiovascular disease. Drug repurposing (DR) may identify treatments for IR; however, barriers include uncertainty whether in vitro transcriptomic assays yield quantitative pharmacological data, or how to optimise assay design to best reflect in vivo human disease. We developed a clinical-based human tissue IR signature by combining lifestyle-mediated treatment responses (>500 human adipose and muscle biopsies) with biomarkers of disease status (fasting IR from >1200 biopsies). The assay identified a chemically diverse set of >130 positively acting compounds, highly enriched in true positives, that targeted 73 proteins regulating IR pathways. Our multi-gene RNA assay score reflected the quantitative pharmacological properties of a set of epidermal growth factor receptor-related tyrosine kinase inhibitors, providing insight into drug target specificity; an observation supported by deep learning-based genome-wide predicted pharmacology. Several drugs identified are suitable for evaluation in patients, particularly those with either acute or severe chronic IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Timmons
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Augur Precision Medicine LTD, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Jack Stahl
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, United States
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, United States
| | | | | | - Claude-Henry Volmar
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, United States
| | | | - Stuart M Phillips
- Faculty of Science, Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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19
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Structure-based inhibitor design and repurposing clinical drugs to target SARS-CoV-2 proteases. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:151-165. [PMID: 35015073 DOI: 10.1042/bst20211180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, encodes two proteases, 3CLpro and PLpro, two of the main antiviral research targets. Here we provide an overview of the structures and functions of 3CLpro and PLpro and examine strategies of structure-based drug designing and drug repurposing against these proteases. Rational structure-based drug design enables the generation of potent and target-specific antivirals. Drug repurposing offers an attractive prospect with an accelerated turnaround. Thus far, several protease inhibitors have been identified, and some candidates are undergoing trials that may well prove to be effective antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.
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