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Zhu Y, Gao Z, Feng X, Cheng L, Liu N, Liu C, Han S, Yang Q, Zou Q, Chong H, Zhang Z, Li M, Song G, He Y. Development of potent pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors with a new design strategy. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e666. [PMID: 39070180 PMCID: PMC11283584 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Development of potent and broad-spectrum drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains one of the top priorities, especially in the cases of the emergence of mutant viruses and inability of current vaccines to prevent viral transmission. In this study, we have generated a novel membrane fusion-inhibitory lipopeptide IPB29, which is currently under clinical trials; herein, we report its design strategy and preclinical data. First, we surprisingly found that IPB29 with a rigid linker between the peptide sequence and lipid molecule had greatly improved α-helical structure and antiviral activity. Second, IPB29 potently inhibited a large panel of SARS-CoV-2 variants including the previously and currently circulating viruses, such as Omicron XBB.5.1 and EG.5.1. Third, IPB29 could also cross-neutralize the bat- and pangolin-isolated SARS-CoV-2-related CoVs (RatG13, PCoV-GD, and PCoV-GX) and other human CoVs (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-229E). Fourth, IPB29 administrated as an inhalation solution (IPB29-IS) in Syrian hamsters exhibited high therapeutic and preventive efficacies against SARS-CoV-2 Delta or Omicron variant. Fifth, the pharmacokinetic profiles and safety pharmacology of IPB29-IS were extensively characterized, providing data to support its evaluation in humans. In conclusion, our studies have demonstrated a novel design strategy for viral fusion inhibitors and offered an ideal drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of PathogensNational Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS ResearchChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zhongcai Gao
- Research Institute of Youcare Pharmaceutical Group Co., LtdBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoli Feng
- Kunming National High‐level Biosafety Research Center for Non‐Human PrimatesCenter for Biosafety Mega‐ScienceKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingYunnanChina
| | - Lin Cheng
- Institute of HepatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Infectious DiseaseShenzhen Third People's HospitalThe Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenGuangdongChina
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of PathogensNational Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS ResearchChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Chao Liu
- Research Institute of Youcare Pharmaceutical Group Co., LtdBeijingChina
| | - Shaowei Han
- Research Institute of Youcare Pharmaceutical Group Co., LtdBeijingChina
| | - Qiaojiang Yang
- Kunming National High‐level Biosafety Research Center for Non‐Human PrimatesCenter for Biosafety Mega‐ScienceKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingYunnanChina
| | - Qingcui Zou
- Kunming National High‐level Biosafety Research Center for Non‐Human PrimatesCenter for Biosafety Mega‐ScienceKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingYunnanChina
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of PathogensNational Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS ResearchChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute of HepatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Infectious DiseaseShenzhen Third People's HospitalThe Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenGuangdongChina
| | - Minghua Li
- Kunming National High‐level Biosafety Research Center for Non‐Human PrimatesCenter for Biosafety Mega‐ScienceKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingYunnanChina
| | - Gengshen Song
- Research Institute of Youcare Pharmaceutical Group Co., LtdBeijingChina
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of PathogensNational Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS ResearchChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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2
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Santoro A, Buonocore M, Firoznezhad M, Grimaldi M, D'Ursi AM. Conformational analysis of a new peptide derived from feline immunodeficiency virus gp36 in SDS micelles: An NMR-MD based investigation. J Pept Sci 2024:e3645. [PMID: 39030892 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) shares structural similarities with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): the surface glycoprotein gp36 corresponds to the HIV gp41, which drives virus-host cell interactions and is targeted by the peptide entry inhibitor enfuvirtide. Following a similar drug design strategy for the development of an anti-FIV therapy, the present study investigates 627-646gp36 NHR, a peptide sequence derived from a region of gp36 that was previously found to interfere with the antiviral activity of the peptide C8, which instead derives from the gp36 MPER. CD, NMR, and MD simulations were employed to probe the conformational characteristics of 627-646gp36 NHR in the membrane-mimicking environment of SDS micelles. Our data show that 627-646gp36 NHR is characterized by three dynamic helix structures. MD simulations involving 627-646gp36 NHR, C8, and a larger protein, including the CHR and MPER regions, suggest that the interaction of C8 with the MPER region, the origin of the antiviral activity of C8, is disfavored in the presence of 627-646gp36 NHR in the simulation. This evidence can be useful for interpreting the molecular mechanism that leads to interference with the activity of C8, providing information on the folding/unfolding mechanism of the viral glycoprotein to design new strategies to inhibit viral entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Santoro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, Scuola di Specializzazione in Farmacia Ospedaliera, University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Michela Buonocore
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Mohammad Firoznezhad
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Trento, Italy
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3
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Wang C, Zhang W, Xu L, Tu J, Su S, Li Q, Zhang T, Zheng L, Wang H, Zhuang X, Tang X, Yuan Y, Meng G, Lu L, Xiao J, Wang Q, Jiang S. Discovery of a Double-Stapled Short Peptide as a Long-Acting HIV-1 Inactivator with Potential for Oral Bioavailability. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9991-10004. [PMID: 38888038 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00150] [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: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Different from most antiretroviral drugs that act as passive defenders to inhibit HIV-1 replication inside the host cell, virus inactivators can attack and inactivate HIV-1 virions without relying on their replication cycle. Herein, we describe the discovery of a hydrocarbon double-stapled helix peptide, termed D26. D26 is based on the HIV-1 gp41 protein lentiviral lytic peptide-3 motif (LLP3) sequence, which can efficiently inhibit HIV-1 infection and inactivate cell-free HIV-1 virions. It was noted that D26 was highly resistant to proteolytic degradation and exhibited a remarkably extended in vivo elimination half-life. Additionally, relative to its linear, nonstapled version, D26 exhibited much higher exposure in sanctuary sites for HIV-1. Amazingly, this lead compound also demonstrated detectable oral absorption. Thus, it can be concluded that D26 is a promising candidate for further development as a long-acting, orally applicable HIV-1 inactivator for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wenpeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Ling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiahuang Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Longbo Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design & Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xuan Tang
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yu Yuan
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Guangpeng Meng
- Chengdu Sintanovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Junhai Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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4
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Webb NE, Sevareid CM, Sanchez C, Tobin NH, Aldrovandi GM. Natural Variation in HIV-1 Entry Kinetics Map to Specific Residues and Reveal an Interdependence Between Attachment and Fusion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.25.600587. [PMID: 38979136 PMCID: PMC11230229 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.25.600587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
HIV-1 entry kinetics reflect the fluid motion of the HIV envelope glycoprotein through at least three major structural configurations that drive virus-cell membrane fusion. The lifetime of each state is an important component of potency for inhibitors that target them. We used the time-of-addition inhibitor assay and a novel analytical strategy to define the kinetics of pre-hairpin exposure (using T20) and co-receptor engagement (via. maraviroc), through a characteristic delay metric, across a variety of naturally occurring HIV Env isolates. Among 257 distinct HIV-1 envelope isolates we found a remarkable breadth of T20 and maraviroc delays ranging from as early as 30 seconds to as late as 60 minutes. The most extreme delays were observed among transmission-linked clade C isolates. We identified four single-residue determinants of late T20 and maraviroc delays that are associated with either receptor engagement or gp41 function. Comparison of these delays with T20 sensitivity suggest co-receptor engagement and fusogenic activity in gp41 act cooperatively but sequentially to drive entry. Our findings support current models of entry where co-receptor engagement drives gp41 eclipse and have strong implications for the design of entry inhibitors and antibodies that target transient entry states. Author Summary The first step of HIV-1 infection is entry, where virus-cell membrane fusion is driven by the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein through a series of conformational changes. Some of the most broadly active entry inhibitors work by binding conformations that exist only transiently during entry. The lifetimes of these states and the kinetics of entry are important elements of inhibitor activity for which little is known. We demonstrate a remarkable range of kinetics among 257 diverse HIV-1 isolates and find that this phenotype is highly flexible, with multiple single-residue determinants. Examination of the kinetics of two conformational landmarks shed light on novel kinetic features that offer new details about the role of co-receptor engagement and provide a framework to explain entry inhibitor synergy.
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5
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Geng X, Ding X, Zhu Y, Chong H, He Y. Characterization of novel HIV fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides with the M-T hook structure. Microbes Infect 2024:105366. [PMID: 38777106 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2024.105366] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly improved the survival of HIV-infected individuals, but long-term treatment can cause side-effects and drug resistance; thus, the development of new antivirals is of importance. We previously identified an M-T hook structure and accordingly designed short-peptide fusion inhibitor 2P23, which mainly targets the gp41 pocket site and displays potent, broad-spectrum anti-HIV activity. In this study, we continuingly characterized the amino acid sequences of peptide and lipopeptide-based inhibitors containing the M-T hook residues. Among a group of lipopeptides, stearic acid (C18)-modified LP-25 and LP-29 exhibited greatly improved inhibitions against divergent HIV-1 subtypes and drug-resistant mutants. LP-25 and LP-29 were evaluated in rhesus macaques, and the ex vivo inhibition data demonstrated their potent, long-lasting in vivo anti-HIV activity, with LP-25 much better than LP-29. Both the lipopeptides displayed high α-helicity, thermostability and binding ability to a target-mimic peptide, and they were metabolically stable when treated with high temperature, proteolytic enzymes, human or monkey sera and human liver microsomes. Therefore, our studies have provided critical information for understanding the structure-activity relationship of HIV fusion inhibitors with the M-T hook structure and offered novel candidates for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhu Geng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaohui Ding
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
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6
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Suzuki S, Kuroda M, Aoki K, Kawaji K, Hiramatsu Y, Sasano M, Nishiyama A, Murayama K, Kodama EN, Oishi S, Hayashi H. Helix-based screening with structure prediction using artificial intelligence has potential for the rapid development of peptide inhibitors targeting class I viral fusion. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:131-140. [PMID: 38333196 PMCID: PMC10849125 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00166k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of drugs against emerging and re-emerging viruses is required to prevent future pandemics. However, inhibitors usually take a long time to optimize. Here, to improve the optimization step, we used two heptad repeats (HR) in the spike protein (S protein) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a model and established a screening system for peptide-based inhibitors containing an α-helix region (SPICA). SPICA can be used to identify critical amino acid regions and evaluate the inhibitory effects of peptides as decoys. We further employed an artificial intelligence structure-prediction system (AlphaFold2) for the rapid analysis of structure-activity relationships. Here, we identified that critical amino acid regions, DVDLGD (amino acids 1163-1168 in the S protein), IQKEIDRLNE (1179-1188), and NLNESLIDL (1192-1200), played a pivotal role in SARS-CoV-2 fusion. Peptides containing these critical amino acid regions efficiently blocked viral replication. We also demonstrated that AlphaFold2 could successfully predict structures similar to the reported crystal and cryo-electron microscopy structures of the post-fusion form of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Notably, the predicted structures of the HR1 region and the peptide-based fusion inhibitors corresponded well with the antiviral effects of each fusion inhibitor. Thus, the combination of SPICA and AlphaFold2 is a powerful tool to design viral fusion inhibitors using only the amino-acid sequence of the fusion protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Suzuki
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Mio Kuroda
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University 1, Misasagi-Shichono-cho, Yamashina-ku Kyoto 607-8412 Japan
| | - Keisuke Aoki
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University 1, Misasagi-Shichono-cho, Yamashina-ku Kyoto 607-8412 Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Kumi Kawaji
- Division of Infectious Diseases, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Yoshiki Hiramatsu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Mina Sasano
- Division of Infectious Diseases, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Akie Nishiyama
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Kazutaka Murayama
- Division of Biomedical Measurements and Diagnostics, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Eiichi N Kodama
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
- Department of Infectious Disease, Graduate School of Medicine and Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
| | - Shinya Oishi
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University 1, Misasagi-Shichono-cho, Yamashina-ku Kyoto 607-8412 Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Hironori Hayashi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai Miyagi 980-8575 Japan
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7
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Zou G, Cao S, Gao Z, Yie J, Wu JZ. Current state and challenges in respiratory syncytial virus drug discovery and development. Antiviral Res 2024; 221:105791. [PMID: 38160942 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in young children and elderly people worldwide. Recent significant progress in our understanding of the structure and function of RSV proteins has led to the discovery of several clinical candidates targeting RSV fusion and replication. These include both the development of novel small molecule interventions and the isolation of potent monoclonal antibodies. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art of RSV drug discovery, with a focus on the characteristics of the candidates that reached the clinical stage of development. We also discuss the lessons learned from failed and discontinued clinical developments and highlight the challenges that remain for development of RSV therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zou
- Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Sushan Cao
- Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhao Gao
- Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Junming Yie
- Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jim Zhen Wu
- Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201203, China
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8
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Zenin V, Tsedilin A, Yurkova M, Siniavin A, Fedorov A. Thermostable chaperone-based polypeptide biosynthesis: Enfuvirtide model product quality and protocol-related impurities. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286752. [PMID: 37289764 PMCID: PMC10249821 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Large peptide biosynthesis is a valuable alternative to conventional chemical synthesis. Enfuvirtide, the largest therapeutic peptide used in HIV infection treatment, was synthesized in our thermostable chaperone-based peptide biosynthesis system and evaluated for peptide quality as well as the profile of process-related impurities. Host cell proteins (HCPs) and BrCN cleavage-modified peptides were evaluated by LC-MS in intermediate. Cleavage modifications during the reaction were assessed after LC-MS maps were aligned by simple in-house algorithm and formylation/oxidation levels were estimated. Circular dichroism spectra of the obtained enfuvirtide were compared to the those of the chemically- synthesized standard product. Final-product endotoxin and HCPs content were assessed resulting 1.06 EU/mg and 5.58 ppm respectively. Peptide therapeutic activity was measured using the MT-4 cells HIV infection-inhibition model. The biosynthetic peptide IC50 was 0.0453 μM while the standard one had 0.0180 μM. Non-acylated C-terminus was proposed as a cause of IC50 and CD spectra difference. Otherwise, the peptide has met all the requirements of the original chemically synthesized enfuvirtide in the cell-culture and in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Zenin
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Andrey Tsedilin
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Maria Yurkova
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Andrey Siniavin
- Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey Fedorov
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
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9
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Xu L, Wang C, Xu W, Xing L, Zhou J, Pu J, Fu M, Lu L, Jiang S, Wang Q. A dePEGylated Lipopeptide-Based Pan-Coronavirus Fusion Inhibitor Exhibits Potent and Broad-Spectrum Anti-HIV-1 Activity without Eliciting Anti-PEG Antibodies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119779. [PMID: 37298729 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119779] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously identified a lipopeptide, EK1C4, by linking cholesterol to EK1, a pan-CoV fusion inhibitory peptide via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker, which showed potent pan-CoV fusion inhibitory activity. However, PEG can elicit antibodies to PEG in vivo, which will attenuate its antiviral activity. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a dePEGylated lipopeptide, EKL1C, by replacing the PEG linker in EK1C4 with a short peptide. Similar to EK1C4, EKL1C displayed potent inhibitory activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other coronaviruses. In this study, we found that EKL1C also exhibited broad-spectrum fusion inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection by interacting with the N-terminal heptad repeat 1 (HR1) of viral gp41 to block six-helix bundle (6-HB) formation. These results suggest that HR1 is a common target for the development of broad-spectrum viral fusion inhibitors and EKL1C has potential clinical application as a candidate therapeutic or preventive agent against infection by coronavirus, HIV-1, and possibly other class I enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lixiao Xing
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jing Pu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Mingming Fu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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10
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Guo L, Lin S, Chen Z, Cao Y, He B, Lu G. Targetable elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit for the design of pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors and vaccines. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:197. [PMID: 37164987 PMCID: PMC10170451 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01472-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused devastating impacts on the public health and the global economy. Rapid viral antigenic evolution has led to the continual generation of new variants. Of special note is the recently expanding Omicron subvariants that are capable of immune evasion from most of the existing neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). This has posed new challenges for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, exploring broad-spectrum antiviral agents to combat the emerging variants is imperative. In sharp contrast to the massive accumulation of mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), the S2 fusion subunit has remained highly conserved among variants. Hence, S2-based therapeutics may provide effective cross-protection against new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we summarize the most recently developed broad-spectrum fusion inhibitors (e.g., nAbs, peptides, proteins, and small-molecule compounds) and candidate vaccines targeting the conserved elements in SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunit. The main focus includes all the targetable S2 elements, namely, the fusion peptide, stem helix, and heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1-HR2) bundle. Moreover, we provide a detailed summary of the characteristics and action-mechanisms for each class of cross-reactive fusion inhibitors, which should guide and promote future design of S2-based inhibitors and vaccines against new coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Guo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Sheng Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Zimin Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Disaster Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Guangwen Lu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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11
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Monti A, Vitagliano L, Caporale A, Ruvo M, Doti N. Targeting Protein-Protein Interfaces with Peptides: The Contribution of Chemical Combinatorial Peptide Library Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097842. [PMID: 37175549 PMCID: PMC10178479 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interfaces play fundamental roles in the molecular mechanisms underlying pathophysiological pathways and are important targets for the design of compounds of therapeutic interest. However, the identification of binding sites on protein surfaces and the development of modulators of protein-protein interactions still represent a major challenge due to their highly dynamic and extensive interfacial areas. Over the years, multiple strategies including structural, computational, and combinatorial approaches have been developed to characterize PPI and to date, several successful examples of small molecules, antibodies, peptides, and aptamers able to modulate these interfaces have been determined. Notably, peptides are a particularly useful tool for inhibiting PPIs due to their exquisite potency, specificity, and selectivity. Here, after an overview of PPIs and of the commonly used approaches to identify and characterize them, we describe and evaluate the impact of chemical peptide libraries in medicinal chemistry with a special focus on the results achieved through recent applications of this methodology. Finally, we also discuss the role that this methodology can have in the framework of the opportunities, and challenges that the application of new predictive approaches based on artificial intelligence is generating in structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Caporale
- Institute of Crystallography (IC), National Research Council (CNR), Strada Statale 14 km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Triese, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
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12
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Wang C, Li Q, Sun L, Wang X, Wang H, Zhang W, Li J, Liu Y, Lu L, Jiang S. An Artificial Peptide-Based Bifunctional HIV-1 Entry Inhibitor That Interferes with Viral Glycoprotein-41 Six-Helix Bundle Formation and Antagonizes CCR5 on the Host Cell Membrane. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051038. [PMID: 37243126 DOI: 10.3390/v15051038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is characterized by high variability and drug resistance. This has necessitated the development of antivirals with a new chemotype and therapy. We previously identified an artificial peptide with non-native protein sequence, AP3, with the potential to inhibit HIV-1 fusion through targeting hydrophobic grooves on the N-terminal heptad repeat trimer of viral glycoprotein gp41. Here, a small-molecule HIV-1 inhibitor targeting chemokine coreceptor CCR5 on the host cell was integrated into the AP3 peptide, producing a novel dual-target inhibitor with improved activity against multiple HIV-1 strains including those resistant to the currently used anti-HIV-1 drug enfuvirtide. Its superior antiviral potency in comparison with the respective pharmacophoric moieties is in consonance with the dual binding of viral gp41 and host factor CCR5. Therefore, our work provides a potent artificial peptide-based bifunctional HIV-1 entry inhibitor and highlights the multitarget-directed ligands approach in the development of novel therapeutic anti-HIV-1 agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lujia Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wenpeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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13
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Wang C, Wang H, Wang X, Sun L, Wang Q, Li Q, Liang R, Dou D, Yu F, Lu L, Jiang S. Multitargeted drug design strategy for discovery of short-peptide-based HIV-1 entry inhibitors with high potency. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115294. [PMID: 36944281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The development of short-peptide-based inhibitors to prevent HIV-1 entry into the host cell has been rewarded with limited success. Herein, we report a multitarget-directed ligand strategy to generate a series of short-peptide HIV-1 entry inhibitors that integrated the pharmacological activities of a peptide fusion inhibitor able to disrupt HIV-1 gp41 glycoprotein hexameric coiled-coil assembly and a small-molecule CCR5 antagonist that blocks the interaction between HIV-1 and its coreceptor. Among these inhibitors, dual-target 23-residue peptides SP12T and SP12L displayed dramatically increased inhibitory activities against HIV-1 replication as compared to the marketed 36-residue peptide T20. Moreover, results suggested that SP12T and SP12L successfully performed a dual-targeting mechanism. It can be concluded that these short-peptide-based HIV-1 entry inhibitors have potential for further development as candidates for a novel multitarget therapy to treat HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lujia Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Ruiying Liang
- Hebei Center for Wildlife Health, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China
| | - Dou Dou
- Hebei Center for Wildlife Health, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Hebei Center for Wildlife Health, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China.
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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14
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Hu Y, Zhu Y, Yu Y, Liu N, Ju X, Ding Q, He Y. Design and characterization of novel SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors with N-terminally extended HR2 peptides. Antiviral Res 2023; 212:105571. [PMID: 36868315 PMCID: PMC9977133 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Development of potent and broad-spectrum antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 remains one of top priorities, especially in the case of that current vaccines cannot effectively prevent viral transmission. We previously generated a group of fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides, with one formulation being evaluated under clinical trials. In this study, we dedicated to characterize the extended N-terminal motif (residues 1161-1168) of the so-called spike (S) heptad repeat 2 (HR2) region. Alanine scanning analysis of this motif verified its critical roles in S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion. Using a panel of HR2 peptides with the N-terminal extensions, we identified a peptide termed P40, which contained four extended N-terminal residues (VDLG) and exhibited improved binding and antiviral activities, whereas the peptides with further extensions had no such effects. Then, we developed a new lipopeptide P40-LP by modifying P40 with cholesterol, which exhibited dramatically increased activities in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 variants including divergent Omicron sublineages. Moreover, P40-LP displayed a synergistic effect with IPB24 lipopeptide that was designed containing the C-terminally extended residues, and it could effectively inhibit other human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63. Taken together, our results have provided valuable insights for understanding the structure-function relationship of SARS-CoV-2 fusion protein and offered novel antiviral strategies to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yanying Yu
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Nian Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiaohui Ju
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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15
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Bell BN, Bruun TUJ, Friedland N, Kim PS. HIV-1 prehairpin intermediate inhibitors show efficacy independent of neutralization tier. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2215792120. [PMID: 36795752 PMCID: PMC9974412 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215792120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 strains are categorized into one of three neutralization tiers based on the relative ease by which they are neutralized by plasma from HIV-1-infected donors not on antiretroviral therapy; tier-1 strains are particularly sensitive to neutralization while tier-2 and tier-3 strains are increasingly difficult to neutralize. Most broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) previously described target the native prefusion conformation of HIV-1 Envelope (Env), but the relevance of the tiered categories for inhibitors targeting another Env conformation, the prehairpin intermediate, is not well understood. Here, we show that two inhibitors targeting distinct highly conserved regions of the prehairpin intermediate have strikingly consistent neutralization potencies (within ~100-fold for a given inhibitor) against strains in all three neutralization tiers of HIV-1; in contrast, best-in-class bnAbs targeting diverse Env epitopes vary by more than 10,000-fold in potency against these strains. Our results indicate that antisera-based HIV-1 neutralization tiers are not relevant for inhibitors targeting the prehairpin intermediate and highlight the potential for therapies and vaccine efforts targeting this conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N. Bell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Theodora U. J. Bruun
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Natalia Friedland
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Peter S. Kim
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA94158
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16
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Wang R, Tsuji K, Kobayakawa T, Liu Y, Yoshimura K, Matsushita S, Harada S, Tamamura H. Hybrids of small CD4 mimics and gp41-related peptides as dual-target HIV entry inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 76:117083. [PMID: 36403413 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.117083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid molecules containing small CD4 mimics and gp41-C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR)-related peptides have been developed. A YIR-821 derivative was adopted as a CD4 mimic, which inhibits the interaction of gp120 with CD4. SC-peptides, SC34 and SC22EK, were also used as CHR-related peptides, which inhibit the interaction between the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) and CHR and thereby membrane fusion. Therefore, these hybrid molecules have dual-targets of gp120 and gp41. In the synthesis of the hybrid molecules of CD4 mimic-SC-peptides with different lengths of linkers, two conjugating methods, Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition and direct cysteine alkylation, were performed. The latter reaction caused simpler operation procedures and higher synthetic yields than the former. The synthesized hybrid molecules of CD4 mimic-SC22EK have significantly higher anti-HIV activity than each sole agent. The present data should be useful in the future design of anti-HIV agents as dual-target entry inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyi Wang
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Kohei Tsuji
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Takuya Kobayakawa
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Yishan Liu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Yoshimura
- Institute of Public Health, Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073, Japan
| | - Shuzo Matsushita
- The Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Shigeyoshi Harada
- AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
| | - Hirokazu Tamamura
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
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17
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Wang Y, Li X, Xu Q, Niu X, Zhang S, Qu X, Chu H, Chen J, Shi Q, Zhang E, Zhang G. Characterization of Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies and Identification of a Novel Conserved C-Terminal Linear Epitope on the Hemagglutinin Protein of the H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112530. [PMID: 36423139 PMCID: PMC9698441 DOI: 10.3390/v14112530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) remains a serious threat to the global poultry industry and public health. The hemagglutinin (HA) protein is an essential protective antigen of AIVs and a major target of neutralizing antibodies and vaccines. Therefore, in this study, we used rice-derived HA protein as an immunogen to generate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and screened them using an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Eight mAbs reacted well with the recombinant H9N2 AIV and HA protein, four of which exhibited potent inhibitory activity against hemagglutination, while three showed remarkable neutralization capacities. Western blotting confirmed that two mAbs bound to the HA protein. Linear epitopes were identified using the mAbs; a novel linear epitope, 480HKCDDQCM487, was identified. Structural analysis revealed that the novel linear epitope is located at the C-terminus of HA2 near the disulfide bond-linked HA1 and HA2. Alignment of the amino acid sequences showed that the epitope was highly conserved among multiple H9N2 AIV strains. The results of this study provide novel insights for refining vaccine and diagnostic strategies and expand our understanding of the immune response against AIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xueyang Li
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Qianru Xu
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Xiangxiang Niu
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Shenli Zhang
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xiaotian Qu
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Hongyan Chu
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Jinxuan Chen
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Qianqian Shi
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Erqin Zhang
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
- Longhu Modern Immunity Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450046, China
- Correspondence: (E.Z.); (G.Z.)
| | - Gaiping Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
- International Associated Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
- Longhu Modern Immunity Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450046, China
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Immunology, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
- Correspondence: (E.Z.); (G.Z.)
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18
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Monroe MK, Wang H, Anderson CF, Jia H, Flexner C, Cui H. Leveraging the therapeutic, biological, and self-assembling potential of peptides for the treatment of viral infections. J Control Release 2022; 348:1028-1049. [PMID: 35752254 PMCID: PMC11022941 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Peptides and peptide-based materials have an increasing role in the treatment of viral infections through their use as active pharmaceutical ingredients, targeting moieties, excipients, carriers, or structural components in drug delivery systems. The discovery of peptide-based therapeutic compounds, coupled with the development of new stabilization and formulation strategies, has led to a resurgence of antiviral peptide therapeutics over the past two decades. The ability of peptides to bind cell receptors and to facilitate membrane penetration and subsequent intracellular trafficking enables their use in various antiviral systems for improved targeting efficiency and treatment efficacy. Importantly, the self-assembly of peptides into well-defined nanostructures provides a vast library of discrete constructs and supramolecular biomaterials for systemic and local delivery of antiviral agents. We review here the recent progress in exploiting the therapeutic, biological, and self-assembling potential of peptides, peptide conjugates, and their supramolecular assemblies in treating human viral infections, with an emphasis on the treatment strategies for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya K Monroe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America
| | - Han Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America
| | - Caleb F Anderson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America
| | - Hongpeng Jia
- Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Charles Flexner
- Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Infectious Diseases, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America.
| | - Honggang Cui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America; Deptartment of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America; Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, United States of America.
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19
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Hu Y, Yu W, Geng X, Zhu Y, Chong H, He Y. In Vitro Selection and Characterization of HIV-1 Variants with Increased Resistance to LP-40, Enfuvirtide-Based Lipopeptide Inhibitor. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126638. [PMID: 35743078 PMCID: PMC9223764 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In our previous work, we replaced the TRM (tryptophan-rich motif) of T20 (Enfuvirtide) with fatty acid (C16) to obtain the novel lipopeptide LP-40, and LP-40 displayed enhanced antiviral activity. In this study, we investigated whether the C16 modification could enhance the high-resistance barrier of the inhibitor LP-40. To address this question, we performed an in vitro simultaneous screening of HIV-1NL4-3 resistance to T20 and LP-40. The mechanism of drug resistance for HIV-1 Env was further studied using the expression and processing of the Env glycoprotein, the effect of the Env mutation on the entry and fusion ability of the virus, and an analysis of changes to the gp41 core structure. The results indicate that the LP-40 activity is enhanced and that it has a high resistance barrier. In a detailed analysis of the resistance sites, we found that mutations in L33S conferred a stronger resistance, except for the well-recognized mutations in amino acids 36–45 of gp41 NHR, which reduced the inhibitory activity of the CHR-derived peptides. The compensatory mutation of eight amino acids in the CHR region (NDQEEDYN) plays an important role in drug resistance. LP-40 and T20 have similar resistance mutation sites, and we speculate that the same resistance profile may arise if LP-40 is used in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Wenjiang Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiuzhu Geng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Huihui Chong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yuxian He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.H.); (W.Y.); (X.G.); (Y.Z.)
- Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (Y.H.)
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20
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Schmitz KS, Lange MV, Gommers L, Handrejk K, Porter DP, Alabi CA, Moscona A, Porotto M, de Vries RD, de Swart RL. Repurposing an In Vitro Measles Virus Dissemination Assay for Screening of Antiviral Compounds. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061186. [PMID: 35746658 PMCID: PMC9230603 DOI: 10.3390/v14061186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Measles virus (MV) is a highly contagious respiratory virus responsible for outbreaks associated with significant morbidity and mortality among children and young adults. Although safe and effective measles vaccines are available, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in vaccination coverage gaps that may lead to the resurgence of measles when restrictions are lifted. This puts individuals who cannot be vaccinated, such as young infants and immunocompromised individuals, at risk. Therapeutic interventions are complicated by the long incubation time of measles, resulting in a narrow treatment window. At present, the only available WHO-advised option is treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, although this is not approved as standard of care. Antivirals against measles may contribute to intervention strategies to limit the impact of future outbreaks. Here, we review previously described antivirals and antiviral assays, evaluate the antiviral efficacy of a number of compounds to inhibit MV dissemination in vitro, and discuss potential application in specific target populations. We conclude that broadly reactive antivirals could strengthen existing intervention strategies to limit the impact of measles outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina S. Schmitz
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
| | - Mona V. Lange
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
| | - Lennert Gommers
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
| | - Kim Handrejk
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
| | | | - Christopher A. Alabi
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA;
| | - Anne Moscona
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.M.); (M.P.)
- Center for Host–Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Matteo Porotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.M.); (M.P.)
- Center for Host–Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Rory D. de Vries
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
| | - Rik L. de Swart
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.S.S.); (M.V.L.); (L.G.); (K.H.); (R.D.d.V.)
- Correspondence:
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21
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Wang H, Wang X, Li J, Li Q, Feng S, Lu L, Wang C, Jiang S. Design of artificial α-helical peptides targeting both gp41 deep pocket and subpocket as potent HIV-1 fusion inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 236:114336. [PMID: 35395438 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114336] [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: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Both the deep pocket region and its neighboring subpocket site on the N-trimer of HIV-1 gp41 protein can serve as targets for the development of HIV-1 entry inhibitors. Pocket-binding domain (PBD)-containing peptides with the potential to inhibit HIV-1 fusion through targeting the deep pocket have been extensively exploited. However, using an artificial peptide strategy, we herein report the design of α-helical lipopeptides with non-native protein sequences as HIV-1 fusion inhibitors that can occupy both gp41 deep cavity and subpocket sites. The most active compound, PP24C, inhibited HIV-1 replication, including T20-resistant HIV-1 mutants, at low nanomolar level. Biophysical approaches revealed that both the artificial α-helical peptide P35A4 and its cholesterol-tagged peptide PP24C could bind to T21 peptide used as a target surrogate comprising both pockets. Our study offers a new template for the design of artificial anti-HIV-1 therapeutics and highlights the novel concept of peptide secondary structure-based virus fusion inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design and Discovery of the Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Siliang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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22
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Biswas S, Mahmud S, Mita MA, Afrose S, Hasan MR, Sultana Shimu MS, Saleh MA, Mostafa-Hedeab G, Alqarni M, Obaidullah AJ, Batiha GES. Molecular Docking and Dynamics Studies to Explore Effective Inhibitory Peptides Against the Spike Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:791642. [PMID: 35187069 PMCID: PMC8851422 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.791642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a pandemic due to the high transmission and mortality rate of this virus. The world health and economic sectors have been severely affected by this deadly virus, exacerbated by the lack of sufficient efficient vaccines. The design of effective drug candidates and their rapid development is necessary to combat this virus. In this study, we selected 23 antimicrobial peptides from the literature and predicted their structure using PEP-FOLD 3.5. In addition, we docked them to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) to study their capability to inhibit the RBD, which plays a significant role in virus binding, fusion and entry into the host cell. We used several docking programs including HDOCK, HPEPDOCK, ClusPro, and HawkDock to calculate the binding energy of the protein-peptide complexes. We identified four peptides with high binding free energy and docking scores. The docking results were further verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to characterize the protein-peptide complexes in terms of their root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration (Rg), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA), and hydrogen bond formation. Allergenicity and toxicity predictions suggested that the peptides we identified were non-allergenic and non-toxic. This study suggests that these four antimicrobial peptides could inhibit the RBD of SARS-CoV-2. Future in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary to confirm this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvro Biswas
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Shafi Mahmud
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
- *Correspondence: Shafi Mahmud, ; Md. Abu Saleh,
| | - Mohasana Akter Mita
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Shamima Afrose
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Robiul Hasan
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md. Abu Saleh
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
- *Correspondence: Shafi Mahmud, ; Md. Abu Saleh,
| | - Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab
- Pharmacology Department and Health Research Unit-medical College, Jouf University, Jouf, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
| | - Mohammed Alqarni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad J. Obaidullah
- Drug Exploration and Development Chair (DEDC), Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
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23
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Small-Molecule HIV Entry Inhibitors Targeting gp120 and gp41. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1366:27-43. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8702-0_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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24
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Wang H, Wang C. Peptide-Based Dual HIV and Coronavirus Entry Inhibitors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1366:87-100. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8702-0_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Düzgüneş N, Fernandez-Fuentes N, Konopka K. Inhibition of Viral Membrane Fusion by Peptides and Approaches to Peptide Design. Pathogens 2021; 10:1599. [PMID: 34959554 PMCID: PMC8709411 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10121599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusion of lipid-enveloped viruses with the cellular plasma membrane or the endosome membrane is mediated by viral envelope proteins that undergo large conformational changes following binding to receptors. The HIV-1 fusion protein gp41 undergoes a transition into a "six-helix bundle" after binding of the surface protein gp120 to the CD4 receptor and a co-receptor. Synthetic peptides that mimic part of this structure interfere with the formation of the helix structure and inhibit membrane fusion. This approach also works with the S spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Here we review the peptide inhibitors of membrane fusion involved in infection by influenza virus, HIV-1, MERS and SARS coronaviruses, hepatitis viruses, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, herpesviruses and filoviruses. We also describe recent computational methods used for the identification of peptide sequences that can interact strongly with protein interfaces, with special emphasis on SARS-CoV-2, using the PePI-Covid19 database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nejat Düzgüneş
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
| | - Narcis Fernandez-Fuentes
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3EE, UK;
| | - Krystyna Konopka
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
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26
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Sigalov AB. SARS-CoV-2 may affect the immune response via direct inhibition of T cell receptor: Mechanistic hypothesis and rationale. Biochimie 2021; 195:86-89. [PMID: 34793886 PMCID: PMC8591858 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During co-evolution with their hosts, many viruses have evolved a membrane fusion mechanism to facilitate host cell entry. Examples are human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses 1 and 2 (SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2). These viruses can also infect immune cells (e.g., T cells), providing one of the possible mechanisms for the T cell lymphopenia observed in patients with these infections. Previously, we hypothesized and confirmed in vivo that like HIV-1, SARS-CoV-1 can use its fusion domain not only to enter the T cell but also to directly inhibit T cell receptor signaling. Here, based on the analysis of available structural and clinical data, we hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 may use a similar "disarm the alarm" strategy to suppress immune responses. We also discuss the implications of this hypothesis for better understanding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathology, developing effective COVID-19 vaccines and improving clinical outcomes for COVID-19 patients.
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27
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Morgan MA, Galla M, Grez M, Fehse B, Schambach A. Retroviral gene therapy in Germany with a view on previous experience and future perspectives. Gene Ther 2021; 28:494-512. [PMID: 33753908 PMCID: PMC8455336 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-021-00237-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy can be used to restore cell function in monogenic disorders or to endow cells with new capabilities, such as improved killing of cancer cells, expression of suicide genes for controlled elimination of cell populations, or protection against chemotherapy or viral infection. While gene therapies were originally most often used to treat monogenic diseases and to improve hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcome, the advent of genetically modified immune cell therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor modified T cells, has contributed to the increased numbers of patients treated with gene and cell therapies. The advancement of gene therapy with integrating retroviral vectors continues to depend upon world-wide efforts. As the topic of this special issue is "Spotlight on Germany," the goal of this review is to provide an overview of contributions to this field made by German clinical and research institutions. Research groups in Germany made, and continue to make, important contributions to the development of gene therapy, including design of vectors and transduction protocols for improved cell modification, methods to assess gene therapy vector efficacy and safety (e.g., clonal imbalance, insertion sites), as well as in the design and conduction of clinical gene therapy trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Manuel Grez
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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28
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Zarif F, Anasir MI, Koh JX, Chew MF, Poh CL. Stability and antiviral activity of SP40 peptide in human serum. Virus Res 2021; 303:198456. [PMID: 34314773 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is one of the main causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). SP40 peptide was previously identified to inhibit EV-A71 strains from genotypes A, B and C. However, the stability and antiviral activity of SP40 peptide in human serum are yet to be established. To address this, we evaluated the stability and anti-EV-A71 activity of SP40 peptide after incubation in 25 % human serum. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) were utilized to evaluate serum stability and cleavage patterns of SP40 peptide after incubation in human serum. Cell protection assay was used to evaluate the anti-EV-A71 activity of SP40 peptide after incubation in human serum and to identify the minimal active sequence of SP40 peptide that retained antiviral activity. The results showed that the SP40 peptide was stable in human serum with 56 % of the full-length SP40 peptide being detected after 48 h incubation in human serum. The SP40 peptide was mainly cleaved by exopeptidases and no endoprotease recognition sites were identified within the SP40 peptide. Cell protection assays revealed that the SP40 peptide retained substantial activity after 24 and 48 h incubation in human serum. Furthermore, the data revealed that three amino acids at the N-terminus and one amino acid at the C-terminus of the SP40 peptide were dispensable for its antiviral activity. Importantly, the four truncated peptides displayed better potency than the full-length SP40 peptide. Overall, this study provided insights into the stability and activity of SP40 peptide in human serum and will facilitate the development of SP40 peptide as an anti-EV-A71 agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Zarif
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Ishtiaq Anasir
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; Virology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jia Xuen Koh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Miaw-Fang Chew
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia.
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29
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Wang C, Wang X, Wang H, Pu J, Li Q, Li J, Liu Y, Lu L, Jiang S. A "Two-Birds-One-Stone" Approach toward the Design of Bifunctional Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Entry Inhibitors Targeting the CCR5 Coreceptor and gp41 N-Terminal Heptad Repeat Region. J Med Chem 2021; 64:11460-11471. [PMID: 34261320 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported the stepwise nature of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry and the pivotal role of coreceptor CCR5 and the gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) region in this event. With this in mind, we herein report a dual-targeted drug compound featuring bifunctional entry inhibitors, consisting of a piperidine-4-carboxamide-based CCR5 antagonist, TAK-220, and a gp41 NHR-targeting fusion-inhibitory peptide, C34. The resultant chimeras were constructed by linking both pharmacophores with a polyethylene glycol spacer. One chimera, CP12TAK, exhibited exceptionally potent antiviral activity, about 40- and 306-fold over that of its parent inhibitors, C34 and TAK-220, respectively. In addition to R5-tropic viruses, CP12TAK also strongly inhibited infection of X4-tropic HIV-1 strains. These data are promising for the further development of CP12TAK as a new anti-HIV-1 drug. Results show that this strategy could be extended to the design of therapies against infection of other enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xinling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jing Pu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Tai-Ping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Fudan University, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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30
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Wang Q, Su S, Xue J, Yu F, Pu J, Bi W, Xia S, Meng Y, Wang C, Yang W, Xu W, Zhu Y, Zheng Q, Qin C, Jiang S, Lu L. An amphipathic peptide targeting the gp41 cytoplasmic tail kills HIV-1 virions and infected cells. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/546/eaaz2254. [PMID: 32493792 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz2254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
HIV-associated morbidity and mortality have markedly declined because of combinational antiretroviral therapy, but HIV readily mutates to develop drug resistance. Developing antivirals against previously undefined targets is essential to treat existing drug-resistant HIV strains. Some peptides derived from HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env, gp120-gp41) have been shown to be effective in inhibiting HIV-1 infection. Therefore, we screened a peptide library from HIV-1 Env and identified a peptide from the cytoplasmic region, designated F9170, able to effectively inactivate HIV-1 virions and induce necrosis of HIV-1-infected cells, and reactivated latently infected cells. F9170 specifically targeted the conserved cytoplasmic tail of HIV-1 Env and effectively disrupted the integrity of the viral membrane. Short-term monoadministration of F9170 controlled viral loads to below the limit of detection in chronically SHIV-infected macaques. F9170 can enter the brain and lymph nodes, anatomic reservoirs for HIV latency. Therefore, F9170 shows promise as a drug candidate for HIV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shan Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jing Xue
- Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Chinese Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Life and Science, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Jing Pu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenwen Bi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shuai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu Meng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenqian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qinwen Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chuan Qin
- Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Chinese Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China. .,Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Serrão VHB, Cook JD, Lee JE. Snapshot of an influenza virus glycoprotein fusion intermediate. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109152. [PMID: 34010634 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Enveloped virus entry requires the fusion of cellular and viral membranes, a process directed by their viral fusion glycoproteins. Our current knowledge of this process has been shaped by structural studies of the pre- and post-fusion conformations of these viral fusogens. These structural snapshots have revealed the start and end states necessary for fusion, but the dynamics of the intermediate conformations have remained unclear. Using the influenza C virus hemagglutinin-esterase-fusion glycoprotein as a model, we report the structural and biophysical characterization of a trapped intermediate. Crystallographic studies revealed a structural reorganization of the C terminus to create a second chain reversal region, resulting in the N and C termini being positioned in opposing directions. Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence and bimane-induced quenching measurements suggest intermediate formation is mediated by conserved hydrophobic residues. Our study reveals a late-stage extended intermediate structural event. This work adds to our understanding of virus cell fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitor Hugo B Serrão
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jeffrey E Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Cao M, Su X, Jiang S. Broad-Spectrum Anti-coronavirus Vaccines and Therapeutics to Combat the Current COVID-19 Pandemic and Future Coronavirus Disease Outbreaks. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:398-411. [PMID: 33691145 PMCID: PMC7940144 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is continuing, it may become worse in the coming winter months with a high potential for the emergence and spread of escape variants of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-related CoVs (SARSr-CoVs) from bats may also cause outbreaks of emerging coronavirus diseases in the future. These predictions call for the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics to combat the current COVID-19 pandemic and future emerging coronavirus disease epidemics. In this review, we describe advances and challenges in the development of broad-spectrum vaccines and neutralizing antibodies against lineage B betacoronaviruses (β-CoV-Bs), including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and SARSr-CoVs, as well as peptide-based pan-CoV fusion inhibitors and their potential in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and other human coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Cao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaojie Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Jernigan RL, Sankar K, Jia K, Faraggi E, Kloczkowski A. Computational Ways to Enhance Protein Inhibitor Design. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 7:607323. [PMID: 33614705 PMCID: PMC7886686 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.607323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Two new computational approaches are described to aid in the design of new peptide-based drugs by evaluating ensembles of protein structures from their dynamics and through the assessing of structures using empirical contact potential. These approaches build on the concept that conformational variability can aid in the binding process and, for disordered proteins, can even facilitate the binding of more diverse ligands. This latter consideration indicates that such a design process should be less restrictive so that multiple inhibitors might be effective. The example chosen here focuses on proteins/peptides that bind to hemagglutinin (HA) to block the large-scale conformational change for activation. Variability in the conformations is considered from sets of experimental structures, or as an alternative, from their simple computed dynamics; the set of designe peptides/small proteins from the David Baker lab designed to bind to hemagglutinin, is the large set considered and is assessed with the new empirical contact potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L. Jernigan
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Kannan Sankar
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Kejue Jia
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Eshel Faraggi
- Research and Information Systems, LLC, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Physics, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andrzej Kloczkowski
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Wang W, Zhao X, Wei W, Fan W, Gao K, He S, Zhuang X. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may be safe for COVID-19 patients. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:114. [PMID: 33494713 PMCID: PMC7829637 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-05821-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) administration to hypertension patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) induced pneumonia. Methods We recorded the recovery status of 67 inpatients with hypertension and COVID-19 induced pneumonia in the Raytheon Mountain Hospital in Wuhan during February 12, 2020 and March 30, 2020. Patients treated with ACEI or ARBs were categorized in group A (n = 22), while patients who were not administered either ACEI or ARBs were categorized into group B (n = 45). We did a comparative analysis of various parameters such as the pneumonia progression, length-of-stay in the hospital, and the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum creatinine (Cr), and creatine kinase (CK) between the day when these patients were admitted to the hospital and the day when the treatment ended. Results These 67 hypertension cases counted for 33.17% of the total COVID-19 patients. There was no significant difference in the usage of drug treatment of COVID-19 between groups A and B (p > 0.05). During the treatment, 1 case in group A and 3 cases in group B progressed from mild pneumonia into severe pneumonia. Eventually, all patients were cured and discharged after treatment, and no recurrence of COVID-2019 induced pneumonia occurred after the discharge. The length of stays was shorter in group A as compared with group B, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in other general parameters between the patients of the groups A and B on the day of admission to the hospital (p > 0.05). The ALT, CK, and Cr levels did not significantly differ between groups A and B on the day of admission and the day of discharge (p > 0.05). Conclusions To treat the hypertension patients with COVID-19 caused pneumonia, anti-hypertensive drugs (ACEs and ARBs) may be used according to the relative guidelines. The treatment regimen with these drugs does not need to be altered for the COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Wang
- The Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhao
- Depart of Respiratory Medicine, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Weiwang Fan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Kai Gao
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Shengxiu He
- Department of Oncology, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian, China
| | - Xijing Zhuang
- The Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
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Anasir MI, Zarif F, Poh CL. Antivirals blocking entry of enteroviruses and therapeutic potential. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:10. [PMID: 33451326 PMCID: PMC7811253 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00708-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses from the genus Enterovirus (EV) of the Picornaviridae family are known to cause diseases such as hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD), respiratory diseases, encephalitis and myocarditis. The capsid of EV is an attractive target for the development of direct-acting small molecules that can interfere with viral entry. Some of the capsid binders have been evaluated in clinical trials but the majority have failed due to insufficient efficacy or unacceptable off-target effects. Furthermore, most of the capsid binders exhibited a low barrier to resistance. Alternatively, host-targeting inhibitors such as peptides derived from the capsid of EV that can recognize cellular receptors have been identified. However, the majority of these peptides displayed low anti-EV potency (µM range) as compared to the potency of small molecule compounds (nM range). Nonetheless, the development of anti-EV peptides is warranted as they may complement the small-molecules in a drug combination strategy to treat EVs. Lastly, structure-based approach to design antiviral peptides should be utilized to unearth potent anti-EV peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Ishtiaq Anasir
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, 5, Jalan Universiti, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Faisal Zarif
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, 5, Jalan Universiti, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, Sunway University, 5, Jalan Universiti, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Fouladirad S, Bach H. Development of Coronavirus Treatments Using Neutralizing Antibodies. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010165. [PMID: 33451069 PMCID: PMC7828509 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. This virus has led to 61.8 million cases worldwide being reported as of December 1st, 2020. Currently, there are no definite approved therapies endorsed by the World Health Organization for COVID-19, focusing only on supportive care. Treatment centers around symptom management, including oxygen therapy or invasive mechanical ventilation. Immunotherapy has the potential to play a role in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), in particular, is a relatively new approach in the world of infectious diseases and has the benefit of overcoming challenges with serum therapy and intravenous immunoglobulins preparations. Here, we reviewed the articles published in PubMed with the purpose of summarizing the currently available evidence for the use of neutralizing antibodies as a potential treatment for coronaviruses. Studies reporting in vivo results were summarized and analyzed. Despite promising data from some studies, none of them progressed to clinical trials. It is expected that neutralizing antibodies might offer an alternative for COVID-19 treatment. Thus, there is a need for randomized trials to understand the potential use of this treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Fouladirad
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z, Canada;
| | - Horacio Bach
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z, Canada;
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-604-727-9719; Fax: +1-604-875-4013
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Abstract
The innate immune system is comprised of both cellular and humoral players that recognise and eradicate invading pathogens. Therefore, the interplay between retroviruses and innate immunity has emerged as an important component of viral pathogenesis. HIV-1 infection in humans that results in hematologic abnormalities and immune suppression is well represented by changes in the CD4/CD8 T cell ratio and consequent cell death causing CD4 lymphopenia. The innate immune responses by mucosal barriers such as complement, DCs, macrophages, and NK cells as well as cytokine/chemokine profiles attain great importance in acute HIV-1 infection, and thus, prevent mucosal capture and transmission of HIV-1. Conversely, HIV-1 has evolved to overcome innate immune responses through RNA-mediated rapid mutations, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) modification, down-regulation of NK cell activity and complement receptors, resulting in increased secretion of inflammatory factors. Consequently, epithelial tissues lining up female reproductive tract express innate immune sensors including anti-microbial peptides responsible for forming primary barriers and have displayed an effective potent anti-HIV activity during phase I/II clinical trials.
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38
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Aisenbrey C, Rifi O, Bechinger B. Structure, membrane topology and influence of cholesterol of the membrane proximal region: transmembrane helical anchor sequence of gp41 from HIV. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22278. [PMID: 33335248 PMCID: PMC7746737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79327-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the first steps of HIV infection the Env subunit gp41 is thought to establish contact between the membranes and to be the main driver of fusion. Here we investigated in liquid crystalline membranes the structure and cholesterol recognition of constructs made of a gp41 external region carrying a cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus (CRAC) motif and a hydrophobic membrane anchoring sequence. CD- und ATR-FTIR spectroscopies indicate that the constructs adopt a high degree of helical secondary structure in membrane environments. Furthermore, 15N and 2H solid-state NMR spectra of gp41 polypeptides reconstituted into uniaxially oriented bilayers agree with the CRAC domain being an extension of the transmembrane helix. Upon addition of cholesterol the CRAC NMR spectra remain largely unaffected when being associated with the native gp41 transmembrane sequence but its topology changes when anchored in the membrane by a hydrophobic model sequence. The 2H solid-state NMR spectra of deuterated cholesterol are indicative of a stronger influence of the model sequence on this lipid when compared to the native gp41 sequence. These observations are suggestive of a strong coupling between the transmembrane and the membrane proximal region of gp41 possibly enforced by oligomerization of the transmembrane helical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Aisenbrey
- Institut de chimie de Strasbourg, UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070, Strasbourg, France
| | - Omar Rifi
- Institut de chimie de Strasbourg, UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Institut de chimie de Strasbourg, UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 4, Rue Blaise Pascal, 67070, Strasbourg, France.
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
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Schütz D, Ruiz-Blanco YB, Münch J, Kirchhoff F, Sanchez-Garcia E, Müller JA. Peptide and peptide-based inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 entry. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2020; 167:47-65. [PMID: 33189768 PMCID: PMC7665879 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
To date, no effective vaccines or therapies are available against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pandemic agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Due to their safety, efficacy and specificity, peptide inhibitors hold great promise for the treatment of newly emerging viral pathogens. Based on the known structures of viral proteins and their cellular targets, antiviral peptides can be rationally designed and optimized. The resulting peptides may be highly specific for their respective targets and particular viral pathogens or exert broad antiviral activity. Here, we summarize the current status of peptides inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 entry and outline the strategies used to design peptides targeting the ACE2 receptor or the viral spike protein and its activating proteases furin, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), or cathepsin L. In addition, we present approaches used against related viruses such as SARS-CoV-1 that might be implemented for inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desiree Schütz
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Yasser B Ruiz-Blanco
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Elsa Sanchez-Garcia
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | - Janis A Müller
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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Drug screening and development from the affinity of S protein of new coronavirus with ACE2. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 40:715-723. [PMID: 33034780 PMCID: PMC7545154 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-04048-7] [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: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recently, various studies have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) acts as the "doorknob" that can be bound by the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which conduces to its entrance to the host cells, and plays an important role in corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This paper aims to collect and sorts out the existing drugs, which exert the ability to block the binding of S protein and ACE2 so as to provide directions for the later drug development. By reviewing the existing literature, we expound the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 from the perspective of S protein and ACE2 binding, and summarize the drugs and compounds that can interfere with the interaction of spike protein and ACE2 receptor from different ways. We summarized five kinds of substances, including peptide P6, griffithsin, hr2p analogs, EK1, vaccine, monoclonal antibody, cholesterol-depleting agents, and extracts from traditional Chinese medicine. They can fight SARS-CoV-2 by specifically binding to ACE2 receptor, S protein, or blocking membrane fusion between the host and virus. ACE2 is the key point for SARS-CoV-2 to enter the cells, and it is also the focus of drug intervention. Our drug summary on this pathomechanism is expected to provide ideas for the drug research on SARS-CoV-2 and help to develop anti-coronavirus drugs of broad spectrum for future epidemics.
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Kobayakawa T, Ebihara K, Tsuji K, Kawada T, Fujino M, Honda Y, Ohashi N, Murakami T, Tamamura H. Bivalent HIV-1 fusion inhibitors based on peptidomimetics. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115812. [PMID: 33157478 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a valid target for inhibition of HIV-1 replication. A 34-mer fragment peptide (C34), which is contained in the HIV-1 envelope protein gp41, has significant anti-HIV activity. Previously, a dimeric derivative of C34 linked by a disulfide bridge at its C-terminus was found to have more potent anti-HIV activity than the C34 peptide monomer. To date, several peptidomimetic small inhibitors have been reported, but most have lower potency than peptide derivatives related to C34. In the present study we applied this dimerization concept to these peptidomimetic small inhibitors and designed several bivalent peptidomimetic HIV-1 fusion inhibitors. The importance of the length of linkers crosslinking two peptidomimetic compounds was demonstrated and several potent bivalent inhibitors containing tethered peptidomimetics were produced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Kobayakawa
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Kento Ebihara
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Kohei Tsuji
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Takuma Kawada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Masayuki Fujino
- AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Yuzuna Honda
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Nami Ohashi
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Murakami
- AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
| | - Hirokazu Tamamura
- Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
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Shao J, Zeng D, Tian S, Liu G, Fu J. Identification of the natural product berberine as an antiviral drug. AMB Express 2020; 10:164. [PMID: 32897426 PMCID: PMC7479080 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-01088-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs targeting the fusion process of viral entry into host cells have been approved for clinical use in the treatment of AIDS. There remains a great need to improve the use of existing drugs for HIV therapy. Berberine is traditionally used to treat diarrhea, bacillary dysentery, and gastroenteritis in clinics, here our research shows that berberine is effective in inhibiting HIV-1 entry. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis studies reveal that berberine can directly bind to both N36 and C34 to form a novel N36-berberine-C34 complex and effectively block the six-helix bundle formation between the N-terminal heptad repeat peptide N36 and the C-terminal heptad repeat peptide C34. Circular dichroism experiments show that binding of berberine produces conformational changes that damages the secondary structures of 6-HB. Computer-aided molecular docking studies suggest a hydrogen bond with T-639 and two polar bonds with Q-563 and T-639 are established, involving the oxygen atom and the C=O group of the indole ring. Berberine completely inhibits six HIV-1 clade B isolates and exhibits antiviral activities in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 values varying from 5.5 to 10.25 µg/ml. This compound-peptide interaction may represent a mechanism of action of antiviral activities of berberine. As a summary, these studies successfully identify compound berberine as a potential candidate drug for HIV-1 treatment. As a summary, antiviral activity of berberine in combination with its use in clinical practice, this medicine can be used as a potential clinically anti-HIV drug.
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Marcink TC, Wang T, des Georges A, Porotto M, Moscona A. Human parainfluenza virus fusion complex glycoproteins imaged in action on authentic viral surfaces. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008883. [PMID: 32956394 PMCID: PMC7529294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection by human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) causes widespread lower respiratory diseases, including croup, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia, and there are no vaccines or effective treatments for these viruses. HPIV3 is a member of the Respirovirus species of the Paramyxoviridae family. These viruses are pleomorphic, enveloped viruses with genomes composed of single-stranded negative-sense RNA. During viral entry, the first step of infection, the viral fusion complex, comprised of the receptor-binding glycoprotein hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and the fusion glycoprotein (F), mediates fusion upon receptor binding. The HPIV3 transmembrane protein HN, like the receptor-binding proteins of other related viruses that enter host cells using membrane fusion, binds to a receptor molecule on the host cell plasma membrane, which triggers the F glycoprotein to undergo major conformational rearrangements, promoting viral entry. Subsequent fusion of the viral and host membranes allows delivery of the viral genetic material into the host cell. The intermediate states in viral entry are transient and thermodynamically unstable, making it impossible to understand these transitions using standard methods, yet understanding these transition states is important for expanding our knowledge of the viral entry process. In this study, we use cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to dissect the stepwise process by which the receptor-binding protein triggers F-mediated fusion, when forming a complex with receptor-bearing membranes. Using an on-grid antibody capture method that facilitates examination of fresh, biologically active strains of virus directly from supernatant fluids and a series of biological tools that permit the capture of intermediate states in the fusion process, we visualize the series of events that occur when a pristine, authentic viral particle interacts with target receptors and proceeds from the viral entry steps of receptor engagement to membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara C. Marcink
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Tong Wang
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Amedee des Georges
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matteo Porotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Anne Moscona
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Physiology & Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
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Pattnaik GP, Chakraborty H. Entry Inhibitors: Efficient Means to Block Viral Infection. J Membr Biol 2020; 253:425-444. [PMID: 32862236 PMCID: PMC7456447 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00136-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The emerging and re-emerging viral infections are constant threats to human health and wellbeing. Several strategies have been explored to develop vaccines against these viral diseases. The main effort in the journey of development of vaccines is to neutralize the fusion protein using antibodies. However, significant efforts have been made in discovering peptides and small molecules that inhibit the fusion between virus and host cell, thereby inhibiting the entry of viruses. This class of inhibitors is called entry inhibitors, and they are extremely efficient in reducing viral infection as the entry of the virus is considered as the first step of infection. Nevertheless, these inhibitors are highly selective for a particular virus as antibody-based vaccines. The recent COVID-19 pandemic lets us ponder to shift our attention towards broad-spectrum antiviral agents from the so-called ‘one bug-one drug’ approach. This review discusses peptide and small molecule-based entry inhibitors against class I, II, and III viruses and sheds light on broad-spectrum antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hirak Chakraborty
- School of Chemistry, Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Burla, Odisha, 768 019, India. .,Centre of Excellence in Natural Products and Therapeutics, Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Burla, Odisha, 768 019, India.
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Therapeutic Efficacy and Resistance Selection of a Lipopeptide Fusion Inhibitor in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.00384-20. [PMID: 32404526 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00384-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently reported a group of lipopeptide-based membrane fusion inhibitors with potent antiviral activities against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). In this study, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of such a lipopeptide, LP-52, was evaluated in rhesus macaques chronically infected with pathogenic SIVmac239. In a pilot study with one monkey, monotherapy with low-dose LP-52 rapidly reduced the plasma viral loads to below the limit of detection and maintained viral suppression during three rounds of structurally interrupted treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of LP-52 was further verified in four infected monkeys; however, three out of the monkeys had viral rebounds under the LP-52 therapy. We next focused on characterizing SIV mutants responsible for the in vivo resistance. Sequence analyses revealed that a V562A or V562M mutation in the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) and a E657G mutation in the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of SIV gp41 conferred high resistance to LP-52 and cross-resistance to the peptide drug T20 and two newly designed lipopeptides (LP-80 and LP-83). Moreover, we showed that the resistance mutations greatly reduced the stability of diverse fusion inhibitors with the NHR site, and V562A or V562M in combination with E657G could significantly impair the functionality of viral envelopes (Envs) to mediate SIVmac239 infection and decrease the thermostability of viral six-helical bundle (6-HB) core structure. In conclusion, the present data have not only facilitated the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that target the membrane fusion step, but also help our understanding of the mechanism of viral evolution to develop drug resistance.IMPORTANCE The anti-HIV peptide drug T20 (enfuvirtide) is the only membrane fusion inhibitor available for treatment of viral infection; however, it exhibits relatively weak antiviral activity, short half-life, and a low genetic barrier to inducing drug resistance. Design of lipopeptide-based fusion inhibitors with extremely potent and broad antiviral activities against divergent HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV isolates have provided drug candidates for clinical development. Here, we have verified a high therapeutic efficacy for the lipopeptide LP-52 in SIVmac239-infected rhesus monkeys. The resistance mutations selected in vivo have also been characterized, providing insights into the mechanism of action of newly designed fusion inhibitors with a membrane-anchoring property. For the first time, the data show that HIV-1 and SIV can share a similar genetic pathway to develop resistance, and that a lipopeptide fusion inhibitor could have a same resistance profile as its template peptide.
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Structure, interactions and membrane topology of HIV gp41 ectodomain sequences. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183274. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Tang T, Bidon M, Jaimes JA, Whittaker GR, Daniel S. Coronavirus membrane fusion mechanism offers a potential target for antiviral development. Antiviral Res 2020. [PMID: 32272173 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has focused attention on the need to develop effective therapies against the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, and also against other pathogenic coronaviruses (CoV) that have emerged in the past or might appear in future. Researchers are therefore focusing on steps in the CoV replication cycle that may be vulnerable to inhibition by broad-spectrum or specific antiviral agents. The conserved nature of the fusion domain and mechanism across the CoV family make it a valuable target to elucidate and develop pan-CoV therapeutics. In this article, we review the role of the CoV spike protein in mediating fusion of the viral and host cell membranes, summarizing the results of research on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and recent peer-reviewed studies of SARS-CoV-2, and suggest that the fusion mechanism be investigated as a potential antiviral target. We also provide a supplemental file containing background information on the biology, epidemiology, and clinical features of all human-infecting coronaviruses, along with a phylogenetic tree of these coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Tang
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Miya Bidon
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Javier A Jaimes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gary R Whittaker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Susan Daniel
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Tang T, Bidon M, Jaimes JA, Whittaker GR, Daniel S. Coronavirus membrane fusion mechanism offers a potential target for antiviral development. Antiviral Res 2020; 178:104792. [PMID: 32272173 PMCID: PMC7194977 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 519] [Impact Index Per Article: 129.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has focused attention on the need to develop effective therapies against the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, and also against other pathogenic coronaviruses (CoV) that have emerged in the past or might appear in future. Researchers are therefore focusing on steps in the CoV replication cycle that may be vulnerable to inhibition by broad-spectrum or specific antiviral agents. The conserved nature of the fusion domain and mechanism across the CoV family make it a valuable target to elucidate and develop pan-CoV therapeutics. In this article, we review the role of the CoV spike protein in mediating fusion of the viral and host cell membranes, summarizing the results of research on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and recent peer-reviewed studies of SARS-CoV-2, and suggest that the fusion mechanism be investigated as a potential antiviral target. We also provide a supplemental file containing background information on the biology, epidemiology, and clinical features of all human-infecting coronaviruses, along with a phylogenetic tree of these coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Tang
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Miya Bidon
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Javier A Jaimes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gary R Whittaker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Susan Daniel
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Su X, Wang Q, Wen Y, Jiang S, Lu L. Protein- and Peptide-Based Virus Inactivators: Inactivating Viruses Before Their Entry Into Cells. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1063. [PMID: 32523582 PMCID: PMC7261908 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other highly pathogenic enveloped viruses, have threatened the global public health. Most antiviral drugs act as passive defenders to inhibit viral replication inside the cell, while a few of them function as gate keepers to combat viruses outside the cell, including fusion inhibitors, e.g., enfuvirtide, and receptor antagonists, e.g., maraviroc, as well as virus inactivators (including attachment inhibitors). Different from fusion inhibitors and receptor antagonists that must act in the presence of target cells, virus inactivators can actively inactivate cell-free virions in the blood, through interaction with one or more sites in the envelope glycoproteins (Envs) on virions. Notably, a number of protein- and peptide-based virus inactivators (PPVIs) under development are expected to have a better utilization rate than the current antiviral drugs and be safer for in vivo human application than the chemical-based virus inactivators. Here we have highlighted recent progress in developing PPVIs against several important enveloped viruses, including HIV, influenza virus, Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus (DENV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV), and the potential use of PPVIs for urgent treatment of infection by newly emerging or re-emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Su
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yumei Wen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Ancy I, Sivanandam M, Kalaivani R, Kumaradhas P. Insights of inhibition mechanism of sifuvirtide and MT-sifuvirtide against wild and mutant HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein41: a molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy study. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2020.1716978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iruthayaraj Ancy
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Magudeeswaran Sivanandam
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Raju Kalaivani
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Poomani Kumaradhas
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
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