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Samrat SK, Kumar P, Liu Y, Chen K, Lee H, Li Z, Chen Y, Li H. An ISG15-Based High-Throughput Screening Assay for Identification and Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors Targeting Papain-like Protease. Viruses 2024; 16:1239. [PMID: 39205213 PMCID: PMC11359932 DOI: 10.3390/v16081239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Emergence of newer variants of SARS-CoV-2 underscores the need for effective antivirals to complement the vaccination program in managing COVID-19. The multi-functional papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an essential viral protein that not only regulates the viral replication but also modulates the host immune system, making it a promising therapeutic target. To this end, we developed an in vitro interferon stimulating gene 15 (ISG15)-based Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay and screened the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Diversity Set VI compound library, which comprises 1584 small molecules. Subsequently, we assessed the PLpro enzymatic activity in the presence of screened molecules. We identified three potential PLpro inhibitors, namely, NSC338106, 651084, and 679525, with IC50 values in the range from 3.3 to 6.0 µM. These molecules demonstrated in vitro inhibition of the enzyme activity and exhibited antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, with EC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 4.6 µM. The molecular docking of all three small molecules to PLpro suggested their specificity towards the enzyme's active site. Overall, our study contributes promising prospects for further developing potential antivirals to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh Kumar Samrat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Ke Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Biophysics Core, Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yin Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science & College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- The BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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2
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Ho WY, Shen ZH, Chen Y, Chen TH, Lu X, Fu YS. Therapeutic implications of quercetin and its derived-products in COVID-19 protection and prophylactic. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30080. [PMID: 38765079 PMCID: PMC11098804 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel human coronavirus, which has triggered a global pandemic of the coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19). Outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases continue to challenge human health worldwide. The virus conquers human cells through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor-driven pathway by mostly targeting the human respiratory tract. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid widely represented in the plant kingdom. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated that quercetin and its derivatives have various pharmacological properties including anti-cancer, anti-hypertension, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-microbial, antiviral, neuroprotective, and cardio-protective effects, because it is a potential treatment for severe inflammation and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Furthermore, it is the main life-threatening condition in patients with COVID-19. This article provides a comprehensive review of the primary literature on the predictable effectiveness of quercetin and its derivatives docked to multi-target of SARS-CoV-2 and host cells via in silico and some of validation through in vitro, in vivo, and clinically to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections, contribute to the reduction of inflammation, which suggests the preventive and therapeutic latency of quercetin and its derived-products against COVID-19 pandemic, multisystem inflammatory syndromes (MIS), and long-COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Yi Ho
- Department of Anatomy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Zi-Han Shen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361023, Fujian, China
| | - Yijing Chen
- Department of Dentisty, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361023, Fujian, China
| | - Ting-Hsu Chen
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - XiaoLin Lu
- Anatomy Section, Department of Basic Medical Science, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361023, Fujian, China
| | - Yaw-Syan Fu
- Institute of Respiratory Disease, Department of Basic Medical Science, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361023, Fujian, China
- Anatomy Section, Department of Basic Medical Science, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361023, Fujian, China
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3
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Medrano FJ, de la Hoz-Rodríguez S, Martí S, Arafet K, Schirmeister T, Hammerschmidt SJ, Müller C, González-Martínez Á, Santillana E, Ziebuhr J, Romero A, Zimmer C, Weldert A, Zimmermann R, Lodola A, Świderek K, Moliner V, González FV. Peptidyl nitroalkene inhibitors of main protease rationalized by computational and crystallographic investigations as antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. Commun Chem 2024; 7:15. [PMID: 38238420 PMCID: PMC10796436 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01104-7] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to represent a global public health issue. The viral main protease (Mpro) represents one of the most attractive targets for the development of antiviral drugs. Herein we report peptidyl nitroalkenes exhibiting enzyme inhibitory activity against Mpro (Ki: 1-10 μM) good anti-SARS-CoV-2 infection activity in the low micromolar range (EC50: 1-12 μM) without significant toxicity. Additional kinetic studies of compounds FGA145, FGA146 and FGA147 show that all three compounds inhibit cathepsin L, denoting a possible multitarget effect of these compounds in the antiviral activity. Structural analysis shows the binding mode of FGA146 and FGA147 to the active site of the protein. Furthermore, our results illustrate that peptidyl nitroalkenes are effective covalent reversible inhibitors of the Mpro and cathepsin L, and that inhibitors FGA145, FGA146 and FGA147 prevent infection against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Medrano
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Sergio Martí
- Departament de Química Física i Analítica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Kemel Arafet
- Departament de Química Física i Analítica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and BiomedicalSciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan J Hammerschmidt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and BiomedicalSciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christin Müller
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstrasse 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Águeda González-Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Santillana
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - John Ziebuhr
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstrasse 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Antonio Romero
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Collin Zimmer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and BiomedicalSciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Annabelle Weldert
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and BiomedicalSciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Robert Zimmermann
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and BiomedicalSciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alessio Lodola
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Katarzyna Świderek
- Departament de Química Física i Analítica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Vicent Moliner
- Departament de Química Física i Analítica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castelló, Spain.
| | - Florenci V González
- Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castelló, Spain.
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Khurshid R, Schulz JM, Hu J, Snowden TS, Reynolds RC, Schürer SC. Targeted degrader technologies as prospective SARS-CoV-2 therapies. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103847. [PMID: 38029836 PMCID: PMC10836335 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 remains a severe public health threat despite the WHO declaring an end to the public health emergency in May 2023. Continual development of SARS-CoV-2 variants with resistance to vaccine-induced or natural immunity necessitates constant vigilance as well as new vaccines and therapeutics. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) remains relatively untapped in antiviral drug discovery and holds the promise of attenuating viral resistance development. From a unique structural design perspective, this review covers antiviral degrader merits and challenges by highlighting key coronavirus protein targets and their co-crystal structures, specifically illustrating how TPD strategies can refine existing SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitors to potentially produce superior protease-degrading agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Khurshid
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Joseph M Schulz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jiaming Hu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Timothy S Snowden
- The University of Alabama, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine, 250 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0336, USA
| | - Robert C Reynolds
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Stephan C Schürer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Institute for Data Science & Computing, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA.
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5
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Sha A, Liu Y, Hao H. Current state-of-the-art and potential future therapeutic drugs against COVID-19. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1238027. [PMID: 37691829 PMCID: PMC10485263 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1238027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to endanger human health, and its therapeutic drugs are under intensive research and development. Identifying the efficacy and toxicity of drugs in animal models is helpful for further screening of effective medications, which is also a prerequisite for drugs to enter clinical trials. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) invades host cells mainly by the S protein on its surface. After the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome is injected into the cells, M protein will help assemble and release new viruses. RdRp is crucial for virus replication, assembly, and release of new virus particles. This review analyzes and discusses 26 anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs based on their mechanism of action, effectiveness and safety in different animal models. We propose five drugs to be the most promising to enter the next stage of clinical trial research, thus providing a reference for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailong Sha
- School of Teacher Education, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
- School of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Liu
- School of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyan Hao
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing, China
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6
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Wong CKH, Lau KTK, Au ICH, Lau EHY, Poon LLM, Hung IFN, Cowling BJ, Leung GM. Viral burden rebound in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 receiving oral antivirals in Hong Kong: a population-wide retrospective cohort study. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 23:683-695. [PMID: 36796397 PMCID: PMC9949892 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00873-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viral rebound after nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment has implications for the clinical management and isolation of patients with COVID-19. We evaluated an unselected, population-wide cohort to identify the incidence of viral burden rebound and associated risk factors and clinical outcomes. METHODS We did a retrospective cohort study of hospitalised patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in Hong Kong, China, for an observation period from Feb 26 to July 3, 2022 (during the omicron BA.2.2 variant wave). Adult patients (age ≥18 years) admitted 3 days before or after a positive COVID-19 test were selected from medical records held by the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong. We included patients with non-oxygen-dependent COVID-19 at baseline receiving either molnupiravir (800 mg twice a day for 5 days), nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (nirmatrelvir 300 mg with ritonavir 100 mg twice a day for 5 days), or no oral antiviral treatment (control group). Viral burden rebound was defined as a reduction in cycle threshold (Ct) value (≥3) on quantitative RT-PCR test between two consecutive measurements, with such decrease sustained in an immediately subsequent Ct measurement (for those patients with ≥3 Ct measurements). Logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors for viral burden rebound, and to assess associations between viral burden rebound and a composite clinical outcome of mortality, intensive care unit admission, and invasive mechanical ventilation initiation, stratified by treatment group. FINDINGS We included 4592 hospitalised patients with non-oxygen-dependent COVID-19 (1998 [43·5%] women and 2594 [56·5%] men). During the omicron BA.2.2 wave, viral burden rebound occurred in 16 of 242 patients (6·6% [95% CI 4·1-10·5]) receiving nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, 27 of 563 (4·8% [3·3-6·9]) receiving molnupiravir, and 170 of 3787 (4·5% [3·9-5·2]) in the control group. The incidence of viral burden rebound did not differ significantly across the three groups. Immunocompromised status was associated with increased odds of viral burden rebound, regardless of antiviral treatment (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: odds ratio [OR] 7·37 [95% CI 2·56-21·26], p=0·0002; molnupiravir: 3·05 [1·28-7·25], p=0·012; control: 2·21 [1·50-3·27], p<0·0001). Among patients receiving nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, the odds of viral burden rebound were higher in those aged 18-65 years (vs >65 years; 3·09 [1·00-9·53], p=0·050), those with high comorbidity burden (score >6 on the Charlson Comorbidity Index; 6·02 [2·09-17·38], p=0·0009), and those concomitantly taking corticosteroids (7·51 [1·67-33·82], p=0·0086); whereas the odds were lower in those who were not fully vaccinated (0·16 [0·04-0·67], p=0·012). In patients receiving molnupiravir, those aged 18-65 years (2·68 [1·09-6·58], p=0·032) or on concomitant corticosteroids (3·11 [1·23-7·82], p=0·016) had increased odds of viral burden rebound. We found no association between viral burden rebound and occurrence of the composite clinical outcome from day 5 of follow-up (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir: adjusted OR 1·90 [0·48-7·59], p=0·36; molnupiravir: 1·05 [0·39-2·84], p=0·92; control: 1·27 [0·89-1·80], p=0·18). INTERPRETATION Viral burden rebound rates are similar between patients with antiviral treatment and those without. Importantly, viral burden rebound was not associated with adverse clinical outcomes. FUNDING Health and Medical Research Fund, Health Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. TRANSLATION For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos K H Wong
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | - Kristy T K Lau
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ivan C H Au
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Eric H Y Lau
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Leo L M Poon
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ivan F N Hung
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Benjamin J Cowling
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Gabriel M Leung
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Low Z, Lani R, Tiong V, Poh C, AbuBakar S, Hassandarvish P. COVID-19 Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9589. [PMID: 37298539 PMCID: PMC10254072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the fact that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment and management are now considerably regulated, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still one of the leading causes of death in 2022. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines, FDA-approved antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies in low-income countries still poses an issue to be addressed. Natural products, particularly traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and medicinal plant extracts (or their active component), have challenged the dominance of drug repurposing and synthetic compound libraries in COVID-19 therapeutics. Their abundant resources and excellent antiviral performance make natural products a relatively cheap and readily available alternative for COVID-19 therapeutics. Here, we deliberately review the anti-SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of the natural products, their potency (pharmacological profiles), and application strategies for COVID-19 intervention. In light of their advantages, this review is intended to acknowledge the potential of natural products as COVID-19 therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxuan Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (Z.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Rafidah Lani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
| | - Vunjia Tiong
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (Z.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Chitlaa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (Z.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Pouya Hassandarvish
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (Z.L.); (S.A.)
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8
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Diessner EM, Takahashi GR, Cross TJ, Martin RW, Butts CT. Mutation Effects on Structure and Dynamics: Adaptive Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Biochemistry 2023; 62:747-758. [PMID: 36656653 PMCID: PMC9888416 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) plays a critical role in viral replication; although it is relatively conserved, Mpro has nevertheless evolved over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we examine phenotypic changes in clinically observed variants of Mpro, relative to the originally reported wild-type enzyme. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we examine effects of mutation on protein structure and dynamics. In addition to basic structural properties such as variation in surface area and torsion angles, we use protein structure networks and active site networks to evaluate functionally relevant characters related to global cohesion and active site constraint. Substitution analysis shows a continuing trend toward more hydrophobic residues that are dependent on the location of the residue in primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. Phylogenetic analysis provides additional evidence for the impact of selective pressure on mutation of Mpro. Overall, these analyses suggest evolutionary adaptation of Mpro toward more hydrophobicity and a less-constrained active site in response to the selective pressures of a novel host environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Diessner
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Gemma R Takahashi
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Thomas J Cross
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Rachel W Martin
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Carter T Butts
- Departments of Sociology, Statistics, Computer Science, and EECS, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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9
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Cook S, Wittenburg L, Yan VC, Theil JH, Castillo D, Reagan KL, Williams S, Pham CD, Li C, Muller FL, Murphy BG. An Optimized Bioassay for Screening Combined Anticoronaviral Compounds for Efficacy against Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus with Pharmacokinetic Analyses of GS-441524, Remdesivir, and Molnupiravir in Cats. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112429. [PMID: 36366527 PMCID: PMC9697187 DOI: 10.3390/v14112429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease of cats that currently lacks licensed and affordable vaccines or antiviral therapeutics. The disease has a spectrum of clinical presentations including an effusive ("wet") form and non-effusive ("dry") form, both of which may be complicated by neurologic or ocular involvement. The feline coronavirus (FCoV) biotype, termed feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), is the etiologic agent of FIP. The objective of this study was to determine and compare the in vitro antiviral efficacies of the viral protease inhibitors GC376 and nirmatrelvir and the nucleoside analogs remdesivir (RDV), GS-441524, molnupiravir (MPV; EIDD-2801), and β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC; EIDD-1931). These antiviral agents were functionally evaluated using an optimized in vitro bioassay system. Antivirals were assessed as monotherapies against FIPV serotypes I and II and as combined anticoronaviral therapies (CACT) against FIPV serotype II, which provided evidence for synergy for selected combinations. We also determined the pharmacokinetic properties of MPV, GS-441524, and RDV after oral administration to cats in vivo as well as after intravenous administration of RDV. We established that orally administered MPV at 10 mg/kg, GS-441524 and RDV at 25 mg/kg, and intravenously administered RDV at 7 mg/kg achieves plasma levels greater than the established corresponding EC50 values, which are sustained over 24 h for GS-441514 and RDV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cook
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Luke Wittenburg
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Victoria C. Yan
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Jacob H. Theil
- Office of Research, Campus Veterinary Services, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Diego Castillo
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Krystle L. Reagan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sonyia Williams
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Cong-Dat Pham
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Chun Li
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Florian L. Muller
- Sporos Bioventures, @JLABS Suite 201, 2450 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77021, USA
| | - Brian G. Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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10
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Glab-ampai K, Kaewchim K, Saenlom T, Thepsawat W, Mahasongkram K, Sookrung N, Chaicumpa W, Chulanetra M. Human Superantibodies to 3CL pro Inhibit Replication of SARS-CoV-2 across Variants. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126587. [PMID: 35743031 PMCID: PMC9223907 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126587] [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: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Broadly effective and safe anti-coronavirus agent is existentially needed. Major protease (3CLpro) is a highly conserved enzyme of betacoronaviruses. The enzyme plays pivotal role in the virus replication cycle. Thus, it is a good target of a broadly effective anti-Betacoronavirus agent. In this study, human single-chain antibodies (HuscFvs) of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro were generated using phage display technology. The 3CLpro-bound phages were used to infect Escherichia coli host for the production the 3CLpro-bound HuscFvs. Computerized simulation was used to guide the selection of the phage infected-E. coli clones that produced HuscFvs with the 3CLpro inhibitory potential. HuscFvs of three phage infected-E. coli clones were predicted to form contact interface with residues for 3CLpro catalytic activity, substrate binding, and homodimerization. These HuscFvs were linked to a cell-penetrating peptide to make them cell-penetrable, i.e., became superantibodies. The superantibodies blocked the 3CLpro activity in vitro, were not toxic to human cells, traversed across membrane of 3CLpro-expressing cells to co-localize with the intracellular 3CLpro and most of all, they inhibited replication of authentic SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan wild type and α, β, δ, and Omicron variants that were tested. The superantibodies should be investigated further towards clinical application as a safe and broadly effective anti-Betacoronavirus agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittirat Glab-ampai
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Kanasap Kaewchim
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Graduate Program in Immunology, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Thanatsaran Saenlom
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Watayagorn Thepsawat
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Kodchakorn Mahasongkram
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Nitat Sookrung
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Biomedical Research Incubator Unit, Department of Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Wanpen Chaicumpa
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Monrat Chulanetra
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +662-419-2934
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11
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Abid R, Shahzad MK, Sulaman SM, Faheem M, Naeem M, Khan R, Khalil AAK, Haider A, Ahmad B, Gul R, Bukhari N, Jamal SB. Therapeutic significance of nano- and biosensor technology in combating SARS-CoV-2: a review. APPLIED NANOSCIENCE 2022; 12:3127-3140. [PMID: 35677529 PMCID: PMC9162894 DOI: 10.1007/s13204-022-02465-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The diagnosis of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has gained the spotlight of the world's scientific community since December 2019 and it remains an important issue due to the emergence of novel variants around the globe. Early diagnosis of coronavirus is captious to prevent and hard to control. This pandemic can be eradicated by implementing suppressing strategies which can lead to better outcomes and more lives being saved. Therefore, the analysis showed that COVID-19 can only be managed by adopting public health measures, such as testing, isolation and social distancing. Much work has been done to diagnose coronavirus. Various testing technologies have been developed, opted and modified for rapid and accurate detection. The advanced molecular diagnosis relies on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 as it has been considered the main causative agent of this pandemic. Studies have shown that several molecular tests are considered essential for the confirmation of coronavirus infection. Various serology-based tests are also used in the detection and diagnosis of coronavirus including point-of-care assays and high-throughput enzyme immunoassays that aid in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Both these assays are time-consuming and have less diagnostic accuracy. Nanotechnology has the potential to develop new strategies to combat COVID-19 by developing diagnostics and therapeutics. In this review, we have focused on the nanotechnology-based detection techniques including nanoparticles and biosensors to obstruct the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rameesha Abid
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Punjab Pakistan
| | | | | | - Muhammad Faheem
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naeem
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Raees Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Atif Ali Khan Khalil
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Adnan Haider
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Bilal Ahmad
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082 People’s Republic of China
| | - Rukhsana Gul
- Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, KPK Pakistan
| | - Nausheen Bukhari
- Mohammad College of Medicine, Budni Road, Yaseen Abad, Peshawar, KPK Pakistan
| | - Syed Babar Jamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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12
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Hernández González JE, Eberle RJ, Willbold D, Coronado MA. A Computer-Aided Approach for the Discovery of D-Peptides as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:816166. [PMID: 35187076 PMCID: PMC8852625 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.816166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease, also known as 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), is a cysteine protease responsible for the cleavage of viral polyproteins pp1a and pp1ab, at least, at eleven conserved sites, which leads to the formation of mature nonstructural proteins essential for the replication of the virus. Due to its essential role, numerous studies have been conducted so far, which have confirmed 3CLpro as an attractive drug target to combat Covid-19 and have reported a vast number of inhibitors and their co-crystal structures. Despite all the ongoing efforts, D-peptides, which possess key advantages over L-peptides as therapeutic agents, have not been explored as potential drug candidates against 3CLpro. The current work fills this gap by reporting an in silico approach for the discovery of D-peptides capable of inhibiting 3CLpro that involves structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) of an in-house library of D-tripeptides and D-tetrapeptides into the protease active site and subsequent rescoring steps, including Molecular Mechanics Generalized-Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA) free energy calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In vitro enzymatic assays conducted for the four top-scoring D-tetrapeptides at 20 μM showed that all of them caused 55–85% inhibition of 3CLpro activity, thus highlighting the suitability of the devised approach. Overall, our results present a promising computational strategy to identify D-peptides capable of inhibiting 3CLpro, with broader application in problems involving protein inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge E. Hernández González
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation, IBILCE, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Dynamics, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Raphael J. Eberle
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7, Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7, Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße, Düsseldorf, Germany
- JuStruct: Jülich Centre for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Mônika A. Coronado
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7, Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Mônika A. Coronado,
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13
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Chen J, Zhang Y, Zeng D, Zhang B, Ye X, Zeng Z, Zhang XK, Wang Z, Zhou H. Merbromin is a mixed-type inhibitor of 3-chyomotrypsin like protease of SARS-CoV-2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 591:118-123. [PMID: 35007835 PMCID: PMC8716398 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
3-chyomotrypsin like protease (3CLpro) has been considered as a promising target for developing anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. Herein, about 6000 compounds were analyzed by high-throughput screening using enzyme activity model, and Merbromin, an antibacterial agent, was identified as a potent inhibitor of 3CLpro. Merbromin strongly inhibited the proteolytic activity of 3CLpro but not the other three proteases Proteinase K, Trypsin and Papain. Michaelis-Menten kinetic analysis showed that Merbromin was a mixed-type inhibitor of 3CLpro, due to its ability of increasing the KM and decreasing the Kcat of 3CLpro. The binding assays and molecular docking suggested that 3CLpro possessed two binding sites for Merbromin. Consistently, Merbromin showed a weak binding to the other three proteases. Together, these findings demonstrated that Merbromin is a selective inhibitor of 3CLpro and provided a scaffold to design effective inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Yaya Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China
| | - Dequan Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Bingchang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China
| | - Xiaohong Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Zhiping Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Zhanxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
| | - Hu Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China.
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14
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Bai B, Arutyunova E, Khan MB, Lu J, Joyce MA, Saffran HA, Shields JA, Kandadai AS, Belovodskiy A, Hena M, Vuong W, Lamer T, Young HS, Vederas JC, Tyrrell DL, Lemieux MJ, Nieman JA. Peptidomimetic nitrile warheads as SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:1722-1730. [PMID: 34778773 PMCID: PMC8529539 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00247c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tragically, the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rise, and with variants being observed around the globe new therapeutics, particularly direct-acting antivirals that are easily administered, are desperately needed. Studies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease, which is critical for viral replication, with different peptidomimetics and warheads is an active area of research for development of potential drugs. To date, however, only a few publications have evaluated the nitrile warhead as a viral 3CL protease inhibitor, with only modest activity reported. This article describes our investigation of P3 4-methoxyindole peptidomimetic analogs with select P1 and P2 groups with a nitrile warhead that are potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease and demonstrate in vitro SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity. A selectivity for SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease over human cathepsins B, S and L was also observed with the nitrile warhead, which was superior to that with the aldehyde warhead. A co-crystal structure with SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease and a reversibility study indicate that a reversible, thioimidate adduct is formed when the catalytic sulfur forms a covalent bond with the carbon of the nitrile. This effort also identified efflux as a property limiting antiviral activity of these compounds, and together with the positive attributes described these results provide insight for further drug development of novel nitrile peptidomimetics targeting SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Bai
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Elena Arutyunova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H7 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Muhammad Bashir Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H7 Canada
| | - Jimmy Lu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Michael A Joyce
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Holly A Saffran
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Justin A Shields
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Appan Srinivas Kandadai
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Alexandr Belovodskiy
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Mostofa Hena
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Wayne Vuong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2G2 Canada
| | - Tess Lamer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2G2 Canada
| | - Howard S Young
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - John C Vederas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2G2 Canada
| | - D Lorne Tyrrell
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - M Joanne Lemieux
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H7 Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - James A Nieman
- Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1 Canada
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15
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Small molecule interactions with the SARS-CoV-2 main protease: In silico all-atom microsecond MD simulations, PELE Monte Carlo simulations, and determination of in vitro activity inhibition. J Mol Graph Model 2021; 110:108050. [PMID: 34655918 PMCID: PMC8504156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2021.108050] [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: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With some notable exceptions, safe and effective vaccines, which are now being widely distributed globally, have largely begun to stabilise the situation. However, emerging variants of concern and vaccine hesitancy are apparent obstacles to eradication. Therefore, the need for the development of potent antivirals is still of importance. In this context, the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a critical target and numerous clinical trials, predominantly in the private domain, are currently in progress. Here, our aim was to extend our previous studies, with hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, as potential inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Firstly, we performed all-atom microsecond molecular dynamics simulations, which highlight the stability of the ligands in the Mpro active site over the duration of the trajectories. We also invoked PELE Monte Carlo simulations which indicate that both hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside preferentially interact with the Mpro active site and known allosteric sites. For further validation, we performed an in vitro enzymatic activity assay that demonstrated that hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside inhibit Mpro activity in a dose-dependent manner at biologically relevant (μM) concentrations. However, both ligands are much less potent than the well-known covalent antiviral GC376, which was used as a positive control in our experiments. Nevertheless, the biologically relevant activity of hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside is encouraging. In particular, a synthetic version of hypericin has FDA orphan drug designation, which could simplify potential clinical evaluation in the context of COVID-19.
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16
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Yan S, Wu G. Potential 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease cleavage sites in the coronavirus polyproteins pp1a and pp1ab and their possible relevance to COVID-19 vaccine and drug development. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21573. [PMID: 33913206 PMCID: PMC8206714 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100280rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus (CoV) 3-chymotrypsin (C)-like cysteine protease (3CLpro ) is a target for anti-CoV drug development and drug repurposing because along with papain-like protease, it cleaves CoV-encoded polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab) into nonstructural proteins (nsps) for viral replication. However, the cleavage sites of 3CLpro and their relevant nsps remain unclear, which is the subject of this perspective. Here, we address the subject from three standpoints. First, we explore the inconsistency in the cleavage sites and relevant nsps across CoVs, and investigate the function of nsp11. Second, we consider the nsp16 mRNA overlapping of the spike protein mRNA, and analyze the effect of this overlapping on mRNA vaccines. Finally, we study nsp12, whose existence depends on ribosomal frameshifting, and investigate whether 3CLpro requires a large number of inhibitors to achieve full inhibition. This perspective helps us to clarify viral replication and is useful for developing anti-CoV drugs with 3CLpro as a target in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaomin Yan
- National Engineering Research Center for Non‐Food Biorefinery, State Key Laboratory of Non‐Food Biomass and Enzyme Technology, Guangxi Biomass Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangxi Key Laboratory of BiorefineryGuangxi Academy of SciencesNanningChina
| | - Guang Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Non‐Food Biorefinery, State Key Laboratory of Non‐Food Biomass and Enzyme Technology, Guangxi Biomass Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangxi Key Laboratory of BiorefineryGuangxi Academy of SciencesNanningChina
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