1
|
Metibemu DS, Adeyinka OS, Falode J, Crown O, Ogungbe IV. Inhibitors of the Structural and Nonstructural Proteins of Alphaviruses. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2507-2524. [PMID: 38992989 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00254] [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] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The Alphavirus genus includes viruses that cause encephalitis due to neuroinvasion and viruses that cause arthritis due to acute and chronic inflammation. There is no approved therapeutic for alphavirus infections, but significant efforts are ongoing, more so in recent years, to develop vaccines and therapeutics for alphavirus infections. This review article highlights some of the major advances made so far to identify small molecules that can selectively target the structural and the nonstructural proteins in alphaviruses with the expectation that persistent investigation of an increasingly expanding chemical space through a variety of structure-based design and high-throughput screening strategies will yield candidate drugs for clinical studies. While most of the works discussed are still in the early discovery to lead optimization stages, promising avenues remain for drug development against this family of viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damilohun Samuel Metibemu
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Science and Engineering Programs, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, United States
| | - Olawale Samuel Adeyinka
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Science and Engineering Programs, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, United States
| | - John Falode
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Science and Engineering Programs, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, United States
| | - Olamide Crown
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Science and Engineering Programs, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, United States
| | - Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Science and Engineering Programs, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rabelo V, Sanchez-Nuñez ML, Corrêa-Amorim LS, Kuhn RJ, Abreu PA, Paixão ICNP. In Silico Drug Repurposing Uncovered the Antiviral Potential of the Antiparasitic Drug Oxibendazole Against the Chikungunya Virus. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:27632-27642. [PMID: 38947813 PMCID: PMC11209700 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c03417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has been reported in over 120 countries and is the causative agent of Chikungunya fever. The debilitating nature of this disease, which can persist months to years after acute infection, drastically impacts the quality of life of patients. Yet, specific antivirals are lacking for the treatment of this disease, which makes the search for new drugs necessary. In this context, the nsP2 protease emerges as an attractive therapeutic target, and drug repurposing strategies have proven to be valuable. Therefore, we combined in silico and in vitro methods to identify known drugs as potential CHIKV nsP2 protease inhibitors with antiviral properties within DrugBank. Herein, we developed a hybrid virtual screening pipeline comprising pharmacophore- and target-based screening, drug-like, and pharmaceutical filtering steps. Six virtual hits were obtained, and two of them, capecitabine (CPB) and oxibendazole (OBZ), were evaluated against CHIKV replication in Vero cells. CPB did not present antiviral activity, whereas OBZ inhibited the replication of two different strains of CHIKV, namely, 181-25 (Asian genotype) and BRA/RJ/18 (clinical isolate from ECSA genotype). OBZ showed potent antiviral activity against the CHIKV BRA/RJ/18 (EC50 = 11.4 μM) with a high selectivity index (>44). Analogs of OBZ (albendazole, fenbendazole, and mebendazole) were also evaluated, but none exhibited anti-CHIKV activity, and further, their stereoelectronic features were analyzed. Additionally, we observed that OBZ acts mainly at post-entry steps. Hence, our results support further in vivo studies to investigate the antiviral potential of OBZ, which offers a new alternative to fight CHIKV infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitor
W. Rabelo
- Programa
de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia,
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal
Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro CEP 24210-201, Brazil
| | - Maria Leonisa Sanchez-Nuñez
- Programa
de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia,
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal
Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro CEP 24210-201, Brazil
| | - Leonardo S. Corrêa-Amorim
- Programa
de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia,
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal
Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro CEP 24210-201, Brazil
- Gerência
de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Instituto
Vital Brazil, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-410, Brazil
| | - Richard J. Kuhn
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Purdue
Institute of Inflammation, Immunology, and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Paula A. Abreu
- Instituto
de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade (NUPEM), Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro CEP 27965-045, Brazil
| | - Izabel C. N. P. Paixão
- Programa
de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia,
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal
Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro CEP 24210-201, Brazil
- Departamento
de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro CEP 24210-201, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yin P, May NA, Lello LS, Fayed A, Parks MG, Drobish AM, Wang S, Andrews M, Sticher Z, Kolykhalov AA, Natchus MG, Painter GR, Merits A, Kielian M, Morrison TE. 4'-Fluorouridine inhibits alphavirus replication and infection in vitro and in vivo. mBio 2024; 15:e0042024. [PMID: 38700353 PMCID: PMC11237586 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00420-24] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus that has re-emerged to cause millions of human infections worldwide. In humans, acute CHIKV infection causes fever and severe muscle and joint pain. Chronic and debilitating arthritis and joint pain can persist for months to years. To date, there are no approved antivirals against CHIKV. Recently, the ribonucleoside analog 4'-fluorouridine (4'-FlU) was reported as a highly potent orally available inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza virus replication. In this study, we assessed 4'-FlU's potency and breadth of inhibition against a panel of alphaviruses including CHIKV, and found that it broadly suppressed alphavirus production in cell culture. 4'-FlU acted on the viral RNA replication step, and the first 4 hours post-infection were the critical time for its antiviral effect. In vitro replication assays identified nsP4 as the target of inhibition. In vivo, treatment with 4'-FlU reduced disease signs, inflammatory responses, and viral tissue burden in mouse models of CHIKV and Mayaro virus infection. Treatment initiated at 2 hours post-infection was most effective; however, treatment initiated as late as 24-48 hours post-infection produced measurable antiviral effects in the CHIKV mouse model. 4'-FlU showed effective oral delivery in our mouse model and resulted in the accumulation of both 4'-FlU and its bioactive triphosphate form in tissues relevant to arthritogenic alphavirus pathogenesis. Together, our data indicate that 4'-FlU inhibits CHIKV infection in vitro and in vivo and is a promising oral therapeutic candidate against CHIKV infection.IMPORTANCEAlphaviruses including chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are mosquito-borne positive-strand RNA viruses that can cause various diseases in humans. Although compounds that inhibit CHIKV and other alphaviruses have been identified in vitro, there are no licensed antivirals against CHIKV. Here, we investigated a ribonucleoside analog, 4'-fluorouridine (4'-FlU), and demonstrated that it inhibited infectious virus production by several alphaviruses in vitro and reduced virus burden in mouse models of CHIKV and Mayaro virus infection. Our studies also indicated that 4'-FlU treatment reduced CHIKV-induced footpad swelling and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Inhibition in the mouse model correlated with effective oral delivery of 4'-FlU and accumulation of both 4'-FlU and its bioactive form in relevant tissues. In summary, 4'-FlU exhibits potential as a novel anti-alphavirus agent targeting the replication of viral RNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiqi Yin
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Nicholas A. May
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Atef Fayed
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - M. Guston Parks
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Adam M. Drobish
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Sainan Wang
- Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Meghan Andrews
- Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zachary Sticher
- Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - George R. Painter
- Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Drug Innovations Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margaret Kielian
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Thomas E. Morrison
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chaudhary M, Kumar A, Bala Sharma K, Vrati S, Sehgal D. In silico identification of chikungunya virus replication inhibitor validated using biochemical and cell-based approaches. FEBS J 2024; 291:2656-2673. [PMID: 38303163 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Discovering an alternative therapy with a long-lasting effect on symptoms caused by chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is prompted by the lack of a vaccine and the absence of safe, effective and non-toxic medications. One potential strategy is synthesizing or identifying small compounds that can specifically target the active site of an essential enzyme and prevent virus replication. Previous site-directed mutagenesis studies have demonstrated the crucial role of the macrodomain, which is a part of non-structural protein 3 (nsP3), in virus replication. Exploiting this fact, the macrodomain can be targeted to discover a natural substance that can inhibit its function and thereby impede virus replication. With this aim, the present study focused on potential CHIKV nsP3 macrodomain (nsP3MD) inhibitors through in silico, in vitro and cell-based methods. Through virtual screening of the natural compound library, nine nsP3MD inhibitors were initially identified. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to evaluate these nine compounds based on the stability of their ligand-receptor complexes and energy parameters. Target analysis and ADMET (i.e. absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) prediction of the selected compounds revealed their drug-like characteristics. Subsequent in vitro investigation allowed us to narrow the selection down to one compound, N-[2-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl) ethyl]-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-4-carboxamide, which exhibited potent inhibition of CHIKV growth. This molecule effectively inhibited CHIKV replication in the stable embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cell line capable of producing CHIKV. Our findings demonstrate that the selected compound possesses substantial anti-CHIKV nsP3MD activity both in vitro and in vivo. This work provides a promising molecule for further preclinical studies to develop a potential drug against the CHIKV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Chaudhary
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Akash Kumar
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Kiran Bala Sharma
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Sudhanshu Vrati
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Deepak Sehgal
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rosales-Rosas AL, Soto A, Wang L, Mols R, Fontaine A, Sanon A, Augustijns P, Delang L. β-D-N 4-hydroxycytidine (NHC, EIDD-1931) inhibits chikungunya virus replication in mosquito cells and ex vivo Aedes aegypti guts, but not when ingested during blood-feeding. Antiviral Res 2024; 225:105858. [PMID: 38490342 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105858] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. While there are no antiviral therapies currently available to treat CHIKV infections, several licensed oral drugs have shown significant anti-CHIKV activity in cells and in mouse models. However, the efficacy in mosquitoes has not yet been assessed. Such cross-species antiviral activity could be favorable, since virus inhibition in the mosquito vector might prevent further transmission to vertebrate hosts. Here, we explored the antiviral effect of β-d-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC, EIDD-1931), the active metabolite of molnupiravir, on CHIKV replication in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Antiviral assays in mosquito cells and in ex vivo cultured mosquito guts showed that NHC had significant antiviral activity against CHIKV. Exposure to a clinically relevant concentration of NHC did not affect Ae. aegypti lifespan when delivered via a bloodmeal, but it slightly reduced the number of eggs developed in the ovaries. When mosquitoes were exposed to a blood meal containing both CHIKV and NHC, the compound did not significantly reduce virus infection and dissemination in the mosquitoes. This was confirmed by modelling and could be explained by pharmacokinetic analysis, which revealed that by 6 h post-blood-feeding, 90% of NHC had been cleared from the mosquito bodies. Our data show that NHC inhibited CHIKV replication in mosquito cells and gut tissue, but not in vivo when mosquitoes were provided with a CHIKV-infectious bloodmeal spiked with NHC. The pipeline presented in this study offers a suitable approach to identify anti-arboviral drugs that may impede replication in mosquitoes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lucia Rosales-Rosas
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alina Soto
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lanjiao Wang
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raf Mols
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Albin Fontaine
- Unité de Parasitologie et Entomologie, Département des Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, UMR Vecteurs - Infections Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (VITROME), IHU - Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 bd Jean Moulin, cedex 5, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Aboubakar Sanon
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Augustijns
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Delang
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang M, Wang L, Leng P, Guo J, Zhou H. Drugs targeting structural and nonstructural proteins of the chikungunya virus: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:129949. [PMID: 38311132 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single positive-stranded RNA virus of the Togaviridae family and Alphavirus genus, with a typical lipid bilayer envelope structure, and is the causative agent of human chikungunya fever (CHIKF). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently approved the first chikungunya vaccine, Ixchiq; however, vaccination rates are low, and CHIKF is prevalent owing to its periodic outbreaks. Thus, developing effective anti-CHIKV drugs in clinical settings is imperative. Viral proteins encoded by the CHIKV genome play vital roles in all stages of infection, and developing therapeutic agents that target these CHIKV proteins is an effective strategy to improve CHIKF treatment efficacy and reduce mortality rates. Therefore, in the present review article, we aimed to investigate the basic structure, function, and replication cycle of CHIKV and comprehensively outline the current status and future advancements in anti-CHIKV drug development, specifically targeting nonstructural (ns) proteins, including nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4 and structural proteins such as capsid (C), E3, E2, 6K, and E1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Wang
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Lidong Wang
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Ping Leng
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jinlin Guo
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing 400016, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gömer A, Klöhn M, Jagst M, Nocke MK, Pischke S, Horvatits T, Schulze zur Wiesch J, Müller T, Hardtke S, Cornberg M, Wedemeyer H, Behrendt P, Steinmann E, Todt D. Emergence of resistance-associated variants during sofosbuvir treatment in chronically infected hepatitis E patients. Hepatology 2023; 78:1882-1895. [PMID: 37334496 PMCID: PMC10653298 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chronic HEV infections remain a serious problem in immunocompromised patients, as specifically approved antiviral drugs are unavailable. In 2020, a 24-week multicenter phase II pilot trial was carried out, evaluating the nucleotide analog sofosbuvir by treating nine chronically HEV-infected patients with sofosbuvir (Trial Number NCT03282474). During the study, antiviral therapy reduced virus RNA levels initially but did not lead to a sustained virologic response. Here, we characterize the changes in HEV intrahost populations during sofosbuvir treatment to identify the emergence of treatment-associated variants. APPROACH AND RESULTS We performed high-throughput sequencing on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences to characterize viral population dynamics in study participants. Subsequently, we used an HEV-based reporter replicon system to investigate sofosbuvir sensitivity in high-frequency variants. Most patients had heterogenous HEV populations, suggesting high adaptability to treatment-related selection pressures. We identified numerous amino acid alterations emerging during treatment and found that the EC 50 of patient-derived replicon constructs was up to ~12-fold higher than the wild-type control, suggesting that variants associated with lower drug sensitivity were selected during sofosbuvir treatment. In particular, a single amino acid substitution (A1343V) in the finger domain of ORF1 could reduce susceptibility to sofosbuvir significantly in 8 of 9 patients. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, viral population dynamics played a critical role during antiviral treatment. High population diversity during sofosbuvir treatment led to the selection of variants (especially A1343V) with lower sensitivity to the drug, uncovering a novel mechanism of resistance-associated variants during sofosbuvir treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Gömer
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mara Klöhn
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michelle Jagst
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Maximilian K. Nocke
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sven Pischke
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Thomas Horvatits
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
- Gastromedics Health Center, Eisenstadt, Austria
| | - Julian Schulze zur Wiesch
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Tobias Müller
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Svenja Hardtke
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); HepNet Study-House/German Liver Foundation (DLS), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Infections Research and Vaccine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); HepNet Study-House/German Liver Foundation (DLS), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); Partner Site Hannover Braunschweig, Germany
- Center for Individualized Infection Medicine (CiiM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); HepNet Study-House/German Liver Foundation (DLS), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); Partner Site Hannover Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Patrick Behrendt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); Partner Site Hannover Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bartholomeeusen K, Daniel M, LaBeaud DA, Gasque P, Peeling RW, Stephenson KE, Ng LFP, Ariën KK. Chikungunya fever. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023; 9:17. [PMID: 37024497 PMCID: PMC11126297 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-023-00429-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus is widespread throughout the tropics, where it causes recurrent outbreaks of chikungunya fever. In recent years, outbreaks have afflicted populations in East and Central Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. The virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Chikungunya fever is characterized by severe arthralgia and myalgia that can persist for years and have considerable detrimental effects on health, quality of life and economic productivity. The effects of climate change as well as increased globalization of commerce and travel have led to growth of the habitat of Aedes mosquitoes. As a result, increasing numbers of people will be at risk of chikungunya fever in the coming years. In the absence of specific antiviral treatments and with vaccines still in development, surveillance and vector control are essential to suppress re-emergence and epidemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koen Bartholomeeusen
- Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Daniel
- Unité de Recherche en Pharmaco-Immunologie (UR-EPI), Université et CHU de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, France
- Service de Médecine d'Urgences-SAMU-SMUR, CHU de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Desiree A LaBeaud
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Philippe Gasque
- Unité de Recherche en Pharmaco-Immunologie (UR-EPI), Université et CHU de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, France
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie Clinique et Expérimentale Océan Indien LICE-OI, Université de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Rosanna W Peeling
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Kathryn E Stephenson
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lisa F P Ng
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- National Institute of Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kevin K Ariën
- Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Padasas BT, Españo E, Kim SH, Song Y, Lee CK, Kim JK. COVID-19 Therapeutics: An Update on Effective Treatments Against Infection With SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Immune Netw 2023; 23:e13. [PMID: 37179752 PMCID: PMC10166656 DOI: 10.4110/in.2023.23.e13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most consequential global health crises in over a century. Since its discovery in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to mutate into different variants and sublineages, rendering previously potent treatments and vaccines ineffective. With significant strides in clinical and pharmaceutical research, different therapeutic strategies continue to be developed. The currently available treatments can be broadly classified based on their potential targets and molecular mechanisms. Antiviral agents function by disrupting different stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while immune-based treatments mainly act on the human inflammatory response responsible for disease severity. In this review, we discuss some of the current treatments for COVID-19, their mode of actions, and their efficacy against variants of concern. This review highlights the need to constantly evaluate COVID-19 treatment strategies to protect high risk populations and fill in the gaps left by vaccination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Erica Españo
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Youngcheon Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Korea
| | - Chong-Kil Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Jeong-Ki Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Targeting the alphavirus virus replication process for antiviral development. Antiviral Res 2023; 210:105494. [PMID: 36574906 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105494] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Many alphaviruses, including chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are known human pathogens that lack specific and effective antivirals or vaccines available. The upstream portion of the positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome of alphaviruses encodes four nonstructural proteins: nsP1 to nsP4. They are expressed and autoprocessed to nonstructural proteins which assemble into a replication complex (RC) playing multiple essential roles on viral RNA replication and communication with the host components. The assembly of alphavirus RC and its RNA genome initiates the membrane-derived ultrastructure known as spherule which facilitates viral RNA synthesis protected from host immune responses. Recent advances in the molecular understanding of the high-resolution CHIKV RC heteromeric ultrastructure have provided new insights into the viral replication process. Hence, alphavirus RC presents as an ideal multi-enzyme target for the development of structure-based antiviral drugs. Moreover, the alphavirus RC has therapeutic potential in the form of self-amplifying RNA technology against both infectious and non-infectious diseases.
Collapse
|
11
|
Malik M, Vijayan P, Jagannath DK, Mishra RK, Lakshminarasimhan A. Sofosbuvir and its tri-phosphate metabolite inhibit the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of non-structural protein 5 from the Kyasanur forest disease virus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 641:50-56. [PMID: 36521285 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.12.023] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Kyasanur forest disease is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded RNA-based flavivirus, the incidence of which was first recorded in 1957 in the Southern part of India. Kyasanur forest disease virus is transmitted to monkeys and humans through the infected tick bite of Haemophysalis spinigera. Kyasanur forest disease is a febrile illness, which in severe cases, results in neurological complications leading to mortality. The current treatment regimens are symptomatic and supportive, and no targeted therapies are available for this disease. In this study, we evaluated the ability of FDA-approved drugs sofosbuvir (and its active metabolite) and Dasabuvir to inhibit the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of NS5 protein from the Kyasanur forest disease virus. NS5 protein containing the N-terminal methyl transferase domain and C-terminal RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain was expressed in Escherichia coli, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity was demonstrated with the purified protein. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase assay conditions were optimized, followed by the determination of apparent Km,ATP to validate the enzyme preparation. Half maximal-inhibitory concentrations against RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity were determined for Sofosbuvir and its active metabolite. Dasabuvir did not show detectable inhibition with the tested conditions. This is the first demonstration of the inhibition of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of NS5 protein from the Kyasanur forest disease virus with small molecule inhibitors. These initial findings can potentially facilitate the discovery and development of targeted therapies for treating Kyasanur forest disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mansi Malik
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, NCBS campus, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, KA, India
| | - Parvathy Vijayan
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, NCBS campus, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, KA, India
| | - Deepak K Jagannath
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, NCBS campus, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, KA, India
| | - Rakesh K Mishra
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, NCBS campus, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, KA, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chaudhary M, Sehgal D. In silico identification of natural antiviral compounds as a potential inhibitor of chikungunya virus non-structural protein 3 macrodomain. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:11560-11570. [PMID: 34355667 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1960195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) is having a major impact on humans with potentially life-threatening and debilitating arthritis. The lack of a specific antiviral drug against the CHIKV disease has created an alarming situation to identify or develop potent chemical molecules for its remedial measures. Antiviral therapies for viral diseases are generally expensive and have adverse side effects. Plant-based antiviral natural compounds are the most suitable and best alternative of current antiviral drugs because of less toxicity. In the present study, non-structural protein 3 macrodomain (nsP3MD) of the CHIKV that is essential for virus replication has been selected for anti CHIKV drug target. The compounds were identified using molecular docking, virtual screening and further evaluated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The binding mechanism of each compound was analyzed considering the stability and energetic parameter. We have found six plant-based natural antiviral compounds Baicalin, Rutaecarpine, Amentoflavone, Apigetrin, Luteoloside, and Baloxavir as strong inhibitors of nsP3MD of CHIKV. ADMET prediction and target analysis of the selected compounds showed drug likeliness of these compounds. MD simulation studies indicated energetically favorable complex formation between nsP3MD and the selected antiviral compounds. Furthermore, the structural effects on these substitutions were analyzed using the principles of each trajectory, which validated the interaction studies. Our analysis suggests a very high probability of these compounds to inhibit nsP3MD of CHIKV and could be evaluated for Chikungunya fever drug development. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Chaudhary
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Deepak Sehgal
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chandiwana N, Kruger C, Johnstone H, Chughlay MF, Ju C, Kim B, Dineka Y, Arbe-Barnes S, Miller R, Owen A, Hill A, Windgassen D, Abla N, Marrast AC, Duparc S, Francois Venter WD. Safety and efficacy of four drug regimens versus standard-of-care for the treatment of symptomatic outpatients with COVID-19: A randomised, open-label, multi-arm, phase 2 clinical trial. EBioMedicine 2022; 86:104322. [PMID: 36332361 PMCID: PMC9624152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This exploratory study investigated four repurposed anti-infective drug regimens in outpatients with COVID-19. Methods This phase 2, single centre, randomised, open-label, clinical trial was conducted in South Africa between 3rd September 2020 and 23rd August 2021. Symptomatic outpatients aged 18–65 years, with RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were computer randomised (1:1:1:1:1) to standard-of-care (SOC) with paracetamol, or SOC plus artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ), pyronaridine-artesunate (PA), favipiravir plus nitazoxanide (FPV + NTZ), or sofosbuvir-daclatasvir (SOF-DCV). The primary endpoint was the incidence of viral clearance, i.e., the proportion of patients with a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on day 7, compared to SOC using a log-binomial model in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population. Findings The mITT population included 186 patients: mean age (SD) 34.9 (10.3) years, body weight 78.2 (17.1) kg. Day 7 SARS-CoV-2 clearance rates (n/N; risk ratio [95% CI]) were: SOC 34.2% (13/38), ASAQ 38.5% (15/39; 0.80 [0.44, 1.47]), PA 30.3% (10/33; 0.69 [0.37, 1.29]), FPV + NTZ 27.0% (10/37; 0.60 [0.31, 1.18]) and SOF-DCV 23.5% (8/34; 0.47 [0.22, 1.00]). Three lower respiratory tract infections occurred (PA 6.1% [2/33]; SOF-DCV 2.9% [1/34]); two required hospitalisation (PA, SOF-DCV). There were no deaths. Adverse events occurred in 55.3% (105/190) of patients, including one serious adverse event (pancytopenia; FPV + NTZ). Interpretation There was no statistical difference in viral clearance for any regimen compared to SOC. All treatments were well tolerated. Funding 10.13039/501100004167Medicines for Malaria Venture, with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, within the Covid-19 Therapeutics Accelerator in partnership with 10.13039/100004440Wellcome, the 10.13039/100000865Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Mastercard.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nomathemba Chandiwana
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa,Corresponding author. Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Building C, Sunnyside Office Park, 32 Princess of Wales Terrace, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Chelsea Kruger
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | - Chung Ju
- Shin Poong Pharm. Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea,Graduate School of Clinical Pharmacy, CHA University, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungsu Kim
- Shin Poong Pharm. Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yengiwe Dineka
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | - Andrew Owen
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence in Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Hill
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence in Long-acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nada Abla
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mourad O, Makhani L, Chen LH. Chikungunya: An Emerging Public Health Concern. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2022; 24:217-228. [DOI: 10.1007/s11908-022-00789-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
The worldwide spread of chikungunya over the past two decades calls for greater knowledge and awareness of the virus, its route of transmission, methods of diagnosis, and the use of available treatment and prevention measures.
Recent Findings
Chikungunya virus infection, an Aedes mosquito-borne febrile disease, has spread from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas and from the tropics and subtropics to temperate regions. International travel is a pivotal influence in the emergence of chikungunya as a global public health threat, as evidenced by a growing number of published reports on travel-related chikungunya infections. The striking features of chikungunya are arthralgia and arthritis, and the disease is often mistaken for dengue. Although mortality is low, morbidity can be profound and persistent. Current treatment for chikungunya is supportive; chikungunya vaccines and therapeutics are in development. Travelers planning to visit areas where the mosquito vectors are present should be advised on preventive measures.
Summary
Chikungunya is an emerging disease in the Americas. Frequent travel, the presence of at least two competent mosquito species, and a largely naïve human population in the Western Hemisphere create a setting conducive to future outbreaks. Awareness of the disease and its manifestations is critical to effectively and safely manage and limit its impact. Vaccines in late-stage clinical trials offer a new pathway to prevention.
Collapse
|
15
|
Pareek A, Kumar R, Mudgal R, Neetu N, Sharma M, Kumar P, Tomar S. Alphavirus antivirals targeting RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase domain of nsP4 divulged using surface plasmon resonance. FEBS J 2022; 289:4901-4924. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Pareek
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Ravi Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Rajat Mudgal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Neetu Neetu
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Monica Sharma
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Pravindra Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| | - Shailly Tomar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee India
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sundar S, Piramanayagam S, Natarajan J. A review on structural genomics approach applied for drug discovery against three vector-borne viral diseases: Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. Virus Genes 2022; 58:151-171. [PMID: 35394596 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-022-01898-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Structural genomics involves the advent of three-dimensional structures of the genome encoded proteins through various techniques available. Numerous structural genomics research groups have been developed across the globe and they contribute enormously to the identification of three-dimensional structures of various proteins. In this review, we have discussed the applications of the structural genomics approach towards the discovery of potential lead-like molecules against the genomic drug targets of three vector-borne diseases, namely, Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. Currently, all these three diseases are associated with the most important global public health problems and significant economic burden in tropical countries. Structural genomics has accelerated the identification of novel drug targets and inhibitors for the treatment of these diseases. We start with the current development status of the drug targets and antiviral drugs against these three diseases and conclude by describing challenges that need to be addressed to overcome the shortcomings in the process of drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shobana Sundar
- Computational Biology Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
| | | | - Jeyakumar Natarajan
- Data Mining and Text Mining Laboratory, Department of Bioinformatics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Repurposing drugs targeting epidemic viruses. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1874-1894. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
18
|
Hucke FIL, Bestehorn-Willmann M, Bassetto M, Brancale A, Zanetta P, Bugert JJ. CHIKV strains Brazil (wt) and Ross (lab-adapted) differ with regard to cell host range and antiviral sensitivity and show CPE in human glioblastoma cell lines U138 and U251. Virus Genes 2022; 58:188-202. [PMID: 35347588 PMCID: PMC8960095 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-022-01892-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a (re)emerging arbovirus, is the causative agent of chikungunya fever. To date, no approved vaccine or specific antiviral therapy are available. CHIKV has repeatedly been responsible for serious economic and public health impacts in countries where CHIKV epidemics occurred. Antiviral tests in vitro are generally performed in Vero-B4 cells, a well characterised cell line derived from the kidney of an African green monkey. In this work we characterised a CHIKV patient isolate from Brazil (CHIKVBrazil) with regard to cell affinity, infectivity, propagation and cell damage and compared it with a high-passage lab strain (CHIKVRoss). Infecting various cell lines (Vero-B4, A549, Huh-7, DBTRG, U251, and U138) with both virus strains, we found distinct differences between the two viruses. CHIKVBrazil does not cause cytopathic effects (CPE) in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line Huh-7. Neither CHIKVBrazil nor CHIKVRoss caused CPE on A549 human lung epithelial cells. The human astrocyte derived glioblastoma cell lines U138 and U251 were found to be effective models for lytic infection with both virus strains and we discuss their predictive potential for neurogenic CHIKV disease. We also detected significant differences in antiviral efficacies regarding the two CHIKV strains. Generally, the antivirals ribavirin, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and T-1105 seem to work better against CHIKVBrazil in glioblastoma cells than in Vero-B4. Finally, full genome analyses of the CHIKV isolates were done in order to determine their lineage and possibly explain differences in tissue range and antiviral compound efficacies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike I L Hucke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Marcella Bassetto
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Andrea Brancale
- Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Paola Zanetta
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Center for Translational Research on Allergic and Autoimmune Diseases (CAAD), Department of Health Sciences (DISS), School of Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Joachim J Bugert
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Fares M, Canfield P, Alsherbiny MA, Lewis W, Willis AC, Guang Li C, Neyts J, Jochmans D, Gale PA, Keller PA. Synthesis, X-ray crystallographic analysis, DFT studies and biological evaluation of triazolopyrimidines and 2-anilinopyrimidines. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.132092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
20
|
Abstract
Alphaviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses, typically transmitted by mosquitoes between vertebrate hosts. They encode four essential replication proteins, the non-structural proteins nsP1-4, which possess the enzymatic activities of RNA capping, RNA helicase, site-specific protease, ADP-ribosyl removal and RNA polymerase. Alphaviruses have been key models in the study of membrane-associated RNA replication, which is a conserved feature among the positive-strand RNA viruses of animals and plants. We review new structural and functional information on the nsPs and their interaction with host proteins and membranes, as well as with viral RNA sequences. The dodecameric ring structure of nsP1 is likely to be one of the evolutionary innovations that facilitated the success of the progenitors of current positive-strand RNA viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tero Ahola
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gerald McInerney
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Lai CC, Chao CM, Hsueh PR. Clinical efficacy of antiviral agents against coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2021; 54:767-775. [PMID: 34253490 PMCID: PMC8233451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite aggressive efforts on containment measures for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic around the world, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is continuously spreading. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an effective antiviral agent. To date, considerable research has been conducted to develop different approaches to COVID-19 therapy. In addition to early observational studies, which could be limited by study design, small sample size, non-randomized design, or different timings of treatment, an increasing number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the clinical efficacy and safety of antiviral agents are being carried out. This study reviews the updated findings of RCTs regarding the clinical efficacy of eight antiviral agents against COVID-19, including remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, sofosbuvir/daclatasvir, sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, baloxavir, umifenovir, darunavir/cobicistat, and their combinations. Treatment with remdesivir could accelerate clinical improvement; however, it lacked additional survival benefits. Moreover, 5-day regimen of remdesivir might show adequate effectiveness in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Favipiravir was only marginally effective regarding clinical improvement and virological assessment based on the results of small RCTs. The present evidence suggests that sofosbuvir/daclatasvir may improve survival and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. However, the sample sizes for analysis were relatively small, and all studies were exclusively conducted in Iran. Further larger RCTs in other countries are warranted to support these findings. In contrast, the present findings of limited RCTs did not indicate the use of lopinavir/ritonavir, sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, baloxavir, umifenovir, and darunavir/cobicistat in the treatment of patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Cheng Lai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Tainan Branch, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ming Chao
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ren Hsueh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dong HL, Wang HJ, Liu ZY, Ye Q, Qin XL, Li D, Deng YQ, Jiang T, Li XF, Qin CF. Visualization of yellow fever virus infection in mice using a bioluminescent reporter virus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:1739-1750. [PMID: 34379047 PMCID: PMC8425728 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1967705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a re-emerging flavivirus, which can lead to severe clinical manifestations and high mortality, with no specific antiviral therapies available. The live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine 17D (YF17D) has been widely used for over eighty years. However, the emergence of yellow fever vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease (YFL-AVD) and yellow fever vaccine-associated neurotropic disease (YFL-AND) raised non-negligible concerns. Additionally, the attenuation mechanism of YF17D is still unclear. Thus, the development of convenient models is crucial to understand the mechanisms behind YF17D attenuation and its adverse effects. In this work, we generated a reporter YF17D expressing nano-luciferase (NLuc). In vitro and in vivo characterization demonstrated that the NLuc-YF17D shared similar biological properties with its parental strain and the NLuc activity can reflect viral infectivity reliably. Combined with in vivo bioluminescence imaging, a series of mice models of YF17D infection was established, which will be useful for the evaluation of antiviral medicines and novel vaccine candidates. Especially, we demonstrated that intraperitoneally (i.p.) infection of NLuc-YF17D in type I interferon receptor-deficient mice A129 resulted in outcomes resembling YEL-AVD and YEL-AND, evidenced by viral replication in multiple organs and invasion of the central neuronal system. Finally, in vitro and in vivo assays based on this reporter virus were established to evaluate the antiviral activities of validated antiviral agents. In conclusion, the bioluminescent reporter virus described herein provides a powerful platform to study YF17D attenuation and vaccine-associated diseases as well as to develop novel countermeasures against YFV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Long Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Jiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Comprehensive Basic Experiment, The Chinese People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force Characteristic Medical Center, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Yu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,The Center for Infection and Immunity Studies, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ling Qin
- Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medicine and Health, Guangxi Vocational and Technical Institute of industry, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Li
- The Center for Infection and Immunity Studies, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Qiang Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Feng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Dowarah J, Marak BN, Yadav UCS, Singh VP. Potential drug development and therapeutic approaches for clinical intervention in COVID-19. Bioorg Chem 2021; 114:105016. [PMID: 34144277 PMCID: PMC8143914 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
While the vaccination is now available to many countries and will slowly dissipate to others, effective therapeutics for COVID-19 is still illusive. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to researchers, scientists, and clinicians and affected the wellbeing of millions of people worldwide. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a multitude of existing anti-viral, antibiotic, antimalarial, and anticancer drugs have been tested, and some have shown potency in the treatment and management of COVID-19, albeit others failed to leave any positive impact and a few also became controversial as they showed mixed clinical outcomes. In the present article, we have brought together some of the candidate therapeutic drugs being repurposed or used in the clinical trials and discussed their clinical efficacy and safety for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jayanta Dowarah
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India
| | - Brilliant N Marak
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India
| | | | - Ved Prakash Singh
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India; Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Chikungunya nsP4 homology modeling reveals a common motif with Zika and Dengue RNA polymerases as a potential therapeutic target. J Mol Model 2021; 27:247. [PMID: 34386905 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-021-04868-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Among the diseases transmitted by vectors, there are those caused by viruses named arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses). In past years, viruses transmitted by mosquitoes have been of relevance in global health, such as Chikungunya (CHIKV), Dengue (DENV), and Zika (ZIKV), which have Aedes aegypti as a common vector, thus raising the possibility of multi-infection. Previous reports have described the general structure of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases termed right-hand fold, which is conserved in positive single-stranded RNA viruses. Here, we report a comparison between sequences and the computational structure of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases from CHIKV, DENV, and ZIKV and the conserved sites to be considered for the design of an antiviral drug against the three viruses. We show that the sequential identity between consensus sequences from CHIKV and DENV is 8.1% and the similarity is 15.1%; the identity between CHIKV and ZIKV is 9.3%, and the similarity is 16.6%; and the identity between DENV and ZIKV is 68.6%, and the similarity is 79.2%. Nevertheless, the structural alignment shows that the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) measurement value in general structure comparison between CHIKV RdRp and ZIKV RdRp was 1.248 Å, RMSD between CHIKV RdRp and DENV RdRp was 1.070 Å, and RMSD between ZIKV RdRp and DENV RdRp was 1.106 Å. Despite the low identity and similarity of CHIKV sequence with DENV and ZIKV, we show that A, B, C, and E motifs are structurally well conserved. These structural similarities offer a window into drug design against these arboviruses giving clues about critical target sites.
Collapse
|
25
|
Abd El Hadi SR, Zien El-Deen EE, Bahaa MM, Sadakah AA, Yassin HA. COVID-19: Vaccine Delivery System, Drug Repurposing and Application of Molecular Modeling Approach. Drug Des Devel Ther 2021; 15:3313-3330. [PMID: 34366663 PMCID: PMC8335551 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s320320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread across the world, resulting in a pandemic COVID-19 which is a human zoonotic disease that is caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV) strain thought to have originated in wild or captive bats in the initial COVID outbreak region. The global COVID-19 outbreak started in Guangdong Province, China's southernmost province. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been hampered by the sheer number of infected people, many of whom need intensive care before succumbing to the disease. The epidemic is being handled by a combination of disease control by public health interventions and compassionate treatment for those who have been impacted. There is no clear anti-COVID-19 medication available at this time. However, the need to find medications that can turn the tide has led to the development of a number of investigational drugs as potential candidates for improving outcomes, especially in the severely and critically ill. Although many of these adjunctive medications are still being studied in clinical trials, professional organizations have attempted to define the circumstances in which their use is deemed off-label or compassionate. It is important to remind readers that new information about COVID-19's clinical features, treatment options, and outcomes is released on a regular basis. The mainstay of treatment remains optimized supportive care, and the therapeutic effectiveness of the subsequent agents is still being studied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soha R Abd El Hadi
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Badr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Esmat E Zien El-Deen
- Pharmaceutical Technology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
- Pharmaceutics Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Badr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mostafa M Bahaa
- Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Abdelfattah A Sadakah
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department, Faculty of Dentistry, AlSalam University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Heba A Yassin
- Pharmaceutics Department. Faculty of Pharmacy, AlSalam University, Tanta, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Battisti V, Urban E, Langer T. Antivirals against the Chikungunya Virus. Viruses 2021; 13:1307. [PMID: 34372513 PMCID: PMC8310245 DOI: 10.3390/v13071307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that has re-emerged in recent decades, causing large-scale epidemics in many parts of the world. CHIKV infection leads to a febrile disease known as chikungunya fever (CHIKF), which is characterised by severe joint pain and myalgia. As many patients develop a painful chronic stage and neither antiviral drugs nor vaccines are available, the development of a potent CHIKV inhibiting drug is crucial for CHIKF treatment. A comprehensive summary of current antiviral research and development of small-molecule inhibitor against CHIKV is presented in this review. We highlight different approaches used for the identification of such compounds and further discuss the identification and application of promising viral and host targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thierry Langer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; (V.B.); (E.U.)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Shabani M, Sadegh Ehdaei B, Fathi F, Dowran R. A mini-review on sofosbuvir and daclatasvir treatment in coronavirus disease 2019. New Microbes New Infect 2021; 42:100895. [PMID: 33976895 PMCID: PMC8103737 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2021.100895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir have been used successfully since 2013 for hepatitis C treatment. It has been shown by different studies that sofosbuvir can inhibit RNA polymerase of other positive-strand RNA viruses including Flaviviridae and Togaviridae. Homology between hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has also been established. The efficacy of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir as potential choices in treating patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and their recovery can be hypothesized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Shabani
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - B. Sadegh Ehdaei
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - F. Fathi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - R. Dowran
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Sacramento CQ, Fintelman-Rodrigues N, Temerozo JR, Da Silva ADPD, Dias SDSG, da Silva CDS, Ferreira AC, Mattos M, Pão CRR, de Freitas CS, Soares VC, Hoelz LVB, Fernandes TVA, Branco FSC, Bastos MM, Boechat N, Saraiva FB, Ferreira MA, Jockusch S, Wang X, Tao C, Chien M, Xie W, Patel D, Garzia A, Tuschl T, Russo JJ, Rajoli RKR, Pedrosa CSG, Vitória G, Souza LRQ, Goto-Silva L, Guimarães MZ, Rehen SK, Owen A, Bozza FA, Bou-Habib DC, Ju J, Bozza PT, Souza TML. In vitro antiviral activity of the anti-HCV drugs daclatasvir and sofosbuvir against SARS-CoV-2, the aetiological agent of COVID-19. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:1874-1885. [PMID: 33880524 PMCID: PMC8083231 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current approaches of drug repurposing against COVID-19 have not proven overwhelmingly successful and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to cause major global mortality. SARS-CoV-2 nsp12, its RNA polymerase, shares homology in the nucleotide uptake channel with the HCV orthologue enzyme NS5B. Besides, HCV enzyme NS5A has pleiotropic activities, such as RNA binding, that are shared with various SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Thus, anti-HCV NS5B and NS5A inhibitors, like sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, respectively, could be endowed with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. METHODS SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero cells, HuH-7 cells, Calu-3 cells, neural stem cells and monocytes were used to investigate the effects of daclatasvir and sofosbuvir. In silico and cell-free based assays were performed with SARS-CoV-2 RNA and nsp12 to better comprehend the mechanism of inhibition of the investigated compounds. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model was generated to estimate daclatasvir's dose and schedule to maximize the probability of success for COVID-19. RESULTS Daclatasvir inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero, HuH-7 and Calu-3 cells, with potencies of 0.8, 0.6 and 1.1 μM, respectively. Although less potent than daclatasvir, sofosbuvir alone and combined with daclatasvir inhibited replication in Calu-3 cells. Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir prevented virus-induced neuronal apoptosis and release of cytokine storm-related inflammatory mediators, respectively. Sofosbuvir inhibited RNA synthesis by chain termination and daclatasvir targeted the folding of secondary RNA structures in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Concentrations required for partial daclatasvir in vitro activity are achieved in plasma at Cmax after administration of the approved dose to humans. CONCLUSIONS Daclatasvir, alone or in combination with sofosbuvir, at higher doses than used against HCV, may be further fostered as an anti-COVID-19 therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Q Sacramento
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Natalia Fintelman-Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jairo R Temerozo
- Laboratório de Pesquisas sobre o Timo, IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT/NIM), IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline de Paula Dias Da Silva
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Suelen da Silva Gomes Dias
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carine Dos Santos da Silva
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - André C Ferreira
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Universidade Iguaçu, Nova Iguaçu, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mayara Mattos
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Camila R R Pão
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Caroline S de Freitas
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Cardoso Soares
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Tácio Vinício Amorim Fernandes
- Instituto de Tecnologia de Fármacos (Farmanguinhos), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratório de Macromoléculas, Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada às Ciências da Vida, Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia-INMETRO, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25250-020, Brazil
| | | | - Mônica Macedo Bastos
- Instituto de Tecnologia de Fármacos (Farmanguinhos), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Núbia Boechat
- Instituto de Tecnologia de Fármacos (Farmanguinhos), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Felipe B Saraiva
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Alves Ferreira
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Steffen Jockusch
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Xuanting Wang
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Chuanjuan Tao
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Minchen Chien
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Wei Xie
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Dinshaw Patel
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Aitor Garzia
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas Tuschl
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James J Russo
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rajith K R Rajoli
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3NY, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Marilia Zaluar Guimarães
- Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Stevens K Rehen
- Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Andrew Owen
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3NY, UK
| | - Fernando A Bozza
- Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Dumith Chequer Bou-Habib
- Laboratório de Pesquisas sobre o Timo, IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT/NIM), IOC, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jingyue Ju
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Patrícia T Bozza
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Thiago Moreno L Souza
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Li X, Peng T. Strategy, Progress, and Challenges of Drug Repurposing for Efficient Antiviral Discovery. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:660710. [PMID: 34017257 PMCID: PMC8129523 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.660710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging or re-emerging viruses are still major threats to public health. Prophylactic vaccines represent the most effective way to prevent virus infection; however, antivirals are more promising for those viruses against which vaccines are not effective enough or contemporarily unavailable. Because of the slow pace of novel antiviral discovery, the high disuse rates, and the substantial cost, repurposing of the well-characterized therapeutics, either approved or under investigation, is becoming an attractive strategy to identify the new directions to treat virus infections. In this review, we described recent progress in identifying broad-spectrum antivirals through drug repurposing. We defined the two major categories of the repurposed antivirals, direct-acting repurposed antivirals (DARA) and host-targeting repurposed antivirals (HTRA). Under each category, we summarized repurposed antivirals with potential broad-spectrum activity against a variety of viruses and discussed the possible mechanisms of action. Finally, we proposed the potential investigative directions of drug repurposing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, College of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, College of Basic Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Al-kuraishy HM, Al-Gareeb AI, Alqarni M, Cruz-Martins N, El-Saber Batiha G. Pleiotropic Effects of Tetracyclines in the Management of COVID-19: Emerging Perspectives. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:642822. [PMID: 33967777 PMCID: PMC8103613 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.642822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Approximately 15% of severe cases require an intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mechanical ventilation due to development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Tetracyclines (TCs) are a group of bacteriostatic antibiotics, like tetracycline, minocycline, and doxycycline, effective against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria as well as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Based on available evidences, TCs may be effective against coronaviruses and thus useful to treat COVID-19. Thus, this review aims to provide a brief overview on the uses of TCs for COVID-19 management. SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses depend mainly on the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) for their proliferation, cell adhesion, and infiltration. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of TCs are linked to different pathways. Briefly, TCs inhibit mitochondrial cytochrome c and caspase pathway with improvement of lymphopenia in early COVID-19. Specifically, minocycline is effective in reducing COVID-19-related complications, through attenuation of cytokine storm as apparent by reduction of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Different clinical trials recommend the replacement of azithromycin by minocycline in the management of COVID-19 patients at high risk due to two main reasons: 1) minocycline does not prolong the QT interval and even inhibits ischemia-induced arrhythmia; 2) minocycline displays synergistic effect with chloroquine against SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, the data presented here show that TCs, mainly doxycycline or minocycline, may be potential partners in COVID-19 management, derived pneumonia, and related complications, such as acute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayder M. Al-kuraishy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, BaghdadIraq
| | - Ali I. Al-Gareeb
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, BaghdadIraq
| | - Mohammed Alqarni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Natália Cruz-Martins
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Vicenti I, Zazzi M, Saladini F. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase as a therapeutic target for COVID-19. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:325-337. [PMID: 33475441 PMCID: PMC7938656 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1880568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic urgently demands for both prevention and treatment strategies. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp), which has no counterpart in human cells, is an excellent target for drug development. Given the time-consuming process of drug development, repurposing drugs approved for other indications or at least successfully tested in terms of safety and tolerability, is an attractive strategy to rapidly provide an effective medication for severe COVID-19 cases.Areas covered: The currently available data and upcominSg studies on RdRp which can be repurposed to halt SARS-CoV-2 replication, are reviewed.Expert opinion: Drug repurposing and design of novel compounds are proceeding in parallel to provide a quick response and new specific drugs, respectively. Notably, the proofreading SARS-CoV-2 exonuclease activity could limit the potential for drugs designed as immediate chain terminators and favor the development of compounds acting through delayed termination. While vaccination is awaited to curb the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, even partially effective drugs from repurposing strategies can be of help to treat severe cases of disease. Considering the high conservation of RdRp among coronaviruses, an improved knowledge of its activity in vitro can provide useful information for drug development or drug repurposing to combat SARS-CoV-2 as well as future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Vicenti
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Maurizio Zazzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Saladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Sofosbuvir Selects for Drug-Resistant Amino Acid Variants in the Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Complex In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052670. [PMID: 33800884 PMCID: PMC7962015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleotide analog sofosbuvir, licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, recently revealed activity against the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro and in animal models. However, the ZIKV genetic barrier to sofosbuvir has not yet been characterized. In this study, in vitro selection experiments were performed in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Increasing drug pressure significantly delayed viral breakthrough (p = 0.029). A double mutant in the NS5 gene (V360L/V607I) emerged in 3 independent experiments at 40–80 µM sofosbuvir resulting in a 3.9 ± 0.9-fold half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) shift with respect to the wild type (WT) virus. A triple mutant (C269Y/V360L/V607I), detected in one experiment at 80 µM, conferred a 6.8-fold IC50 shift with respect to the WT. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the double mutant V360L/V607I impacts the binding mode of sofosbuvir, supporting its role in sofosbuvir resistance. Due to the distance from the catalytic site and to the lack of reliable structural data, the contribution of C269Y was not investigated in silico. By a combination of sequence analysis, phenotypic susceptibility testing, and molecular modeling, we characterized a double ZIKV NS5 mutant with decreased sofosbuvir susceptibility. These data add important information to the profile of sofosbuvir as a possible lead for anti-ZIKV drug development.
Collapse
|
33
|
Españo E, Kim D, Kim J, Park SK, Kim JK. COVID-19 Antiviral and Treatment Candidates: Current Status. Immune Netw 2021; 21:e7. [PMID: 33728100 PMCID: PMC7937511 DOI: 10.4110/in.2021.21.e7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has severely impacted global health and economy. There is currently no effective approved treatment for COVID-19; although vaccines have been granted emergency use authorization in several countries, they are currently only administered to high-risk individuals, thereby leaving a gap in virus control measures. The scientific and clinical communities and drug manufacturers have collaborated to speed up the discovery of potential therapies for COVID-19 by taking advantage of currently approved drugs as well as investigatory agents in clinical trials. In this review, we stratified some of these candidates based on their potential targets in the progression of COVID-19 and discuss some of the results of ongoing clinical evaluations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Españo
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Dajung Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Jiyeon Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Song-Kyu Park
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| | - Jeong-Ki Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, Korea University College of Pharmacy, Sejong 30019, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Dong S, Dimopoulos G. Antiviral Compounds for Blocking Arboviral Transmission in Mosquitoes. Viruses 2021; 13:v13010108. [PMID: 33466915 PMCID: PMC7830659 DOI: 10.3390/v13010108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) such as the dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are important human pathogens that are responsible for significant global morbidity and mortality. The recent emergence and re-emergence of mosquito-borne viral diseases (MBVDs) highlight the urgent need for safe and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and vector-control approaches to prevent MBVD outbreaks. In nature, arboviruses circulate between vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors; therefore, disrupting the virus lifecycle in mosquitoes is a major approach for combating MBVDs. Several strategies were proposed to render mosquitoes that are refractory to arboviral infection, for example, those involving the generation of genetically modified mosquitoes or infection with the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia. Due to the recent development of high-throughput screening methods, an increasing number of drugs with inhibitory effects on mosquito-borne arboviruses in mammalian cells were identified. These antivirals are useful resources that can impede the circulation of arboviruses between arthropods and humans by either rendering viruses more vulnerable in humans or suppressing viral infection by reducing the expression of host factors in mosquitoes. In this review, we summarize recent advances in small-molecule antiarboviral drugs in mammalian and mosquito cells, and discuss how to use these antivirals to block the transmission of MBVDs.
Collapse
|
35
|
Santana AC, Silva Filho RC, Menezes JCJMDS, Allonso D, Campos VR. Nitrogen-Based Heterocyclic Compounds: A Promising Class of Antiviral Agents against Chikungunya Virus. Life (Basel) 2020; 11:16. [PMID: 33396631 PMCID: PMC7824564 DOI: 10.3390/life11010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Arboviruses, in general, are a global threat due to their morbidity and mortality, which results in an important social and economic impact. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), one of the most relevant arbovirus currently known, is a re-emergent virus that causes a disease named chikungunya fever, characterized by a severe arthralgia (joint pains) that can persist for several months or years in some individuals. Until now, no vaccine or specific antiviral drug is commercially available. Nitrogen heterocyclic scaffolds are found in medications, such as aristeromycin, favipiravir, fluorouracil, 6-azauridine, thioguanine, pyrimethamine, among others. New families of natural and synthetic nitrogen analogous compounds are reported to have significant anti-CHIKV effects. In the present work, we focus on these nitrogen-based heterocyclic compounds as an important class with CHIKV antiviral activity. We summarize the present understanding on this class of compounds against CHIKV and also present their possible mechanism of action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreza C. Santana
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Campus do Valonguinho, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24020-141, Brazil; (A.C.S.); (R.C.S.F.)
| | - Ronaldo C. Silva Filho
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Campus do Valonguinho, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24020-141, Brazil; (A.C.S.); (R.C.S.F.)
| | - José C. J. M. D. S. Menezes
- Section of Functional Morphology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, 2825-7 Huis Ten Bosch, Sasebo, Nagasaki 859-3298, Japan
- Research & Development, Esteem Industries Pvt. Ltd., Bicholim, Goa 403 529, India
| | - Diego Allonso
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Vinícius R. Campos
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Campus do Valonguinho, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24020-141, Brazil; (A.C.S.); (R.C.S.F.)
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hucke FIL, Bugert JJ. Current and Promising Antivirals Against Chikungunya Virus. Front Public Health 2020; 8:618624. [PMID: 33384981 PMCID: PMC7769948 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.618624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is the causative agent of chikungunya fever (CHIKF) and is categorized as a(n) (re)emerging arbovirus. CHIKV has repeatedly been responsible for outbreaks that caused serious economic and public health problems in the affected countries. To date, no vaccine or specific antiviral therapies are available. This review gives a summary on current antivirals that have been investigated as potential therapeutics against CHIKF. The mode of action as well as possible compound targets (viral and host targets) are being addressed. This review hopes to provide critical information on the in vitro efficacies of various compounds and might help researchers in their considerations for future experiments.
Collapse
|
37
|
de Almeida SMV, Santos Soares JC, Dos Santos KL, Alves JEF, Ribeiro AG, Jacob ÍTT, da Silva Ferreira CJ, Dos Santos JC, de Oliveira JF, de Carvalho Junior LB, de Lima MDCA. COVID-19 therapy: What weapons do we bring into battle? Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115757. [PMID: 32992245 PMCID: PMC7481143 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Urgent treatments, in any modality, to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections are desired by society in general, by health professionals, by Estate-leaders and, mainly, by the scientific community, because one thing is certain amidst the numerous uncertainties regarding COVID-19: knowledge is the means to discover or to produce an effective treatment against this global disease. Scientists from several areas in the world are still committed to this mission, as shown by the accelerated scientific production in the first half of 2020 with over 25,000 published articles related to the new coronavirus. Three great lines of publications related to COVID-19 were identified for building this article: The first refers to knowledge production concerning the virus and pathophysiology of COVID-19; the second regards efforts to produce vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 at a speed without precedent in the history of science; the third comprehends the attempts to find a marketed drug that can be used to treat COVID-19 by drug repurposing. In this review, the drugs that have been repurposed so far are grouped according to their chemical class. Their structures will be presented to provide better understanding of their structural similarities and possible correlations with mechanisms of actions. This can help identifying anti-SARS-CoV-2 promising therapeutic agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sinara Mônica Vitalino de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Universidade de Pernambuco, Garanhuns, PE, Brazil; Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - José Cleberson Santos Soares
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Keriolaine Lima Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | - Amélia Galdino Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Íris Trindade Tenório Jacob
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jamerson Ferreira de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | - Maria do Carmo Alves de Lima
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica (LQIT) - Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Chikungunya Virus: Mechanisms of Action and Antiviral Drug Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.01788-20. [PMID: 32928738 PMCID: PMC7674028 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01788-20] [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] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that has spread to more than 60 countries worldwide. CHIKV infection leads to a febrile illness known as chikungunya fever (CHIKF), which is characterized by long-lasting and debilitating joint and muscle pain. CHIKV can cause large-scale epidemics with high attack rates, which substantiates the need for development of effective therapeutics suitable for outbreak containment. In this review, we highlight the different strategies used for developing CHIKV small-molecule inhibitors, ranging from high-throughput cell-based screening to in silico screens and enzymatic assays with purified viral proteins. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that has spread to more than 60 countries worldwide. CHIKV infection leads to a febrile illness known as chikungunya fever (CHIKF), which is characterized by long-lasting and debilitating joint and muscle pain. CHIKV can cause large-scale epidemics with high attack rates, which substantiates the need for development of effective therapeutics suitable for outbreak containment. In this review, we highlight the different strategies used for developing CHIKV small-molecule inhibitors, ranging from high-throughput cell-based screening to in silico screens and enzymatic assays with purified viral proteins. We further discuss the current status of the most promising molecules, including in vitro and in vivo findings. In particular, we focus on describing host and/or viral targets, mode of action, and mechanisms of antiviral drug resistance and associated mutations. Knowledge of the key molecular determinants of drug resistance will aid selection of the most promising antiviral agent(s) for clinical use. For these reasons, we also summarize the available information about drug-resistant phenotypes in Aedes mosquito vectors. From this review, it is evident that more of the active molecules need to be evaluated in preclinical and clinical models to address the current lack of antiviral treatment for CHIKF.
Collapse
|
39
|
Abbaspour Kasgari H, Moradi S, Shabani AM, Babamahmoodi F, Davoudi Badabi AR, Davoudi L, Alikhani A, Hedayatizadeh Omran A, Saeedi M, Merat S, Wentzel H, Garratt A, Levi J, Simmons B, Hill A, Tirgar Fakheri H. Evaluation of the efficacy of sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir in combination with ribavirin for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate disease compared with standard care: a single-centre, randomized controlled trial. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 75:3373-3378. [PMID: 32812025 PMCID: PMC7454669 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkaa332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New therapeutic options are urgently needed to tackle the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Repurposing existing pharmaceuticals provides an immediate treatment opportunity. We assessed the efficacy of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir with ribavirin for treating patients with COVID-19. METHODS This was a single-centre, randomized controlled trial in adults with moderate COVID-19 admitted to the Ghaem Shahr Razi Hospital in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned to 400 mg sofosbuvir, 60 mg daclatasvir and 1200 mg ribavirin (intervention group) or to standard care (control group). The primary endpoint of this study was length of hospital stay. This study is registered by IRCT.ir under the ID: IRCT20200328046886N1. RESULTS Between 20 March 2020 and 8 April 2020, 48 patients were recruited; 24 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 24 to the control group. The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days in both groups (P = 0.398). The number of ICU admissions in the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir/ribavirin group was not significantly lower than the control group (0 versus 4, P = 0.109). There was no difference in the number of deaths between the groups (0 versus 3, P = 0.234). The cumulative incidence of recovery was higher in the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir/ribavirin arm (Gray's P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS This randomized trial was too small to make definitive conclusions. There were trends in favour of the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir/ribavirin arm for recovery and lower death rates. However, there was an imbalance in the baseline characteristics between the arms. Larger randomized trials should be conducted to investigate this treatment further.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hamideh Abbaspour Kasgari
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Siavash Moradi
- Education Development Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Amir Mohammad Shabani
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Farhang Babamahmoodi
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ali Reza Davoudi Badabi
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Lotfollah Davoudi
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Alikhani
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Akbar Hedayatizadeh Omran
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Cancer Research Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Majid Saeedi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Hemoglobinopathy Research Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahin Merat
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hannah Wentzel
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Garratt
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jacob Levi
- Accident and Emergency Department, Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Bryony Simmons
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Hill
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - Hafez Tirgar Fakheri
- Gut and Liver Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Sadeghi A, Ali Asgari A, Norouzi A, Kheiri Z, Anushirvani A, Montazeri M, Hosamirudsai H, Afhami S, Akbarpour E, Aliannejad R, Radmard AR, Davarpanah AH, Levi J, Wentzel H, Qavi A, Garratt A, Simmons B, Hill A, Merat S. Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir compared with standard of care in the treatment of patients admitted to hospital with moderate or severe coronavirus infection (COVID-19): a randomized controlled trial. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 75:3379-3385. [PMID: 32812039 PMCID: PMC7454592 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkaa334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Currently no effective antiviral therapy has been found to treat COVID-19. The aim of this trial was to assess if the addition of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir improved clinical outcomes in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19. Methods This was an open-label, multicentre, randomized controlled clinical trial in adults with moderate or severe COVID-19 admitted to four university hospitals in Iran. Patients were randomized into a treatment arm receiving sofosbuvir and daclatasvir plus standard care, or a control arm receiving standard care alone. The primary endpoint was clinical recovery within 14 days of treatment. The study is registered with IRCT.ir under registration number IRCT20200128046294N2. Results Between 26 March and 26 April 2020, 66 patients were recruited and allocated to either the treatment arm (n = 33) or the control arm (n = 33). Clinical recovery within 14 days was achieved by 29/33 (88%) in the treatment arm and 22/33 (67%) in the control arm (P = 0.076). The treatment arm had a significantly shorter median duration of hospitalization [6 days (IQR 4–8)] than the control group [8 days (IQR 5–13)]; P = 0.029. Cumulative incidence of hospital discharge was significantly higher in the treatment arm versus the control (Gray’s P = 0.041). Three patients died in the treatment arm and five in the control arm. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions The addition of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir to standard care significantly reduced the duration of hospital stay compared with standard care alone. Although fewer deaths were observed in the treatment arm, this was not statistically significant. Conducting larger scale trials seems prudent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anahita Sadeghi
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Ali Asgari
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Norouzi
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Science, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Zahedin Kheiri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Baharloo hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Anushirvani
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Montazeri
- Department of infectious diseases, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hadiseh Hosamirudsai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shirin Afhami
- Department of infectious diseases, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Akbarpour
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rasoul Aliannejad
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Shariati Hospital, Thoracic Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Reza Radmard
- Department of Radiology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir H Davarpanah
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jacob Levi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Homerton University Hospital, London, UK
| | - Hannah Wentzel
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ambar Qavi
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Garratt
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
| | - Bryony Simmons
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Hill
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Shahin Merat
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
de Souza AAA, Torres LR, Lima LRP, de Paula V, Barros JJ, Bonecini-Almeida MDG, Waghabi MC, Gardel MA, Meuser-Batista M, de Souza EM. Inhibition of Brazilian ZIKV strain replication in primary human placental chorionic cells and cervical cells treated with nitazoxanide. Braz J Infect Dis 2020; 24:505-516. [PMID: 33010209 PMCID: PMC7526660 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is associated with a congenital syndrome. Although the virus can be detected in human placental tissue and sexual transmission has been verified, it is not clear how the virus reaches the fetus. Despite the emerging severity caused by ZIKV infection, no specific prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment is available. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness antiviral of nitazoxanide (NTZ) in two important congenital transmission targets: (i) a primary culture of human placental chorionic cells, and (ii) human cervical epithelial cells (C33-A) infected with Brazilian ZIKV strain. Initially, NTZ activity was screened in ZIKV infected Vero cells under different treatment regimens with non-toxic drug concentrations for 48 h. Antiviral effect was found only when the treatment was carried out after the viral inoculum. A strong effect against the dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) was also observed suggesting the possibility of treating other Flaviviruses. Additionally, it was shown that the treatment did not reduce the production of infectious viruses in insect cells (C6/36) infected with ZIKV, indicating that the activity of this drug is also related to host factors. Importantly, we demonstrated that NTZ treatment in chorionic and cervical cells caused a reduction of infected cells in a dose-dependent manner and decreased viral loads in up to 2 logs. Pre-clinical in vitro testing evidenced excellent therapeutic response of infected chorionic and cervical cells and point to future NTZ activity investigation in ZIKV congenital transmission models with the perspective of possible repurposing of NTZ to treat Zika fever, especially in pregnant women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Audrien A A de Souza
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lauana R Torres
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lyana R P Lima
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vanessa de Paula
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José J Barros
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria da Gloria Bonecini-Almeida
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Imunologia e Imunogenética em Doenças Infecciosas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mariana Caldas Waghabi
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Gardel
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira/FIOCRUZ, Coordenação Diagnóstica de Anatomia Patológica e Citopatologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira/FIOCRUZ, Coordenação Diagnóstica de Anatomia Patológica e Citopatologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elen M de Souza
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Laboratório de Morfologia e Morfogênese Viral, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Atazanavir, Alone or in Combination with Ritonavir, Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Proinflammatory Cytokine Production. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00825-20. [PMID: 32759267 PMCID: PMC7508582 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00825-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is already responsible for far more deaths than previous pathogenic coronaviruses (CoVs) from 2002 and 2012. The identification of clinically approved drugs to be repurposed to combat 2019 CoV disease (COVID-19) would allow the rapid implementation of potentially life-saving procedures. The major protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is considered a promising target, based on previous results from related CoVs with lopinavir (LPV), an HIV protease inhibitor. However, limited evidence exists for other clinically approved antiretroviral protease inhibitors. Extensive use of atazanavir (ATV) as antiretroviral and previous evidence suggesting its bioavailability within the respiratory tract prompted us to study this molecule against SARS-CoV-2. Our results show that ATV docks in the active site of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with greater strength than LPV, blocking Mpro activity. We confirmed that ATV inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication, alone or in combination with ritonavir (RTV) in Vero cells and a human pulmonary epithelial cell line. ATV/RTV also impaired virus-induced enhancement of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels. Together, our data strongly suggest that ATV and ATV/RTV should be considered among the candidate repurposed drugs undergoing clinical trials in the fight against COVID-19.
Collapse
|
43
|
Antiviral Strategies against Arthritogenic Alphaviruses. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091365. [PMID: 32906603 PMCID: PMC7563460 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are members of the Togaviridae family that are mainly transmitted by arthropods such as mosquitoes. In the last decades, several alphaviruses have re-emerged, causing outbreaks worldwide. One example is the re-emergence of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in 2004, which caused massive epidemics in the Indian Ocean region after which the virus dramatically spread to the Americas in late 2013. Besides CHIKV, other alphaviruses, such as the Ross River virus (RRV), Mayaro virus (MAYV), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), have emerged and have become a serious public health concern in recent years. Infections with the Old World alphaviruses (e.g., CHIKV, RRV) are primarily associated with polyarthritis and myalgia that can persist for months to years. On the other hand, New World alphaviruses such as VEEV cause mainly neurological disease. Despite the worldwide (re-)emergence of these viruses, there are no antivirals or vaccines available for the treatment or prevention of infections with alphaviruses. It is therefore of utmost importance to develop antiviral strategies against these viruses. We here provided an overview of the reported antiviral strategies against arthritogenic alphaviruses. In addition, we highlighted the future perspectives for the development and the proper use of such antivirals.
Collapse
|
44
|
Sayad B, Sobhani M, Khodarahmi R. Sofosbuvir as Repurposed Antiviral Drug Against COVID-19: Why Were We Convinced to Evaluate the Drug in a Registered/Approved Clinical Trial? Arch Med Res 2020; 51:577-581. [PMID: 32387040 PMCID: PMC7188631 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a devastating global pandemic around the world. While the majority of infected cases appear mild, in some cases individuals present respiratory complications with possible serious lung damage. There are no specific treatments for COVID-19 as yet, though a number are under evaluation, including experimental antivirals. Sofosbuvir, the clinically approved anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug, is also capable of suppressing other families of positive-strand RNA viruses; Flaviviridae and Togaviridae. Coronaviruses are a family of positive-strand RNA viruses with conserved polymerase, so SARS-CoV-2 RdRp is very likely to be effectively inhibited by sofosbuvir. More importantly, sofosbuvir is safe and well tolerated at 400 mg daily in a 24 week therapeutic regimen. Sofosbuvir active metabolite, however, shows an extremely high intracellular stability So, it is hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 infection could also be susceptible to sofosbuvir and we were convinced to design and run a clinical trial to evaluate the effect of sofosbuvir 400 mg (in combination with velpatasvir 100 mg, as add-on treatment, in addition to standard of care) on the COVID-19. However, we believe that this manuscript/correspondence should be made available to the international scientific community as soon as possible, with the help of this esteemed journal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Babak Sayad
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mahsa Sobhani
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Reza Khodarahmi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Gardinali NR, Marchevsky RS, Oliveira JM, Pelajo-Machado M, Kugelmeier T, Castro MP, Silva ACA, Pinto DP, Fonseca LB, Vilhena LS, Pereira HM, Lima SMB, Miranda EH, Trindade GF, Linhares JHR, Silva SA, Melgaço JG, Alves AMB, Moran J, Silva MCC, Soares-Bezerra RJ, Soriano A, Bentes GA, Bottino FO, Salvador Castro Faria SB, Nudelman RF, Lopes CAA, Perea JAS, Sarges K, Andrade MCR, Motta MCVA, Freire MS, Souza TML, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Pinto MA. Sofosbuvir shows a protective effect against vertical transmission of Zika virus and the associated congenital syndrome in rhesus monkeys. Antiviral Res 2020; 182:104859. [PMID: 32649965 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in Brazil, 2015-2016, were associated with severe congenital malformations. Our translational study aimed to test the efficacy of the antiviral agent sofosbuvir (SOF) against vertical transmission of ZIKV and the associated congenital syndrome (CZS), using a rhesus monkey model. Eight pregnant macaques were successfully infected during the organogenesis phase with a Brazilian ZIKV strain; five of them received SOF from two to fifteen days post-infection. Both groups of dams showed ZIKV-associated clinical signals, detectable ZIKV RNA in several specimens, specific anti-ZIKV IgM and IgG antibodies, and maternal neutralizing antibodies. However, malformations occurred only among non-treated dam offspring. Compared to non-treated animals, all SOF-treated dams had a shorter ZIKV viremia and four of five neonates had undetectable ZIKV RNA in blood and tissue samples. These results support further clinical evaluations aiming for the prevention of CZS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi R Gardinali
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Renato S Marchevsky
- Laboratório de Neurovirulência, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline M Oliveira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Pelajo-Machado
- Laboratório de Patologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Kugelmeier
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcio P Castro
- Centro de Diagnóstico Veterinário (CEVET), Avenida Rui Barbosa 29, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline C A Silva
- Serviço de Equivalência e Farmacocinética (SEFAR), Vice-Presidência de Produção e Inovação em Saúde (VPPIS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Douglas P Pinto
- Serviço de Equivalência e Farmacocinética (SEFAR), Vice-Presidência de Produção e Inovação em Saúde (VPPIS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lais B Fonseca
- Serviço de Equivalência e Farmacocinética (SEFAR), Vice-Presidência de Produção e Inovação em Saúde (VPPIS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leandro S Vilhena
- Serviço de Equivalência e Farmacocinética (SEFAR), Vice-Presidência de Produção e Inovação em Saúde (VPPIS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Heliana M Pereira
- Serviço de Equivalência e Farmacocinética (SEFAR), Vice-Presidência de Produção e Inovação em Saúde (VPPIS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sheila M B Lima
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Emily H Miranda
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gisela F Trindade
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José H R Linhares
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Stephanie A Silva
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana Gil Melgaço
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ada M B Alves
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia e Fisiologia de Infecções Virais, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Julio Moran
- Dr. Julio Moran Laboratories, Vordergrüt 30, Herrliberg, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria C C Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal Do ABC, Avenida Dos Estados, 5001, São Bernardo Do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rômulo J Soares-Bezerra
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Andreza Soriano
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gentil A Bentes
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernanda O Bottino
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sarah Beatriz Salvador Castro Faria
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rafael F Nudelman
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Claudia A A Lopes
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Javier A S Perea
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Klena Sarges
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Márcia C R Andrade
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Márcia C V A Motta
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcos S Freire
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Virológica, Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Thiago M L Souza
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Gestão da Inovação em Doenças Negligenciadas (INCT/IDN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico Em Saúde (CDTS), Fiocruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marcelo A Pinto
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Drug repurposing of pyrimidine analogs as potent antiviral compounds against human enterovirus A71 infection with potential clinical applications. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8159. [PMID: 32424333 PMCID: PMC7235037 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is one of the aetiological agents for the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children and a potential cause of neurological complications in afflicted patients. Since its discovery in 1969, there remains no approved antiviral for EV-A71 and other HFMD-causing enteroviruses. We set out to address the lack of therapeutics against EV-A71 by screening an FDA-approved drug library and found an enrichment of hits including pyrimidine antimetabolite, gemcitabine which showed 90.2% of inhibition on EV-A71 infection. Gemcitabine and other nucleoside analogs, LY2334737 and sofosbuvir inhibition of EV-A71 infection were disclosed using molecular and proteomic quantification, and in vitro and in vivo efficacy evaluation. Gemcitabine displayed a significant reduction of infectious EV-A71 titres by 2.5 logs PFU/mL and was shown to target the early stage of EV-A71 viral RNA and viral protein synthesis process especially via inhibition of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase. In addition, the drug combination study of gemcitabine's synergistic effects with interferon-β at 1:1 and 1:2 ratio enhanced inhibition against EV-A71 replication. Since gemcitabine is known to metabolize rapidly in vivo, other nucleoside analogs, LY2334737 and sofosbuvir conferred protection in mice against lethal EV-A71 challenge by potentially reducing the death rate, viral titers as well on virus-induced pathology in the limb muscle tissue of mice. Additionally, we found that gemcitabine is competent to inhibit other positive-sense RNA viruses of the Flaviviridae and Togaviridae family. Overall, these drugs provide new insights into targeting viral factors as a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy with potential therapeutic value for future development and are worthy of potential clinical application.
Collapse
|
47
|
Bugert JJ, Hucke F, Zanetta P, Bassetto M, Brancale A. Antivirals in medical biodefense. Virus Genes 2020; 56:150-167. [PMID: 32076918 PMCID: PMC7089181 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01737-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The viruses historically implicated or currently considered as candidates for misuse in bioterrorist events are poxviruses, filoviruses, bunyaviruses, orthomyxoviruses, paramyxoviruses and a number of arboviruses causing encephalitis, including alpha- and flaviviruses. All these viruses are of concern for public health services when they occur in natural outbreaks or emerge in unvaccinated populations. Recent events and intelligence reports point to a growing risk of dangerous biological agents being used for nefarious purposes. Public health responses effective in natural outbreaks of infectious disease may not be sufficient to deal with the severe consequences of a deliberate release of such agents. One important aspect of countermeasures against viral biothreat agents are the antiviral treatment options available for use in post-exposure prophylaxis. These issues were adressed by the organizers of the 16th Medical Biodefense Conference, held in Munich in 2018, in a special session on the development of drugs to treat infections with viruses currently perceived as a threat to societies or associated with a potential for misuse as biothreat agents. This review will outline the state-of-the-art methods in antivirals research discussed and provide an overview of antiviral compounds in the pipeline that are already approved for use or still under development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J J Bugert
- Bundeswehr Institute for Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany.
| | - F Hucke
- Bundeswehr Institute for Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
| | - P Zanetta
- Bundeswehr Institute for Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
| | - M Bassetto
- Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - A Brancale
- Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Discovery and development of safe-in-man broad-spectrum antiviral agents. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 93:268-276. [PMID: 32081774 PMCID: PMC7128205 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We reviewed the discovery and development process of broad-spectrum antiviral agents. We summarized the information on 120 safe-in-man agents in a freely accessible database. Further studies will increase the number of broad-spectrum antivirals, expand the spectrum of their indications, and identify drug combinations for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viral infections.
Viral diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Virus-specific vaccines and antiviral drugs are the most powerful tools to combat viral diseases. However, broad-spectrum antiviral agents (BSAAs, i.e. compounds targeting viruses belonging to two or more viral families) could provide additional protection of the general population from emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, reinforcing the arsenal of available antiviral options. Here, we review discovery and development of BSAAs and summarize the information on 120 safe-in-man agents in a freely accessible database (https://drugvirus.info/). Future and ongoing pre-clinical and clinical studies will increase the number of BSAAs, expand the spectrum of their indications, and identify drug combinations for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viral infections as well as co-infections.
Collapse
|
49
|
|
50
|
Pastuch-Gawołek G, Gillner D, Król E, Walczak K, Wandzik I. Selected nucleos(t)ide-based prescribed drugs and their multi-target activity. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 865:172747. [PMID: 31634460 PMCID: PMC7173238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nucleos(t)ide analogues play pivotal roles as antiviral, cytotoxic or immunosuppressive agents. Here, we review recent reports of nucleoside analogues that exhibit broad-spectrum activity towards multiple life-threatening RNA and DNA viruses. We also present a discussion about nucleoside antimetabolites-approved antineoplastic agents-that have recently been shown to have antiviral and/or antibacterial activity. The approved drugs and drug combinations, as well as recently identified candidates for investigation and/or experimentation, are discussed. Several examples of repurposed drugs that have already been approved for use are presented. This strategy can be crucial for the first-line treatment of acute infections or coinfections and for the management of drug-resistant strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Pastuch-Gawołek
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland; Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Danuta Gillner
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland; Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Ewelina Król
- Department of Recombinant Vaccines, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Walczak
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Ilona Wandzik
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland; Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|