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Samrat SK, Kumar P, Liu Y, Chen K, Lee H, Li Z, Chen Y, Li H. An ISG15-Based High-Throughput Screening Assay for Identification and Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors Targeting Papain-like Protease. Viruses 2024; 16:1239. [PMID: 39205213 PMCID: PMC11359932 DOI: 10.3390/v16081239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Emergence of newer variants of SARS-CoV-2 underscores the need for effective antivirals to complement the vaccination program in managing COVID-19. The multi-functional papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an essential viral protein that not only regulates the viral replication but also modulates the host immune system, making it a promising therapeutic target. To this end, we developed an in vitro interferon stimulating gene 15 (ISG15)-based Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay and screened the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Diversity Set VI compound library, which comprises 1584 small molecules. Subsequently, we assessed the PLpro enzymatic activity in the presence of screened molecules. We identified three potential PLpro inhibitors, namely, NSC338106, 651084, and 679525, with IC50 values in the range from 3.3 to 6.0 µM. These molecules demonstrated in vitro inhibition of the enzyme activity and exhibited antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, with EC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 4.6 µM. The molecular docking of all three small molecules to PLpro suggested their specificity towards the enzyme's active site. Overall, our study contributes promising prospects for further developing potential antivirals to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh Kumar Samrat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Ke Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Biophysics Core, Research Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yin Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (P.K.); (Y.L.); (K.C.); (Z.L.); (Y.C.)
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science & College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- The BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Chen Y, Li Y, Lu L, Zou P. Zafirlukast, as a viral inactivator, potently inhibits infection of several flaviviruses, including Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0016824. [PMID: 38809067 PMCID: PMC11232407 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00168-24] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is one of the mosquito-borne flaviviruses that exhibits a unique tropism to nervous systems and is associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV), the other two mosquito-borne flaviviruses, have also been circulating for a long time and cause severe diseases, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and yellow fever, respectively. However, there are no safe and effective antiviral drugs approved for the treatment of infections or coinfections of these flaviviruses. Here, we found that zafirlukast, a pregnancy-safe leukotriene receptor antagonist, exhibited potent antiviral activity against infections of ZIKV strains from different lineages in different cell lines, as well as against infections of DENV-2 and YFV 17D. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that zafirlukast directly and irreversibly inactivated these flaviviruses by disrupting the integrity of the virions, leading to the loss of viral infectivity, hence inhibiting the entry step of virus infection. Considering its efficacy against flaviviruses, its safety for pregnant women, and its neuroprotective effect, zafirlukast is a promising candidate for prophylaxis and treatment of infections or coinfections of ZIKV, DENV, and YFV, even in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Chen
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Zou
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Feng Y. Recent advances in the study of zika virus structure, drug targets, and inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1418516. [PMID: 39011504 PMCID: PMC11246971 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1418516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika Virus (ZIKV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome or encephalitis in some individuals and hence presents a serious public health risk. Since the first outbreak of ZIKV in Brazil in 2015, no effective clinical inhibitors have been developed, making the development of effective ZIKV drugs an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. ZIKV belongs to the Flaviviridae family, and its structure includes three structural proteins, namely, capsular (C), premembrane (prM), and envelope (E) proteins, as well as seven nonstructural proteins, namely, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5. To provide a reference for the development of future ZIKV drugs, this paper reviews the structure of the ZIKV based on recent literature reports, analyzes the potential therapeutic targets of various proteins, and proposes feasible drug design strategies. Additionally, this paper reviews and classifies the latest research progress on several protease inhibitors, such as E protein inhibitors, NS2B-NS3 inhibitors, and NS5 inhibitors, so that researchers can quickly understand the current status of development and the interconnections among these inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation and Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
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Mustafa NF, Cheng KK, Nadri MH, Razali SA, Zakaria II, Salin NH, Amran SI. Discovery of azaleatin as a potential allosteric inhibitor for dengue NS2B-NS3 protease using in vitro and in silico studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38881303 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2335296] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The rise in dengue cases in tropical and sub-tropical areas has become a significant health concern. At present, there is no definitive cure for dengue fever, which underscores the importance of identifying potent inhibitors. Dengue NS2B-NS3 protease is the prime drug target due to its vital function for replication. Quercetin, a flavone, has anti-dengue virus properties but is limited by low bioavailability. Previous studies have shown that methoxy substitution in flavones improves bioavailability and metabolic stability. Azaleatin is a derivative of quercetin with a methoxy substitution at the C5 position, however its ability to inhibit dengue is unknown. In this study, azaleatin was investigated for its inhibition against dengue NS2B-NS3 protease using in vitro and in silico techniques. The fluorescence assay was used to determine the IC50 value and inhibition kinetics. The molecular interaction between azaleatin and NS2B-NS3 was studied using CB-Dock2 and AutoDock Vina. The complex's stability was then analysed using GROMACS. Besides, the ADMETlab 2.0 was utilized to predict pharmacokinetic of the azaleatin. Results showed that azaleatin inhibits dengue NS2B-NS3 protease non-competitively with a Ki of 26.82 µg/ml and an IC50 of 38 µg/ml. Molecular docking indicated binding of the azaleatin to the allosteric pocket of NS2B-NS3 with a docking score of -8.2 kcal/mol. Azaleatin was found stable in the pocket along 100 ns, supporting its inhibitory mode. The compound has favourable pharmacokinetic profiles and conformed to Lipinski's Rule of Five. Taken together, azaleatin inhibits NS2B-NS3 protease in a non-competitive mode, suggesting its potential as safer anti-dengue compound.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Farhana Mustafa
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Kian-Kai Cheng
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Helmi Nadri
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Siti Aisyah Razali
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Nerus, Kuala, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Iffah Izzati Zakaria
- Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Jalan Bangi, Kajang Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Hanim Salin
- Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Syazwani Itri Amran
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia
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Shorkey SA, Zhang Y, Sharp J, Clingman S, Nguyen L, Chen J, Chen M. Tuning single-molecule ClyA nanopore tweezers for real-time tracking of the conformational dynamics of West Nile viral NS2B/NS3 protease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.594247. [PMID: 38798384 PMCID: PMC11118314 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.594247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The flaviviral NS2B/NS3 protease is a conserved enzyme required for flavivirus replication. Its highly dynamic conformation poses major challenges but also offers opportunities for antiviral inhibition. Here, we established a nanopore tweezers-based platform to monitor NS2B/NS3 conformational dynamics in real-time. Molecular simulations coupled with electrophysiology revealed that the protease could be captured in the middle of the ClyA nanopore lumen, stabilized mainly by dynamic electrostatic interactions. We designed a new Salmonella typhi ClyA nanopore with enhanced nanopore/protease interaction that can resolve the open and closed states at the single-molecule level for the first time. We demonstrated that the tailored ClyA could track the conformational transitions of the West Nile NS2B/NS3 protease and unravel the conformational energy landscape of various protease constructs through population and kinetic analysis. The new ClyA-protease platform paves a way to high-throughput screening strategies for discovering new allosteric inhibitors that target the NS2B and NS3 interface.
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Qianzhu H, Abdelkader EH, Otting G, Huber T. Genetic Encoding of Fluoro-l-tryptophans for Site-Specific Detection of Conformational Heterogeneity in Proteins by NMR Spectroscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:13641-13650. [PMID: 38687675 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The substitution of a single hydrogen atom in a protein by fluorine yields a site-specific probe for sensitive detection by 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, where the absence of background signal from the protein facilitates the detection of minor conformational species. We developed genetic encoding systems for the site-selective incorporation of 4-fluorotryptophan, 5-fluorotryptophan, 6-fluorotryptophan, and 7-fluorotryptophan in response to an amber stop codon and used them to investigate conformational heterogeneity in a designed amino acid binding protein and in flaviviral NS2B-NS3 proteases. These proteases have been shown to present variable conformations in X-ray crystal structures, including flips of the indole side chains of tryptophan residues. The 19F NMR spectra of different fluorotryptophan isomers installed at the conserved site of Trp83 indicate that the indole ring flip is common in flaviviral NS2B-NS3 proteases in the apo state and suppressed by an active-site inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Qianzhu
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Elwy H Abdelkader
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Gottfried Otting
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Thomas Huber
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Ni X, Godoy AS, Marples PG, Fairhead M, Balcomb BH, Ferla MP, Tomlinson CWE, Wang S, Giroud C, Aschenbrenner JC, Lithgo RM, Winokan M, Chandran AV, Thompson W, Xavier MA, Williams EP, Walsh M, Fearon D, Koekemoer L, von Delft F. Crystallographic fragment screening delivers diverse chemical scaffolds for Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitor development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591502. [PMID: 38746305 PMCID: PMC11092485 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infections cause microcephaly in new-borns and Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults raising a significant global public health concern, yet no vaccines or antiviral drugs have been developed to prevent or treat ZIKV infections. The viral protease NS3 and its co-factor NS2B are essential for the cleavage of the Zika polyprotein precursor into individual structural and non-structural proteins and is therefore an attractive drug target. Generation of a robust crystal system of co-expressed NS2B-NS3 protease has enabled us to perform a crystallographic fragment screening campaign with 1076 fragments. 48 binders with diverse chemical scaffolds were identified in the active site of the protease, with another 6 fragment hits observed in a potential allosteric binding site. Our work provides potential starting points for the development of potent NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors. Furthermore, we have structurally characterized a potential allosteric binding pocket, identifying opportunities for allosteric inhibitor development.
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Cruz KG, Eron MH, Makhaik S, Savinov S, Hardy JA. A Non-Active-Site Inhibitor with Selectivity for Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:412-425. [PMID: 38265226 PMCID: PMC11099878 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00330] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Flavivirus infection usually results in fever accompanied by headache, arthralgia, and, in some cases, rash. Although the symptoms are mild, full recovery can take several months. Flaviviruses encode seven nonstructural proteins that represent potential drug targets for this viral family. Focusing on the Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease, we uncovered a unique inhibitor, MH1, composed of aminothiazolopyridine and benzofuran moieties. MH1 inhibits ZVP with a biochemical IC50 of 440 nM and effectively blocks cleavage of ZVP substrates in cells. Surprisingly, MH1 inhibits the other flaviviral proteases at least 18-fold more weakly. This same phenomenon was observed in assays of the viral cytopathic effect, where only Zika virus showed sensitivity to MH1. This selectivity was unexpected since flaviviral proteases have high similarity in sequence and protein structure. MH1 binds at an allosteric site, as demonstrated by its ability to stabilize ZVP synergistically with an active site inhibitor. To understand its selectivity, we constructed a series of hybrid proteases composed of select segments of ZVP, which is sensitive to MH1, and dengue virus protease, which is essentially insensitive to MH1. Our results suggest that MH1 binds to the NS3 protease domain, disrupting its interaction with NS2B. These interactions are essential for substrate binding and cleavage. In particular, the unique dynamic properties of NS2B from Zika seem to be required for the function of MH1. Insights into the mechanism of MH1 function will aid us in developing non-active-site-directed, pan-flaviviral inhibitors, by highlighting the importance of evaluating and considering the dynamics of the NS2B regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sparsh Makhaik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, US 01002
| | | | - Jeanne A. Hardy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, US 01002
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Serafim MSM, Kronenberger T, Rocha REO, Rosa ADRA, Mello TLG, Poso A, Ferreira RS, Abrahão JS, Kroon EG, Mota BEF, Maltarollo VG. Aminopyrimidine Derivatives as Multiflavivirus Antiviral Compounds Identified from a Consensus Virtual Screening Approach. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:393-411. [PMID: 38194508 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Around three billion people are at risk of infection by the dengue virus (DENV) and potentially other flaviviruses. Worldwide outbreaks of DENV, Zika virus (ZIKV), and yellow fever virus (YFV), the lack of antiviral drugs, and limitations on vaccine usage emphasize the need for novel antiviral research. Here, we propose a consensus virtual screening approach to discover potential protease inhibitors (NS3pro) against different flavivirus. We employed an in silico combination of a hologram quantitative structure-activity relationship (HQSAR) model and molecular docking on characterized binding sites followed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which filtered a data set of 7.6 million compounds to 2,775 hits. Lastly, docking and MD simulations selected six final potential NS3pro inhibitors with stable interactions along the simulations. Five compounds had their antiviral activity confirmed against ZIKV, YFV, DENV-2, and DENV-3 (ranging from 4.21 ± 0.14 to 37.51 ± 0.8 μM), displaying aggregator characteristics for enzymatic inhibition against ZIKV NS3pro (ranging from 28 ± 7 to 70 ± 7 μM). Taken together, the compounds identified in this approach may contribute to the design of promising candidates to treat different flavivirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateus Sá Magalhães Serafim
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery (TüCAD2), Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- Excellence Cluster "Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections" (CMFI), Tübingen 72076, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
| | - Rafael Eduardo Oliveira Rocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Amanda Del Rio Abreu Rosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Thaysa Lara Gonçalves Mello
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Antti Poso
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery (TüCAD2), Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen 70211, Germany
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Jonatas Santos Abrahão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Erna Geessien Kroon
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Bruno Eduardo Fernandes Mota
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Gonçalves Maltarollo
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
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Wahaab A, Zhang Y, Rasgon JL, Kang L, Hameed M, Li C, Anwar MN, Zhang Y, Shoaib A, Liu K, Lee B, Wei J, Qiu Y, Ma Z. NS2B-D55E and NS2B-E65D Variations are Responsible for Differences in NS2B-NS3 Protease Activities Between Japanese Encephalitis Virus Genotype I and III in Fluorogenic Peptide Model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.08.570834. [PMID: 38105993 PMCID: PMC10723430 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.08.570834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) NS2B-NS3 is a protein complex composed of NS3 proteases and a NS2B cofactor. The N-terminal protease domain (180 residues) of NS3 (NS3(pro)) interacts directly with a central 40-amino acid hydrophilic domain of NS2B (NS2B(H)) to form an active serine protease. In this study, the recombinant NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) proteases were prepared in E. coli and used to compare the enzymatic activity between genotype I (GI) and III (GIII) NS2B-NS3 proteases. The GI NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) was able to cleave the sites at internal C, NS2A/NS2B, NS2B/NS3 and NS3/NS4A junctions that were identical to the sites proteolytically processed by GIII NS2B(H)-NS3(pro). Analysis of the enzymatic activity of recombinant NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) proteases using a model of fluorogenic peptide substrate revealed that the proteolytical processing activity of GIII NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) was significantly higher than that of GI NS2B(H)-NS3(pro). There were eight amino acid variations between GI and GIII NS2B(H)-NS3(pro), which may be responsible for the difference in enzymatic activities between GI and GIII proteases. Therefore, recombinant mutants were generated by exchanging NS2B(H) and NS3(pro) domains between GI and GIII NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) and subjected to protease activity analysis. Substitution of NS2B(H) significantly altered the protease activities, as compared to the parental NS2B(H)-NS3(pro), suggesting that NS2B(H) played an essential role in regulation of NS3(pro) protease activity. To further identify the amino acids responsible for the difference in protease activities, multiple substitution mutants including the individual and combined mutations at the variant residue 55 and 65 of NS2B(H) were generated and subjected to protease activity analysis. Replacement of NS2B-55 and NS2B-65 of GI to GIII significantly increased the enzymatic activity of GI NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) protease, whereas mutation of NS2B-55 and NS2B-65 of GIII to GI remarkably reduced the enzymatic activity of GIII NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) protease. Overall, these data demonstrated that NS2B-55 and NS2B-65 variations in hydrophilic domain of NS2B co-contributed to the difference in NS2B(H)-NS3(pro) protease activities between GI and GIII. These observations gain an insight into the role of NS2B in regulation of NS3 protease activities, which is useful for understanding the replication of JEV GI and GIII viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Wahaab
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
- The Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- The Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Lei Kang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Muddassar Hameed
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
- Department of Biomedical Science and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Chenxi Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Muhammad Naveed Anwar
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yanbing Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, China
| | - Anam Shoaib
- School of Behavior and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Ke Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Beibei Lee
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jianchao Wei
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yafeng Qiu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhiyong Ma
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
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11
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Agback T, Lesovoy D, Han X, Lomzov A, Sun R, Sandalova T, Orekhov VY, Achour A, Agback P. Combined NMR and molecular dynamics conformational filter identifies unambiguously dynamic ensembles of Dengue protease NS2B/NS3pro. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1193. [PMID: 38001280 PMCID: PMC10673835 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05584-6] [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: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The dengue protease NS2B/NS3pro has been reported to adopt either an 'open' or a 'closed' conformation. We have developed a conformational filter that combines NMR with MD simulations to identify conformational ensembles that dominate in solution. Experimental values derived from relaxation parameters for the backbone and methyl side chains were compared with the corresponding back-calculated relaxation parameters of different conformational ensembles obtained from free MD simulations. Our results demonstrate a high prevalence for the 'closed' conformational ensemble while the 'open' conformation is absent, indicating that the latter conformation is most probably due to crystal contacts. Conversely, conformational ensembles in which the positioning of the co-factor NS2B results in a 'partially' open conformation, previously described in both MD simulations and X-ray studies, were identified by our conformational filter. Altogether, we believe that our approach allows for unambiguous identification of true conformational ensembles, an essential step for reliable drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Agback
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7015, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dmitry Lesovoy
- Department of Structural Biology, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997, Moscow, Russia
- Swedish NMR Centre, University of Gothenburg, Box 465, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Xiao Han
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Lomzov
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Renhua Sun
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tatyana Sandalova
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vladislav Yu Orekhov
- Swedish NMR Centre, University of Gothenburg, Box 465, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 465, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Adnane Achour
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Peter Agback
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7015, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
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12
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Maus H, Gellert A, Englert OR, Chen JX, Schirmeister T, Barthels F. Designing photoaffinity tool compounds for the investigation of the DENV NS2B-NS3 protease allosteric binding pocket. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2365-2379. [PMID: 37974966 PMCID: PMC10650954 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00331k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) infection still lacks specific antiviral therapy, making the NS2B-NS3 protease an attractive target for drug development. However, allosteric inhibitors that bind to a site other than the active site still need to be better understood. In this study, we designed and synthesised tool compounds for photoaffinity labelling (PAL) to investigate the binding site of allosteric inhibitors on the DENV protease. These tool compounds contained an affinity moiety, a photoreactive group, and a reporter tag for detection. Upon irradiation, the photoreactive group formed a covalent bond with the protease, allowing for binding site identification. SDS-PAGE-based assays confirmed the qualitative binding of the designed inhibitors to the allosteric pocket, and pull-down experiments validated the interaction. Tryptic protein digestion following liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis further supported the binding of the inhibitor to the proposed pocket revealing photo-attachment to an NS3 loop close to the C-terminus. These results enhance our understanding of allosteric inhibitors and their mechanism of action against the DENV protease. The developed tool compounds and PAL are potent tools for future drug discovery efforts and investigations targeting the DENV protease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Maus
- IPBS, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Staudingerweg 5 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Andrea Gellert
- IPBS, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Staudingerweg 5 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Olivia R Englert
- IPBS, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Staudingerweg 5 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Jia-Xuan Chen
- IMB, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Ackermannweg 4 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- IPBS, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Staudingerweg 5 55128 Mainz Germany
| | - Fabian Barthels
- IPBS, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz Staudingerweg 5 55128 Mainz Germany
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13
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Saleem HN, Kousar S, Jiskani AH, Sohail I, Faisal A, Saeed M. Repurposing of investigational cancer drugs: Early phase discovery of dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitors. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2023; 356:e2300292. [PMID: 37582646 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202300292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Dengue fever is a neglected vector-borne disease and is more prevalent in Asia. Currently, no specific treatment is available. Given the time and cost of de novo drug discovery and development, an alternative option of drug repurposing is becoming an effective tool. We screened a library of 1127 pharmacologically active, metabolically stable, and structurally diverse small anticancer molecules to identify inhibitors of the dengue virus (DENV) NS2B/NS3 protease. Enzyme kinetics and inhibition data revealed four B-cell lymphoma 2 inhibitors, that is, ABT263, ABT737, AT101, and TW37, as potent inhibitors of DENV NS2B/NS3 protease, with IC50 values of 0.86, 1.15, 0.81, and 0.89 µM, respectively. Mode of inhibition experiments and computational docking analyses indicated that ABT263 and ABT737 are competitive inhibitors, whereas AT101 and TW37 are noncompetitive inhibitors of the protease. With further evaluation, the identified inhibitors of the DENV NS2B/NS3 protease have the potential to be developed into specific anti-dengue therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiza N Saleem
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Summara Kousar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ammar Hassan Jiskani
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Sohail
- Department of Life Sciences, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Amir Faisal
- Department of Life Sciences, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saeed
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
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14
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Diani E, Lagni A, Lotti V, Tonon E, Cecchetto R, Gibellini D. Vector-Transmitted Flaviviruses: An Antiviral Molecules Overview. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2427. [PMID: 37894085 PMCID: PMC10608811 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102427] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses cause numerous pathologies in humans across a broad clinical spectrum with potentially severe clinical manifestations, including hemorrhagic and neurological disorders. Among human flaviviruses, some viral proteins show high conservation and are good candidates as targets for drug design. From an epidemiological point of view, flaviviruses cause more than 400 million cases of infection worldwide each year. In particular, the Yellow Fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika viruses have high morbidity and mortality-about an estimated 20,000 deaths per year. As they depend on human vectors, they have expanded their geographical range in recent years due to altered climatic and social conditions. Despite these epidemiological and clinical premises, there are limited antiviral treatments for these infections. In this review, we describe the major compounds that are currently under evaluation for the treatment of flavivirus infections and the challenges faced during clinical trials, outlining their mechanisms of action in order to present an overview of ongoing studies. According to our review, the absence of approved antivirals for flaviviruses led to in vitro and in vivo experiments aimed at identifying compounds that can interfere with one or more viral cycle steps. Still, the currently unavailability of approved antivirals poses a significant public health issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Diani
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Microbiology Section, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (A.L.); (V.L.); (R.C.)
| | - Anna Lagni
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Microbiology Section, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (A.L.); (V.L.); (R.C.)
| | - Virginia Lotti
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Microbiology Section, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (A.L.); (V.L.); (R.C.)
| | - Emil Tonon
- Unit of Microbiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Cecchetto
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Microbiology Section, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (A.L.); (V.L.); (R.C.)
- Unit of Microbiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Davide Gibellini
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Microbiology Section, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (A.L.); (V.L.); (R.C.)
- Unit of Microbiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
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15
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Santos LH, Rocha REO, Dias DL, Ribeiro BMRM, Serafim MSM, Abrahão JS, Ferreira RS. Evaluating Known Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease Inhibitor Scaffolds via In Silico Screening and Biochemical Assays. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1319. [PMID: 37765127 PMCID: PMC10537087 DOI: 10.3390/ph16091319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The NS2B-NS3 protease (NS2B-NS3pro) is regarded as an interesting molecular target for drug design, discovery, and development because of its essential role in the Zika virus (ZIKV) cycle. Although no NS2B-NS3pro inhibitors have reached clinical trials, the employment of drug-like scaffolds can facilitate the screening process for new compounds. In this study, we performed a combination of ligand-based and structure-based in silico methods targeting two known non-peptide small-molecule scaffolds with micromolar inhibitory activity against ZIKV NS2B-NS3pro by a virtual screening (VS) of promising compounds. Based on these two scaffolds, we selected 13 compounds from an initial library of 509 compounds from ZINC15's similarity search. These compounds exhibited structural modifications that are distinct from previously known compounds yet keep pertinent features for binding. Despite promising outcomes from molecular docking and initial enzymatic assays against NS2B-NS3pro, confirmatory assays with a counter-screening enzyme revealed an artifactual inhibition of the assessed compounds. However, we report two compounds, 9 and 11, that exhibited antiviral properties at a concentration of 50 μM in cellular-based assays. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the ongoing research on anti-ZIKV compounds to facilitate and improve the development of new inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucianna H. Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Rafael E. O. Rocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Diego L. Dias
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (M.S.M.S.)
| | - Beatriz M. R. M. Ribeiro
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mateus Sá M. Serafim
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (M.S.M.S.)
| | - Jônatas S. Abrahão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (M.S.M.S.)
| | - Rafaela S. Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
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16
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Ashraf-Uz-Zaman M, Li X, Yao Y, Mishra CB, Moku BK, Song Y. Quinazolinone Compounds Have Potent Antiviral Activity against Zika and Dengue Virus. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10746-10760. [PMID: 37506506 PMCID: PMC10463567 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses are important human pathogens, causing ∼100 million symptomatic infections each year. These infections carry a 20-fold increased incidence of serious neurological diseases, such as microcephaly in newborns (for ZIKV) and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Moreover, DENV can develop serious and possibly life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever in certain patients. Patients recovered from one of the four serotypes of DENV are still susceptible to other serotypes with a higher likelihood of serious disease because of antibody-dependent enhancement. Except for mosquito control, there have been no antiviral drugs to prevent and treat ZIKV/DENV infections. Phenotypic screening found that 2,3,6-trisubstituted quinazolinone compounds are novel inhibitors of ZIKV replication. Fifty-four analogues were synthesized, and their structure-activity relationships are discussed. Additional testing shows that compounds 22, 27, and 47 exhibited broad and potent activities against ZIKV and DENV with EC50 values as low as 86 nM with no significant cytotoxicity to mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ashraf-Uz-Zaman
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chandra Bhushan Mishra
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bala Krishna Moku
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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17
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Kandagalla S, Kumbar B, Novak J. Structural Modifications Introduced by NS2B Cofactor Binding to the NS3 Protease of the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10907. [PMID: 37446083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kyasanur Forest Disease virus (KFDV), a neglected human pathogenic virus, is a Flavivirus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. KFDV is transmitted to humans by the bite of the hard tick (Haemaphysalis spinigera), which acts as a reservoir of KFDV. The recent expansion of the endemic area of KFDV is of concern and requires the development of new preventive measures against KFDV. Currently, there is no antiviral therapy against KFDV, and the existing vaccine has limited efficacy. To develop a new antiviral therapy against KFDV, we focused on the nonstructural proteins NS2B and NS3 of KFDV, which are responsible for serine protease activity. Viral proteases have shown to be suitable therapeutic targets in the development of antiviral drugs against many diseases. However, success has been limited in flaviviruses, mainly because of the important features of the active site, which is flat and highly charged. In this context, the present study focuses on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 to identify potential allosteric sites in the NS2B/NS3 protease of KDFV. To our knowledge, there are no reports on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 in KFDV, and the crystal structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV has not yet been solved. Overall, we created the structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV using AlphaFold and performed molecular dynamics simulations with and without NS2B cofactor to investigate structural rearrangements due to cofactor binding and to identify alternative allosteric sites. The identified allosteric site is promising due to its geometric and physicochemical properties and druggability and can be used for new drug development. The applicability of the proposed allosteric binding sites was verified for the best-hit molecules from the virtual screening and MD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivananda Kandagalla
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Bhimanagoud Kumbar
- ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - Jurica Novak
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
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18
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Maus H, Hammerschmidt SJ, Hinze G, Barthels F, Pérez Carrillo VH, Hellmich UA, Basché T, Schirmeister T. The effects of allosteric and competitive inhibitors on ZIKV protease conformational dynamics explored through smFRET, nanoDSF, DSF, and 19F NMR. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115573. [PMID: 37379675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Zika and dengue viruses cause mosquito-borne diseases of high epidemic relevance. The viral NS2B-NS3 proteases play crucial roles in the pathogen replication cycle and are validated drug targets. They can adopt at least two conformations depending on the position of the NS2B cofactor. Recently, we reported ligand-induced conformational changes of dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease by single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Here, we investigated the conformational dynamics of the homologous Zika virus protease through an integrated methodological approach combining smFRET, thermal shift assays (DSF and nanoDSF) and 19F NMR spectroscopy. Our results show that allosteric inhibitors favor the open conformation and competitive inhibitors stabilize the closed conformation of the Zika virus protease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Maus
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan J Hammerschmidt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Gerald Hinze
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Fabian Barthels
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Victor H Pérez Carrillo
- Institute of Organic Chemistry & Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Ute A Hellmich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry & Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Basché
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (IPBW), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
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19
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van den Elsen K, Chew BLA, Ho JS, Luo D. Flavivirus nonstructural proteins and replication complexes as antiviral drug targets. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 59:101305. [PMID: 36870091 PMCID: PMC10023477 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Many flaviviruses are well-known pathogens, such as dengue, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and yellow fever viruses. Among them, dengue viruses cause global epidemics and threaten billions of people. Effective vaccines and antivirals are in desperate need. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in understanding viral nonstructural (NS) proteins as antiviral drug targets. We briefly summarize the experimental structures and predicted models of flaviviral NS proteins and their functions. We highlight a few well-characterized inhibitors targeting these NS proteins and provide an update about the latest development. NS4B emerges as one of the most promising drug targets as novel inhibitors targeting NS4B and its interaction network are entering clinical studies. Studies aiming to elucidate the architecture and molecular basis of viral replication will offer new opportunities for novel antiviral discovery. Direct-acting agents against dengue and other pathogenic flaviviruses may be available very soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaïn van den Elsen
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Bing Liang Alvin Chew
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Jun Sheng Ho
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Dahai Luo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore.
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20
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Delgado-Maldonado T, Moreno-Herrera A, Pujadas G, Vázquez-Jiménez LK, González-González A, Rivera G. Recent advances in the development of methyltransferase (MTase) inhibitors against (re)emerging arboviruses diseases dengue and Zika. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115290. [PMID: 36958266 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Abstract
Emerging and/or re-emerging viral diseases such as dengue and Zika are a worldwide concern. Therefore, new antiviral therapeutics are necessary. In this sense, a non-structural protein with methyltransferase (MTase) activity is an attractive drug target because it plays a crucial role in dengue and Zika virus replication. Different drug strategies such as virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics have identified new inhibitors that bind on the MTase active site. Therefore, in this review, we analyze MTase inhibitors, including S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH) and guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP) analogs, nitrogen-containing heterocycles (pyrimidine, adenosine, and pyridine), urea derivatives, and natural products. Advances in the design of MTase inhibitors could lead to the optimization of a possible single or broad-spectrum antiviral drug against dengue and Zika virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timoteo Delgado-Maldonado
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, Mexico
| | - Antonio Moreno-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, Mexico
| | - Gerard Pujadas
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lenci K Vázquez-Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, Mexico
| | - Alonzo González-González
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, Mexico
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, Mexico.
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21
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Norshidah H, Leow CH, Ezleen KE, Wahab HA, Vignesh R, Rasul A, Lai NS. Assessing the potential of NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitors biomarker in curbing dengue virus infections: In silico vs. In vitro approach. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1061937. [PMID: 36864886 PMCID: PMC9971573 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1061937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
An increase in the occurrence of viral infectious diseases is a global concern for human health. According to a WHO report, dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most common viral diseases affecting approximately 400 million people annually, with worsening symptoms in nearly 1% of cases. Both academic and industrial researchers have conducted numerous studies on viral epidemiology, virus structure and function, source and route of infection, treatment targets, vaccines, and drugs. The development of CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia® vaccine has been a major milestone in dengue treatment. However, evidence has shown that vaccines have some drawbacks and limitations. Therefore, researchers are developing dengue antivirals to curb infections. DENV NS2B/NS3 protease is a DENV enzyme essential for replication and virus assembly, making it an interesting antiviral target. For faster hit and lead recognition of DENV targets, methods to screen large number of molecules at lower costs are essential. Similarly, an integrated and multidisciplinary approach involving in silico screening and confirmation of biological activity is required. In this review, we discuss recent strategies for searching for novel DENV NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitors from the in silico and in vitro perspectives, either by applying one of the approaches or by integrating both. Therefore, we hope that our review will encourage researchers to integrate the best strategies and encourage further developments in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harun Norshidah
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia,Universiti Kuala Lumpur-Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia,*Correspondence: Harun Norshidah, ; Ramachandran Vignesh, ; Ngit Shin Lai,
| | - Chiuan Herng Leow
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | | | - Habibah A. Wahab
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ramachandran Vignesh
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur-Royal College of Medicine Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia,*Correspondence: Harun Norshidah, ; Ramachandran Vignesh, ; Ngit Shin Lai,
| | - Azhar Rasul
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ngit Shin Lai
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia,*Correspondence: Harun Norshidah, ; Ramachandran Vignesh, ; Ngit Shin Lai,
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22
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Structural Insights into Plasticity and Discovery of Flavonoid Allosteric Inhibitors of Flavivirus NS2B–NS3 Protease. BIOPHYSICA 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/biophysica3010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are among the most critical pathogens in tropical regions; they cause various severe diseases in developing countries but are not restricted to these countries. The development of antiviral therapeutics is crucial for managing flavivirus outbreaks. Ten proteins are encoded in the flavivirus RNA. The N2B–NS3pro protein complex plays a fundamental role in flavivirus replication and is a promising drug target; however, no flavivirus protease inhibitors have progressed to the preclinical stage. This study analyzed the structural models and plasticity of the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex of five medically important non-dengue flaviviruses (West Nile, Rocio, Ilhéus, yellow fever, and Saint Louis encephalitis). The flavonoids amentoflavone, tetrahydrorobustaflavone, and quercetin were selected for their exceptional binding energies as potential inhibitors of the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex. AutoDock Vina results ranged from −7.0 kcal/mol to −11.5 kcal/mol and the compounds preferentially acted non-competitively. Additionally, the first structural model for the NS2B–NS3pro protein complex was proposed for Ilhéus and Rocio viruses. The NS2B–NS3pro protease is an attractive molecular target for drug development. The three identified natural flavonoids showed great inhibitory potential against the viral species. Nevertheless, further in silico and in vitro studies are required to obtain more information regarding NS2B–NS3pro inhibition by these flavonoids and their therapeutic potential.
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23
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Zephyr J, Rao DN, Johnson C, Shaqra AM, Nalivaika EA, Jordan A, Kurt Yilmaz N, Ali A, Schiffer CA. Allosteric quinoxaline-based inhibitors of the flavivirus NS2B/NS3 protease. Bioorg Chem 2023; 131:106269. [PMID: 36446201 PMCID: PMC10155214 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Viruses from the Flavivirus genus infect millions of people worldwide and cause severe diseases, including recent epidemics of dengue virus (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV). There is currently no antiviral treatment against flavivirus infections, despite considerable efforts to develop inhibitors against essential viral enzymes including NS2B/NS3 protease. Targeting the flavivirus NS2B/NS3 protease proved to be challenging because of the conformational dynamics, topology, and electrostatic properties of the active site. Here, we report the identification of quinoxaline-based allosteric inhibitors by fragment-based drug discovery approach as a promising new drug-like scaffold to target the NS2B/NS3 protease. Enzymatic assays and mutational analysis of the allosteric site in ZIKV NS2B/NS3 protease support noncompetitive inhibition mechanism as well as engineered DENV protease construct indicating the compounds likely compete with the NS2B cofactor for binding to the protease domain. Furthermore, antiviral activity confirmed the therapeutic potential of this new inhibitor scaffold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Desaboini Nageswara Rao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Colby Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Ala M Shaqra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Ellen A Nalivaika
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Aria Jordan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States.
| | - Akbar Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States.
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States.
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24
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Maus H, Hinze G, Hammerschmidt SJ, Basché T, Schirmeister T. A competition smFRET assay to study ligand-induced conformational changes of the dengue virus protease. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4526. [PMID: 36461913 PMCID: PMC9793963 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4526] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Ligand binding to proteins often is accompanied by conformational transitions. Here, we describe a competition assay based on single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) to investigate the ligand-induced conformational changes of the dengue virus (DENV) NS2B-NS3 protease, which can adopt at least two different conformations. First, a competitive ligand was used to stabilize the closed conformation of the protease. Subsequent addition of the allosteric inhibitor reduced the fraction of the closed conformation and simultaneously increased the fraction of the open conformation, demonstrating that the allosteric inhibitor stabilizes the open conformation. In addition, the proportions of open and closed conformations at different concentrations of the allosteric inhibitor were used to determine its binding affinity to the protease. The KD value observed is in accordance with the IC50 determined in the fluorometric assay. Our novel approach appears to be a valuable tool to study conformational transitions of other proteases and enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Maus
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Gerald Hinze
- Department of ChemistryJohannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
| | | | - Thomas Basché
- Department of ChemistryJohannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
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25
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Mottin M, de Paula Sousa BK, de Moraes Roso Mesquita NC, de Oliveira KIZ, Noske GD, Sartori GR, de Oliveira Albuquerque A, Urbina F, Puhl AC, Moreira-Filho JT, Souza GE, Guido RV, Muratov E, Neves BJ, da Silva JHM, Clark AE, Siqueira-Neto JL, Perryman AL, Oliva G, Ekins S, Andrade CH. Discovery of New Zika Protease and Polymerase Inhibitors through the Open Science Collaboration Project OpenZika. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6825-6843. [PMID: 36239304 PMCID: PMC9923514 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurotropic arbovirus considered a global threat to public health. Although there have been several efforts in drug discovery projects for ZIKV in recent years, there are still no antiviral drugs approved to date. Here, we describe the results of a global collaborative crowdsourced open science project, the OpenZika project, from IBM's World Community Grid (WCG), which integrates different computational and experimental strategies for advancing a drug candidate for ZIKV. Initially, molecular docking protocols were developed to identify potential inhibitors of ZIKV NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5 RdRp), NS3 protease (NS2B-NS3pro), and NS3 helicase (NS3hel). Then, a machine learning (ML) model was built to distinguish active vs inactive compounds for the cytoprotective effect against ZIKV infection. We performed three independent target-based virtual screening campaigns (NS5 RdRp, NS2B-NS3pro, and NS3hel), followed by predictions by the ML model and other filters, and prioritized a total of 61 compounds for further testing in enzymatic and phenotypic assays. This yielded five non-nucleoside compounds which showed inhibitory activity against ZIKV NS5 RdRp in enzymatic assays (IC50 range from 0.61 to 17 μM). Two compounds thermally destabilized NS3hel and showed binding affinity in the micromolar range (Kd range from 9 to 35 μM). Moreover, the compounds LabMol-301 inhibited both NS5 RdRp and NS2B-NS3pro (IC50 of 0.8 and 7.4 μM, respectively) and LabMol-212 thermally destabilized the ZIKV NS3hel (Kd of 35 μM). Both also protected cells from death induced by ZIKV infection in in vitro cell-based assays. However, while eight compounds (including LabMol-301 and LabMol-212) showed a cytoprotective effect and prevented ZIKV-induced cell death, agreeing with our ML model for prediction of this cytoprotective effect, no compound showed a direct antiviral effect against ZIKV. Thus, the new scaffolds discovered here are promising hits for future structural optimization and for advancing the discovery of further drug candidates for ZIKV. Furthermore, this work has demonstrated the importance of the integration of computational and experimental approaches, as well as the potential of large-scale collaborative networks to advance drug discovery projects for neglected diseases and emerging viruses, despite the lack of available direct antiviral activity and cytoprotective effect data, that reflects on the assertiveness of the computational predictions. The importance of these efforts rests with the need to be prepared for future viral epidemic and pandemic outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Mottin
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna Katiele de Paula Sousa
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | | | | | - Gabriela Dias Noske
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Avenida João Dagnone, 1100, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13563-120, Brazil
| | | | | | - Fabio Urbina
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Ana C. Puhl
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - José Teófilo Moreira-Filho
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Guilherme E. Souza
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Avenida João Dagnone, 1100, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Rafael V.C. Guido
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Avenida João Dagnone, 1100, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Eugene Muratov
- University of North Carolina - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA
- Universidade Federal de Paraíba, Joao Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Bruno Junior Neves
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | | | - Alex E. Clark
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Alexander L. Perryman
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University–New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States
- Repare Therapeutics, 7210 Rue Frederick-Banting, Suite 100, Montreal, QC, H4S 2A1, Canada
| | - Glaucius Oliva
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Avenida João Dagnone, 1100, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
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26
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Hammerschmidt SJ, Huber S, Braun NJ, Lander M, Steinmetzer T, Kersten C. Thermodynamic characterization of a macrocyclic Zika virus NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitor and its acyclic analogs. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2022; 356:e2200518. [PMID: 36480352 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200518] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cyclization of small molecules is a widely applied strategy in drug design for ligand optimization to improve affinity, as it eliminates the putative need for structural preorganization of the ligand before binding, or to improve pharmacokinetic properties. In this work, we provide a deeper insight into the binding thermodynamics of a macrocyclic Zika virus NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitor and its linear analogs. Characterization of the thermodynamic binding profiles by isothermal titration calorimetry experiments revealed an unfavorable entropy of the macrocycle compared to the open linear reference ligands. Molecular dynamic simulations and X-ray crystal structure analysis indicated only minor benefits from macrocyclization to fixate a favorable conformation, while linear ligands retained some flexibility even in the protein-bound complex structure, possibly explaining the initially surprising effect of a higher entropic penalty for the macrocyclic ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan J Hammerschmidt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Simon Huber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Niklas J Braun
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Marc Lander
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Torsten Steinmetzer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christian Kersten
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
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27
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Dos Santos Nascimento IJ, da Silva Rodrigues ÉE, da Silva MF, de Araújo-Júnior JX, de Moura RO. Advances in Computational Methods to Discover New NS2B-NS3 Inhibitors Useful Against Dengue and Zika Viruses. Curr Top Med Chem 2022; 22:2435-2462. [PMID: 36415099 DOI: 10.2174/1568026623666221122121330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The Flaviviridae virus family consists of the genera Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, and Flavivirus, with approximately 70 viral types that use arthropods as vectors. Among these diseases, dengue (DENV) and zika virus (ZIKV) serotypes stand out, responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide. Due to the significant increase in cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared DENV a potential threat for 2019 due to being transmitted by infected travelers. Furthermore, ZIKV also has a high rate of transmissibility, highlighted in the outbreak in 2015, generating consequences such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly. According to clinical outcomes, those infected with DENV can be asymptomatic, and in other cases, it can be lethal. On the other hand, ZIKV has severe neurological symptoms in newborn babies and adults. More serious symptoms include microcephaly, brain calcifications, intrauterine growth restriction, and fetal death. Despite these worrying data, no drug or vaccine is approved to treat these diseases. In the drug discovery process, one of the targets explored against these diseases is the NS2B-NS3 complex, which presents the catalytic triad His51, Asp75, and Ser135, with the function of cleaving polyproteins, with specificity for basic amino acid residues, Lys- Arg, Arg-Arg, Arg-Lys or Gln-Arg. Since NS3 is highly conserved in all DENV serotypes and plays a vital role in viral replication, this complex is an excellent drug target. In recent years, computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) is increasingly essential in drug discovery campaigns, making the process faster and more cost-effective, mainly explained by discovering new drugs against DENV and ZIKV. Finally, the main advances in computational methods applied to discover new compounds against these diseases will be presented here. In fact, molecular dynamics simulations and virtual screening is the most explored approach, providing several hit and lead compounds that can be used in further optimizations. In addition, fragment-based drug design and quantum chemistry/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) provides new insights for developing anti-DENV/ZIKV drugs. We hope that this review offers further helpful information for researchers worldwide and stimulates the use of computational methods to find a promising drug for treating DENV and ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor José Dos Santos Nascimento
- Department of Pharmacy, Estácio of Alagoas College, Maceió, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacy, Cesmac University Center, Maceió, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacy, Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil
| | | | - Manuele Figueiredo da Silva
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - João Xavier de Araújo-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Olimpio de Moura
- Department of Pharmacy, Drug Development and Synthesis Laboratory, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil
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28
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Structure-based design of a novel inhibitor of the ZIKA virus NS2B/NS3 protease. Bioorg Chem 2022; 128:106109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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29
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Zika Virus Infection and Development of Drug Therapeutics. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2040059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging flavivirus that is associated with neurological complications, such as neuroinflammatory Guillain Barré Syndrome in adults and microcephaly in newborns, and remains a potentially significant and international public health concern. The World Health Organization is urging the development of novel antiviral therapeutic strategies against ZIKV, as there are no clinically approved vaccines or drugs against this virus. Given the public health crisis that is related to ZIKV cases in the last decade, efficient strategies should be identified rapidly to combat or treat ZIKV infection. Several promising strategies have been reported through drug repurposing studies, de novo design, and the high-throughput screening of compound libraries in only a few years. This review summarizes the genome and structure of ZIKV, viral life cycle, transmission cycle, clinical manifestations, cellular and animal models, and antiviral drug developments, with the goal of increasing our understanding of ZIKV and ultimately defeating it.
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30
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Jonniya NA, Kar P. Functional Loop Dynamics and Characterization of the Inactive State of the NS2B-NS3 Dengue Protease due to Allosteric Inhibitor Binding. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:3800-3813. [PMID: 35950997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dengue virus, a flavivirus that causes dengue shock syndrome and dengue hemorrhagic fever, is currently prevalent worldwide. A two-component protease (NS2B-NS3) is essential for maturation, representing an important target for designing anti-flavivirus drugs. Previously, consideration has been centered on developing active-site inhibitors of NS2B-NS3pro. However, the flat and charged nature of its active site renders difficulties in developing inhibitors, suggesting an alternative strategy for identifying allosteric inhibitors. The allosterically sensitive site of the dengue protease is located near Ala125, between the 120s loop and 150s loop. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we have explored the protease's conformational dynamics upon binding of an allosteric inhibitor. Furthermore, characterization of the inherent flexible loops (71-75s loop, 120s loop, and 150s loop) is carried out for allosteric-inhibitor-bound wild-type and mutant A125C variants and a comparison is performed with its unbound state to extract the structural changes describing the inactive state of the protease. Our study reveals that compared to the unliganded system, the inhibitor-bound system shows large structural changes in the 120s loop and 150s loop in contrast to the rigid 71-75s loop. The unliganded system shows a closed-state pocket in contrast to the open state for the wild-type complex that locks the protease into the open and inactive-state conformations. However, the mutant complex fluctuates between open and closed states. Also, we tried to see how mutation and binding of an allosteric inhibitor perturb the connectivity in a protein structure network (PSN) at contact levels. Altogether, our study reveals the mechanism of conformational rearrangements of loops at the molecular level, locking the protein in an inactive conformation, which may be useful for developing allosteric inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
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31
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da Costa RA, da Rocha JAP, Pinheiro AS, da Costa ADSS, da Rocha ECM, Silva RC, Gonçalves ADS, Santos CBR, Brasil DDSB. A Computational Approach Applied to the Study of Potential Allosteric Inhibitors Protease NS2B/NS3 from Dengue Virus. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27134118. [PMID: 35807364 PMCID: PMC9268547 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27134118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a danger to more than 400 million people in the world, and there is no specific treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an effective method to combat this pathology. NS2B/NS3 protease is an important biological target due it being necessary for viral replication and the fact that it promotes the spread of the infection. Thus, this study aimed to design DENV NS2B/NS3pro allosteric inhibitors from a matrix compound. The search was conducted using the Swiss Similarity tool. The compounds were subjected to molecular docking calculations, molecular dynamics simulations (MD) and free energy calculations. The molecular docking results showed that two compounds, ZINC000001680989 and ZINC000001679427, were promising and performed important hydrogen interactions with the Asn152, Leu149 and Ala164 residues, showing the same interactions obtained in the literature. In the MD, the results indicated that five residues, Lys74, Leu76, Asn152, Leu149 and Ala166, contribute to the stability of the ligand at the allosteric site for all of the simulated systems. Hydrophobic, electrostatic and van der Waals interactions had significant effects on binding affinity. Physicochemical properties, lipophilicity, water solubility, pharmacokinetics, druglikeness and medicinal chemistry were evaluated for four compounds that were more promising, showed negative indices for the potential penetration of the Blood Brain Barrier and expressed high human intestinal absorption, indicating a low risk of central nervous system depression or drowsiness as the the side effects. The compound ZINC000006694490 exhibited an alert with a plausible level of toxicity for the purine base chemical moiety, indicating hepatotoxicity and chromosome damage in vivo in mouse, rat and human organisms. All of the compounds selected in this study showed a synthetic accessibility (SA) score lower than 4, suggesting the ease of new syntheses. The results corroborate with other studies in the literature, and the computational approach used here can contribute to the discovery of new and potent anti-dengue agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato A. da Costa
- Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.S.P.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará Campus Castanhal, Castanhal 68740-970, PA, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-91-985484622
| | - João A. P. da Rocha
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará—Campus Bragança, Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil; (J.A.P.d.R.); (E.C.M.d.R.)
| | - Alan S. Pinheiro
- Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.S.P.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
| | - Andréia do S. S. da Costa
- Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.S.P.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
| | - Elaine C. M. da Rocha
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará—Campus Bragança, Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil; (J.A.P.d.R.); (E.C.M.d.R.)
| | - Rai. C. Silva
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, SP, Brazil;
| | - Arlan da S. Gonçalves
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Espírito Santo, Vila Velha 29106-010, ES, Brazil;
| | - Cleydson B. R. Santos
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, AP, Brazil;
| | - Davi do S. B. Brasil
- Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.S.P.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
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32
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Mirza MU, Alanko I, Vanmeert M, Muzzarelli KM, Salo-Ahen OMH, Abdullah I, Kovari IA, Claes S, De Jonghe S, Schols D, Schinazi RF, Kovari LC, Trant JF, Ahmad S, Froeyen M. The discovery of Zika virus NS2B-NS3 inhibitors with antiviral activity via an integrated virtual screening approach. Eur J Pharm Sci 2022; 175:106220. [PMID: 35618201 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2022.106220] [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: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
With expanding recent outbreaks and a lack of treatment options, the Zika virus (ZIKV) poses a severe health concern. The availability of ZIKV NS2B-NS3 co-crystallized structures paved the way for rational drug discovery. A computer-aided structure-based approach was used to screen a diverse library of compounds against ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease. The top hits were selected based on various binding free energy calculations followed by per-residue decomposition analysis. The selected hits were then evaluated for their biological potential with ZIKV protease inhibition assay and antiviral activity. Among 26 selected compounds, 8 compounds showed promising activity against ZIKV protease with a percentage inhibition of greater than 25 and 3 compounds displayed ∼50% at 10 µM, which indicates an enrichment rate of approximately 36% (threshold IC50 < 10 µM) in the ZIKV-NS2B-NS3 protease inhibition assay. Of these, only one compound (23) produced whole-cell anti-ZIKV activity, and the binding mode of 23 was extensively analyzed through long-run molecular dynamics simulations. The current study provides a promising starting point for the further development of novel compounds against ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Usman Mirza
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49, box 1041, Leuven 3000, Belgium; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor N9B 3P4, ON, Canada
| | - Ida Alanko
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Michiel Vanmeert
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49, box 1041, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Kendall M Muzzarelli
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit 48201, MI, USA
| | - Outi M H Salo-Ahen
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Iskandar Abdullah
- Drug Design Development Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Iulia A Kovari
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit 48201, MI, USA
| | - Sandra Claes
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, box 1043, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, box 1043, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Schols
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, box 1043, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raymond F Schinazi
- Center for AIDS Research, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta 30322, GA, USA
| | - Ladislau C Kovari
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit 48201, MI, USA
| | - John F Trant
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor N9B 3P4, ON, Canada
| | - Sarfraz Ahmad
- Drug Design Development Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Matheus Froeyen
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49, box 1041, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
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Cationic Geminoid Peptide Amphiphiles Inhibit DENV2 Protease, Furin, and Viral Replication. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27103217. [PMID: 35630694 PMCID: PMC9143577 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27103217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Dengue is an important arboviral infectious disease for which there is currently no specific cure. We report gemini-like (geminoid) alkylated amphiphilic peptides containing lysines in combination with glycines or alanines (C15H31C(O)-Lys-(Gly or Ala)nLys-NHC16H33, shorthand notation C16-KXnK-C16 with X = A or G, and n = 0–2). The representatives with 1 or 2 Ala inhibit dengue protease and human furin, two serine proteases involved in dengue virus infection that have peptides with cationic amino acids as their preferred substrates, with IC50 values in the lower µM range. The geminoid C16-KAK-C16 combined inhibition of DENV2 protease (IC50 2.3 µM) with efficacy against replication of wildtype DENV2 in LLC-MK2 cells (EC50 4.1 µM) and an absence of toxicity. We conclude that the lysine-based geminoids have activity against dengue virus infection, which is based on their inhibition of the proteases involved in viral replication and are therefore promising leads to further developing antiviral therapeutics, not limited to dengue.
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Huber S, Braun NJ, Schmacke LC, Quek JP, Murra R, Bender D, Hildt E, Luo D, Heine A, Steinmetzer T. Structure-Based Optimization and Characterization of Macrocyclic Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6555-6572. [PMID: 35475620 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a human pathogenic arbovirus. So far, neither a specific treatment nor a vaccination against ZIKV infections has been approved. Starting from our previously described lead structure, a series of 29 new macrocyclic inhibitors of the Zika virus protease containing different linker motifs have been synthesized. By selecting hydrophobic d-amino acids as part of the linker, numerous inhibitors with Ki values < 5 nM were obtained. For 12 inhibitors, crystal structures in complex with the ZIKV protease up to 1.30 Å resolution were determined, which contribute to the understanding of the observed structure-activity relationship (SAR). In immunofluorescence assays, an antiviral effect was observed for compound 26 containing a d-homocyclohexylalanine residue in its linker segment. Due to its excellent selectivity profile and low cytotoxicity, this inhibitor scaffold could be a suitable starting point for the development of peptidic drugs against the Zika virus and related flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Huber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Niklas J Braun
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Luna C Schmacke
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Jun Ping Quek
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921.,NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921
| | - Robin Murra
- Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Daniela Bender
- Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Eberhard Hildt
- Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Dahai Luo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921.,NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551
| | - Andreas Heine
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Torsten Steinmetzer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
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Discovery of Bispecific Lead Compounds from Azadirachta indica against ZIKA NS2B-NS3 Protease and NS5 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase Using Molecular Simulations. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27082562. [PMID: 35458761 PMCID: PMC9025849 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27082562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) has been characterized as one of many potential pathogens and placed under future epidemic outbreaks by the WHO. However, a lack of potential therapeutics can result in an uncontrolled pandemic as with other human pandemic viruses. Therefore, prioritized effective therapeutics development has been recommended against ZIKV. In this context, the present study adopted a strategy to explore the lead compounds from Azadirachta indica against ZIKV via concurrent inhibition of the NS2B-NS3 protease (ZIKVpro) and NS5 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (ZIKVRdRp) proteins using molecular simulations. Initially, structure-based virtual screening of 44 bioflavonoids reported in Azadirachta indica against the crystal structures of targeted ZIKV proteins resulted in the identification of the top four common bioflavonoids, viz. Rutin, Nicotiflorin, Isoquercitrin, and Hyperoside. These compounds showed substantial docking energy (−7.9 to −11.01 kcal/mol) and intermolecular interactions with essential residues of ZIKVpro (B:His51, B:Asp75, and B:Ser135) and ZIKVRdRp (Asp540, Ile799, and Asp665) by comparison to the reference compounds, O7N inhibitor (ZIKVpro) and Sofosbuvir inhibitor (ZIKVRdRp). Besides, long interval molecular dynamics simulation (500 ns) on the selected docked poses reveals stability of the respective docked poses contributed by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The predicted complex stability was further supported by calculated end-point binding free energy using molecular mechanics generalized born surface area (MM/GBSA) method. Consequently, the identified common bioflavonoids are recommended as promising therapeutic inhibitors of ZIKVpro and ZIKVRdRp against ZIKV for further experimental assessment.
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Li Z, Xu J, Lang Y, Wu X, Hu S, Samrat SK, Tharappel AM, Kuo L, Butler D, Song Y, Zhang QY, Zhou J, Li H. In vitro and in vivo characterization of erythrosin B and derivatives against Zika virus. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:1662-1670. [PMID: 35847519 PMCID: PMC9279632 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) causes significant human diseases without specific therapy. Previously we found erythrosin B, an FDA-approved food additive, inhibited viral NS2B−NS3 interactions, leading to inhibition of ZIKV infection in cell culture. In this study, we performed pharmacokinetic and in vivo studies to demonstrate the efficacy of erythrosin B against ZIKV in 3D mini-brain organoid and mouse models. Our results showed that erythrosin B is very effective in abolishing ZIKV replication in the 3D organoid model. Although pharmacokinetics studies indicated that erythrosin B had a low absorption profile, mice challenged by a lethal dose of ZIKV showed a significantly improved survival rate upon oral administration of erythrosin B, compared to vehicle control. Limited structure−activity relationship studies indicated that most analogs of erythrosin B with modifications on the xanthene ring led to loss or reduction of inhibitory activities towards viral NS2B−NS3 interactions, protease activity and antiviral efficacy. In contrast, introducing chlorine substitutions on the isobenzofuran ring led to slightly increased activities, suggesting that the isobenzofuran ring is well tolerated for modifications. Cytotoxicity studies indicated that all derivatives are nontoxic to human cells. Overall, our studies demonstrated erythrosin B is an effective antiviral against ZIKV both in vitro and in vivo.
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Chalcones from Angelica keiskei (ashitaba) inhibit key Zika virus replication proteins. Bioorg Chem 2022; 120:105649. [PMID: 35124513 PMCID: PMC9187613 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a dangerous human pathogen and no antiviral drugs have been approved to date. The chalcones are a group of small molecules that are found in a number of different plants, including Angelica keiskei Koidzumi, also known as ashitaba. To examine chalcone anti-ZIKV activity, three chalcones, 4-hydroxyderricin (4HD), xanthoangelol (XA), and xanthoangelol-E (XA-E), were purified from a methanol-ethyl acetate extract from A. keiskei. Molecular and ensemble docking predicted that these chalcones would establish multiple interactions with residues in the catalytic and allosteric sites of ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease, and in the allosteric site of the NS5 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp). Machine learning models also predicted 4HD, XA and XA-E as potential anti-ZIKV inhibitors. Enzymatic and kinetic assays confirmed chalcone inhibition of the ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease allosteric site with IC50s from 18 to 50 µM. Activity assays also revealed that XA, but not 4HD or XA-E, inhibited the allosteric site of the RdRp, with an IC50 of 6.9 µM. Finally, we tested these chalcones for their anti-viral activity in vitro with Vero cells. 4HD and XA-E displayed anti-ZIKV activity with EC50 values of 6.6 and 22.0 µM, respectively, while XA displayed relatively weak anti-ZIKV activity with whole cells. With their simple structures and relative ease of modification, the chalcones represent attractive candidates for hit-to-lead optimization in the search of new anti-ZIKV therapeutics.
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Samrat SK, Xu J, Li Z, Zhou J, Li H. Antiviral Agents against Flavivirus Protease: Prospect and Future Direction. Pathogens 2022; 11:293. [PMID: 35335617 PMCID: PMC8955721 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses cause a significant amount of mortality and morbidity, especially in regions where they are endemic. A recent example is the outbreak of Zika virus throughout the world. Development of antiviral drugs against different viral targets is as important as the development of vaccines. During viral replication, a single polyprotein precursor (PP) is produced and further cleaved into individual proteins by a viral NS2B-NS3 protease complex together with host proteases. Flavivirus protease is one of the most attractive targets for development of therapeutic antivirals because it is essential for viral PP processing, leading to active viral proteins. In this review, we have summarized recent development in drug discovery targeting the NS2B-NS3 protease of flaviviruses, especially Zika, dengue, and West Nile viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh K. Samrat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (S.K.S.); (Z.L.)
| | - Jimin Xu
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; (J.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (S.K.S.); (Z.L.)
| | - Jia Zhou
- Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; (J.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, 1703 E Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (S.K.S.); (Z.L.)
- BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Dorjsuren D, Eastman RT, Song MJ, Yasgar A, Chen Y, Bharti K, Zakharov AV, Jadhav A, Ferrer M, Shi PY, Simeonov A. A platform of assays for the discovery of anti-Zika small-molecules with activity in a 3D-bioprinted outer-blood-retina model. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261821. [PMID: 35041689 PMCID: PMC8765781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The global health emergency posed by the outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV), an arthropod-borne flavivirus causing severe neonatal neurological conditions, has subsided, but there continues to be transmission of ZIKV in endemic regions. As such, there is still a medical need for discovering and developing therapeutical interventions against ZIKV. To identify small-molecule compounds that inhibit ZIKV disease and transmission, we screened multiple small-molecule collections, mostly derived from natural products, for their ability to inhibit wild-type ZIKV. As a primary high-throughput screen, we used a viral cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition assay conducted in Vero cells that was optimized and miniaturized to a 1536-well format. Suitably active compounds identified from the primary screen were tested in a panel of orthogonal assays using recombinant Zika viruses, including a ZIKV Renilla luciferase reporter assay and a ZIKV mCherry reporter system. Compounds that were active in the wild-type ZIKV inhibition and ZIKV reporter assays were further evaluated for their inhibitory effects against other flaviviruses. Lastly, we demonstrated that wild-type ZIKV is able to infect a 3D-bioprinted outer-blood-retina barrier tissue model and disrupt its barrier function, as measured by electrical resistance. One of the identified compounds (3-Acetyl-13-deoxyphomenone, NCGC00380955) was able to prevent the pathological effects of the viral infection on this clinically relevant ZIKV infection model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorjbal Dorjsuren
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Richard T. Eastman
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Min Jae Song
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Adam Yasgar
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yuchi Chen
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kapil Bharti
- Unit on Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alexey V. Zakharov
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ajit Jadhav
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Marc Ferrer
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States of America
| | - Anton Simeonov
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Santos NP, Santos LH, Torquato Quezado de Magalhães M, Lei J, Hilgenfeld R, Salgado Ferreira R, Bleicher L. Characterization of an Allosteric Pocket in Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:945-957. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Naiá Porã Santos
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Lucianna Helene Santos
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mariana Torquato Quezado de Magalhães
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Jian Lei
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Lübeck 23562, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, University of Lübeck, Lübeck 23562, Germany
| | - Rolf Hilgenfeld
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Lübeck 23562, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, University of Lübeck, Lübeck 23562, Germany
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Lucas Bleicher
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
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Coelho C, Gallo G, Hardy L, Bottazzi ME, Campos C, Wurtele M. Biochemical Screening of Potent Zika Virus Protease Inhibitors. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202100695. [PMID: 35104396 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100695] [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: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
As the Zika virus protease is an essential and well-established target for the development of antiviral agents, we here have biochemically screened for inhibitors using a purified recombinantly expressed form of this enzyme. As a result, we were able to identify 10 new Zika virus protease inhibitors. These compounds are natural products and showed strong inhibition in the biochemical assays. Inhibitory constants values for the compounds ranged from 5 nM to 8 μM. Among the most potent inhibitors are flavonoids like irigenol hexa-acetate (K i = 0.28 μM), katacine (K i = 0.26 μM), theaflavin gallate (K i = 0.40 μM) and hematein (K i = 0.33 μM). Inhibitors from other groups of natural products include sennoside A (K i = 0.19 μM) and gossypol (K i = 0.70 μM). Several of the obtained compounds are known for their beneficial health effects and have acceptable pharmacokinetic characteristics. Thus, they could be of interest as lead compounds for the development of important and essential Zika antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Coelho
- Federal University of São Paulo, Science and Technology, BRAZIL
| | - Gloria Gallo
- Federal University of Sao Paulo, Science and Technology, Av Talim 330, Sao Paulo, 12231-280, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
| | - Leon Hardy
- University of South Florida, Physics, UNITED STATES
| | | | - Claudia Campos
- Federal University of Sao Paulo, Science and Technology, Talim 330, São José dos Campos, 12231-280, São José dos Campos, BRAZIL
| | - Martin Wurtele
- UNIFESP: Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Science and Technology, Talim 330, 12231-280, São José dos Campos, BRAZIL
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Dang M, Lim L, Roy A, Song J. Myricetin Allosterically Inhibits the Dengue NS2B-NS3 Protease by Disrupting the Active and Locking the Inactive Conformations. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:2798-2808. [PMID: 35097276 PMCID: PMC8793048 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The dengue NS2B-NS3 protease existing in equilibrium between the active and inactive forms is essential for virus replication, thus representing a key drug target. Here, myricetin, a plant flavonoid, was characterized to noncompetitively inhibit the dengue protease. Further NMR study identified the protease residues perturbed by binding to myricetin, which were utilized to construct the myricetin-protease complexes. Strikingly, in the active form, myricetin binds to a new allosteric site (AS2) far away from the active site pocket and the allosteric site (AS1) for binding curcumin, while in the inactive form, it binds to both AS1 and AS2. To decipher the mechanism for the allosteric inhibition by myricetin, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations on different forms of dengue NS2B-NS3 proteases. Unexpectedly, the binding of myricetin to AS2 is sufficient to disrupt the active conformation by displacing the characteristic NS2B C-terminal β-hairpin from the active site pocket. By contrast, the binding of myricetin to AS1 and AS2 results in locking the inactive conformation. Therefore, myricetin represents the first small molecule, which allosterically inhibits the dengue protease by both disrupting the active conformation and locking the inactive conformation. The results enforce the notion that a global allosteric network exists in the dengue NS2B-NS3 protease, which is susceptible to allosteric inhibition by small molecules such as myricetin and curcumin. As myricetin has been extensively used as a food additive, it might be directly utilized to fight the dengue infections and as a promising starting material for further design of potent allosteric inhibitors.
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Pérez-Pérez MJ, Saiz JC, Priego EM, Martín-Acebes MA. Antivirals against (Re)emerging Flaviviruses: Should We Target the Virus or the Host? ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:5-10. [PMID: 35059112 PMCID: PMC8762743 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID pandemic has evidenced how vulnerable we are to emerging infectious diseases and how short our current armamentarium is. Flavivirus, single stranded RNA viruses transmitted by arthropods, are considered a global health challenge. No drugs to treat these infections have been approved. In this Viewpoint, we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of two different, but probably also complementary, therapeutic approaches: virus-targeting antivirals and host-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan-Carlos Saiz
- Departamento
de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional
de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria
(INIA-CSIC), Carretera de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva-María Priego
- Instituto
de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), c/Juan de la Cierva 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Martín-Acebes
- Departamento
de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional
de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria
(INIA-CSIC), Carretera de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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44
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In silico identification of novel allosteric inhibitors of dengue virus NS2B/NS3 serine protease. JOURNAL OF THE SERBIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2022. [DOI: 10.2298/jsc210929011d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although dengue is a disease that affects more than 100 countries and puts
almost 400 million lives at risk each year, there is no approved antiviral
in the treatment of this pathology. In this context, proteases are potential
biological targets since they are essential in the replication process of
this virus. In this study, a library of more than 3,000 structures was used
to explore the allosteric inhibition of the NS2B/NS3 protease complex
using Consensual Docking techniques. The results show four best ranked
structures that were selected for molecular dynamics and free energy
simulations. Our analysis corroborate with other studies (experimental and
theoretical) presented in the literature. Thus, the computational approach
used here proved to be useful for planning new inhibitors in the combat
against Dengue disease.
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Wahaab A, Mustafa BE, Hameed M, Stevenson NJ, Anwar MN, Liu K, Wei J, Qiu Y, Ma Z. Potential Role of Flavivirus NS2B-NS3 Proteases in Viral Pathogenesis and Anti-flavivirus Drug Discovery Employing Animal Cells and Models: A Review. Viruses 2021; 14:44. [PMID: 35062249 PMCID: PMC8781031 DOI: 10.3390/v14010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses are known to cause a variety of diseases in humans in different parts of the world. There are very limited numbers of antivirals to combat flavivirus infection, and therefore new drug targets must be explored. The flavivirus NS2B-NS3 proteases are responsible for the cleavage of the flavivirus polyprotein, which is necessary for productive viral infection and for causing clinical infections; therefore, they are a promising drug target for devising novel drugs against different flaviviruses. This review highlights the structural details of the NS2B-NS3 proteases of different flaviviruses, and also describes potential antiviral drugs that can interfere with the viral protease activity, as determined by various studies. Moreover, optimized in vitro reaction conditions for studying the NS2B-NS3 proteases of different flaviviruses may vary and have been incorporated in this review. The increasing availability of the in silico and crystallographic/structural details of flavivirus NS2B-NS3 proteases in free and drug-bound states can pave the path for the development of promising antiflavivirus drugs to be used in clinics. However, there is a paucity of information available on using animal cells and models for studying flavivirus NS2B-NS3 proteases, as well as on the testing of the antiviral drug efficacy against NS2B-NS3 proteases. Therefore, on the basis of recent studies, an effort has also been made to propose potential cellular and animal models for the study of flavivirus NS2B-NS3 proteases for the purposes of exploring flavivirus pathogenesis and for testing the efficacy of possible drugs targets, in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Wahaab
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Bahar E Mustafa
- Sub Campus Toba Tek Singh, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 36050, Pakistan;
| | - Muddassar Hameed
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, State University, Fralin Life Sciences Building, 360 W Campus Blacksburg, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Nigel J. Stevenson
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Adliya 15503, Bahrain;
- Viral Immunology Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02 R590 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Muhammad Naveed Anwar
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Ke Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Jianchao Wei
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Yafeng Qiu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Zhiyong Ma
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 200241, China; (A.W.); (M.H.); (M.N.A.); (K.L.); (J.W.)
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Schroeder B, Demirel P, Fischer C, Masri E, Kallis S, Redl L, Rudolf T, Bergemann S, Arkona C, Nitsche C, Bartenschlager R, Rademann J. Nanoparticular Inhibitors of Flavivirus Proteases from Zika, West Nile and Dengue Virus Are Cell-Permeable Antivirals. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1955-1961. [PMID: 34917260 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral proteases have been established as drug targets in several viral diseases including human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus infections due to the essential role of these enzymes in virus replication. In contrast, no antiviral therapy is available to date against flaviviral infections including those by Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), or dengue virus (DENV). Numerous potent inhibitors of flaviviral proteases have been reported; however, a huge gap remains between the in vitro and intracellular activities, possibly due to low cellular uptake of the charged compounds. Here, we present an alternative, nanoparticular approach to antivirals. Conjugation of peptidomimetic inhibitors and cell-penetrating peptides to dextran yielded chemically defined nanoparticles that were potent inhibitors of flaviviral proteases. Peptide-dextran conjugates inhibited viral replication and infection in cells at nontoxic, low micromolar or even nanomolar concentrations. Thus, nanoparticular antivirals might be alternative starting points for the development of broad-spectrum antiflaviviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Schroeder
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Demirel
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Fischer
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Enaam Masri
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kallis
- Department for Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Heidelberg partner site, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Redl
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Rudolf
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Bergemann
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Arkona
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Nitsche
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department for Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Heidelberg partner site, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Rademann
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 + 4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Franko N, Teixeira AP, Xue S, Charpin-El Hamri G, Fussenegger M. Design of modular autoproteolytic gene switches responsive to anti-coronavirus drug candidates. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6786. [PMID: 34811361 PMCID: PMC8609006 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27072-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The main (Mpro) and papain-like (PLpro) proteases encoded by SARS-CoV-2 are essential to process viral polyproteins into functional units, thus representing key targets for anti-viral drug development. There is a need for an efficient inhibitor screening system that can identify drug candidates in a cellular context. Here we describe modular, tunable autoproteolytic gene switches (TAGS) relying on synthetic transcription factors that self-inactivate, unless in the presence of coronavirus protease inhibitors, consequently activating transgene expression. TAGS rapidly report the impact of drug candidates on Mpro and PLpro activities with a high signal-to-noise response and a sensitivity matching concentration ranges inhibiting viral replication. The modularity of the TAGS enabled the study of other Coronaviridae proteases, characterization of mutations and multiplexing of gene switches in human cells. Mice implanted with Mpro or PLpro TAGS-engineered cells enabled analysis of the activity and bioavailability of protease inhibitors in vivo in a virus-free setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nik Franko
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana Palma Teixeira
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shuai Xue
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ghislaine Charpin-El Hamri
- Département Génie Biologique, Institut Universitaire de Technologie, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69622, Villeurbanne, Cedex, France
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Faculty of Life Science, Basel, Switzerland.
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48
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Abstract
Viral proteases are diverse in structure, oligomeric state, catalytic mechanism, and substrate specificity. This chapter focuses on proteases from viruses that are relevant to human health: human immunodeficiency virus subtype 1 (HIV-1), hepatitis C (HCV), human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), flaviviruses, enteroviruses, and coronaviruses. The proteases of HIV-1 and HCV have been successfully targeted for therapeutics, with picomolar FDA-approved drugs currently used in the clinic. The proteases of HTLV-1 and the other virus families remain emerging therapeutic targets at different stages of the drug development process. This chapter provides an overview of the current knowledge on viral protease structure, mechanism, substrate recognition, and inhibition. Particular focus is placed on recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of diverse substrate recognition and resistance, which is essential toward designing novel protease inhibitors as antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Celia A Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
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49
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High throughput screening identifies inhibitors for parvovirus B19 infection of human erythroid progenitor cells. J Virol 2021; 96:e0132621. [PMID: 34669461 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01326-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection can cause hematological disorders and fetal hydrops during pregnancy. Currently, no antivirals or vaccines are available for the treatment or the prevention of B19V infection. To identify novel small-molecule antivirals against B19V replication, we developed a high throughput screening assay, which is based on an in vitro nicking assay using recombinant N-terminal 1-176 amino acids of the viral large nonstructural protein (NS1N) and a fluorescently labeled DNA probe (OriQ) that spans the nicking site of the viral DNA replication origin. We collectively screened 17,040 compounds and identified 2,178 (12.78%) hits that possess >10% inhibition of the NS1 nicking activity, among which 84 hits were confirmed to inhibit nicking in a dose-dependent manner. Using ex vivo expanded primary human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) infected by B19V, we validated 24 compounds demonstrated >50% in vivo inhibition of B19V infection at 10 μM, which can be categorized into 7 structure scaffolds. Based on the therapeutic index [half maximal cytotoxic concentration (CC50)/half maximal effective concentration (EC50)] in EPCs, the top 4 compounds were chosen to examine their inhibitions of B19V infection in EPCs at two times of the 90% maximal effective concentration (EC90). A purine derivative (P7), demonstrated an antiviral effect (EC50=1.46 μM) without prominent cytotoxicity (CC50=71.8 μM) in EPCs, exhibited 92% inhibition of B19V infection in EPCs at 3.32 μM, which can be used as the lead compound in future studies for the treatment of B19V infection caused hematological disorders. Importance B19V encodes a large non-structural protein NS1. Its N-terminal domain (NS1N) consisting of 1-176 amino acids binds to viral DNA and serves as an endonuclease to nick the viral DNA replication origins, which is a pivotal step in rolling hairpin-dependent B19V DNA replication. For high throughput screening (HTS) of anti-B19V antivirals, we miniaturized a fluorescence-based in vitro nicking assay, which employs a fluorophore-labeled probe spanning the trs and the NS1N protein, into a 384-well plate format. The HTS assay showed a high reliability and capability in screening 17,040 compounds. Based on the therapeutic index [half maximal cytotoxic concentration (CC50)/half maximal effective concentration (EC50)] in EPCs, a purine derivative demonstrated an antiviral effect of 92% inhibition of B19V infection in EPCs at 3.32 μM (two times EC90). Our study demonstrated a robust HTS assay for screening antivirals against B19V infection.
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50
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Guo X, Zhao K, Liu X, Lei B, Zhang W, Li X, Yuan W. Construction and Generation of a Recombinant Senecavirus a Stably Expressing the NanoLuc Luciferase for Quantitative Antiviral Assay. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:745502. [PMID: 34659180 PMCID: PMC8517534 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.745502] [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: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Senecavirus A (SVA), also known as Seneca Valley virus, is a recently emerged picornavirus that can cause swine vesicular disease, posing a great threat to the global swine industry. A recombinant reporter virus (rSVA-Nluc) stably expressing the nanoluciferase (Nluc) gene between SVA 2A and 2B was developed to rapidly detect anti-SVA neutralizing antibodies and establish a high-throughput screen for antiviral agents. This recombinant virus displayed similar growth kinetics as the parental virus and remained stable for more than 10 passages in BHK-21 cells. As a proof-of-concept for its utility for rapid antiviral screening, this reporter virus was used to rapidly quantify anti-SVA neutralizing antibodies in 13 swine sera samples and screen for antiviral agents, including interferons ribavirin and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Subsequently, interfering RNAs targeting different regions of the SVA genome were screened using the reporter virus. This reporter virus (rSVA-Nluc) represents a useful tool for rapid and quantitative screening and evaluation of antivirals against SVA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoran Guo
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Kuan Zhao
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiaona Liu
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Baishi Lei
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Wuchao Zhang
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiuli Li
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Wanzhe Yuan
- College of Animal Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China.,Hebei Veterinary Biotechnology Innovation Center, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China.,North China Research Center of Animal Epidemic Pathogen Biology, China Agriculture Ministry, Baoding, China
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