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Cheng S, Feng Y, Li W, Liu T, Lv X, Tong X, Xi G, Ye X, Li X. Development of novel antivrial agents that induce the degradation of the main protease of human-infecting coronaviruses. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 275:116629. [PMID: 38941718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116629] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The family of human-infecting coronaviruses (HCoVs) poses a serious threat to global health and includes several highly pathogenic strains that cause severe respiratory illnesses. It is essential that we develop effective broad-spectrum anti-HCoV agents to prepare for future outbreaks. In this study, we used PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology focused on degradation of the HCoV main protease (Mpro), a conserved enzyme essential for viral replication and pathogenicity. By adapting the Mpro inhibitor GC376, we produced two novel PROTACs, P2 and P3, which showed relatively broad-spectrum activity against the human-infecting CoVs HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2. The concentrations of these PROTACs that reduced virus replication by 50 % ranged from 0.71 to 4.6 μM, and neither showed cytotoxicity at 100 μM. Furthermore, mechanistic binding studies demonstrated that P2 and P3 effectively targeted HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2 by degrading Mpro within cells in vitro. This study highlights the potential of PROTAC technology in the development of broad-spectrum anti-HCoVs agents, presenting a novel approach for dealing with future viral outbreaks, particularly those stemming from CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuihong Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 101408, China.
| | - Yong Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Wei Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Tong Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Xun Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Xiaomei Tong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Gan Xi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Xin Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xuebing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 101408, China.
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2
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Yuda GPWC, Hanif N, Hermawan A. Computational Screening Using a Combination of Ligand-Based Machine Learning and Molecular Docking Methods for the Repurposing of Antivirals Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Daru 2024; 32:47-65. [PMID: 37907683 PMCID: PMC11087449 DOI: 10.1007/s40199-023-00484-w] [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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a close relative of SARS-CoV. Several studies have searched for COVID-19 therapies. The topics of these works ranged from vaccine discovery to natural products targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), a potential therapeutic target due to its essential role in replication and conserved sequences. However, published research on this target is limited, presenting an opportunity for drug discovery and development. METHOD This study aims to repurpose 10692 drugs in DrugBank by using ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) machine learning (ML) with Konstanz Information Miner (KNIME) to seek potential therapeutics based on Mpro inhibitors. The top candidate compounds, the native ligand (GC-376) of the Mpro inhibitor, and the positive control boceprevir were then subjected to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) characterization, drug-likeness prediction, and molecular docking (MD). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was added to provide accurate information about the Mpro regulatory network. RESULTS This study identified 3,166 compound candidates inhibiting Mpro. The random forest (RF) molecular access system ML model provided the highest confidence score of 0.95 (bromo-7-nitroindazole) and identified the top 22 candidate compounds. Subjecting the 22 candidate compounds, the native ligand GC-376, and boceprevir to further ADMET property characterization and drug-likeness predictions revealed that one compound had two violations of Lipinski's rule. Additional MD results showed that only five compounds had more negative binding energies than the native ligand (- 12.25 kcal/mol). Among these compounds, CCX-140 exhibited the lowest score of - 13.64 kcal/mol. Through literature analysis, six compound classes with potential activity for Mpro were discovered. They included benzopyrazole, azole, pyrazolopyrimidine, carboxylic acids and derivatives, benzene and substituted derivatives, and diazine. Four pathologies were also discovered on the basis of the Mpro PPI network. CONCLUSION Results demonstrated the efficiency of LBVS combined with MD. This combined strategy provided positive evidence showing that the top screened drugs, including CCX-140, which had the lowest MD score, can be reasonably advanced to the in vitro phase. This combined method may accelerate the discovery of therapies for novel or orphan diseases from existing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gusti Putu Wahyunanda Crista Yuda
- Laboratory of Macromolecular Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada Sekip Utara II, 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Naufa Hanif
- Master Student of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06100, Turkey
| | - Adam Hermawan
- Laboratory of Macromolecular Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada Sekip Utara II, 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
- Laboratory of Advanced Pharmaceutical Sciences. APSLC Building, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada Sekip Utara II, 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
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3
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Lin C, Zhu Z, Jiang H, Zou X, Zeng X, Wang J, Zeng P, Li W, Zhou X, Zhang J, Wang Q, Li J. Structural Basis for Coronaviral Main Proteases Inhibition by the 3CLpro Inhibitor GC376. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168474. [PMID: 38311236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of coronaviruses participates in viral replication, serving as a hot target for drug design. GC376 is able to effectively inhibit the activity of Mpro, which is due to nucleophilic addition of GC376 by binding covalently with Cys145 in Mpro active site. Here, we used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay to analyze the IC50 values of GC376 against Mpros from six different coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HUK1, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63) and five Mpro mutants (G15S, M49I, K90R, P132H, S46F) from SARS-CoV-2 variants. The results showed that GC376 displays effective inhibition to various coronaviral Mpros and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutants. In addition, the crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (wide type)-GC376, SARS-CoV Mpro-GC376, MERS-CoV Mpro-GC376, and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutants (G15S, M49I, S46F, K90R, and P132H)-GC376 complexes were solved. We found that GC376 is able to fit into the active site of Mpros from different coronaviruses and different SARS-CoV-2 variants properly. Detailed structural analysis revealed key molecular determinants necessary for inhibition and illustrated the binding patterns of GC376 to these different Mpros. In conclusion, we not only proved the inhibitory activity of GC376 against different Mpros including SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutants, but also revealed the molecular mechanism of inhibition by GC376, which will provide scientific guidance for the development of broad-spectrum drugs against SARS-CoV-2 as well as other coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Lin
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Zhimin Zhu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Haihai Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Xiaofang Zou
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xiangyi Zeng
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Pei Zeng
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Wenwen Li
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Xuelan Zhou
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
| | - Qisheng Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China; Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.
| | - Jian Li
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China.
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4
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Samrat SK, Bashir Q, Zhang R, Huang Y, Liu Y, Wu X, Brown T, Wang W, Zheng YG, Zhang QY, Chen Y, Li Z, Li H. A universal fluorescence polarization high throughput screening assay to target the SAM-binding sites of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral methyltransferases. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2204164. [PMID: 37060263 PMCID: PMC10165934 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2204164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with significant humanity and economic loss since 2020. Currently, only limited options are available to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections for vulnerable populations. In this study, we report a universal fluorescence polarization (FP)-based high throughput screening (HTS) assay for SAM-dependent viral methyltransferases (MTases), using a fluorescent SAM-analogue, FL-NAH. We performed the assay against a reference MTase, NSP14, an essential enzyme for SARS-CoV-2 to methylate the N7 position of viral 5'-RNA guanine cap. The assay is universal and suitable for any SAM-dependent viral MTases such as the SARS-CoV-2 NSP16/NSP10 MTase complex and the NS5 MTase of Zika virus (ZIKV). Pilot screening demonstrated that the HTS assay was very robust and identified two candidate inhibitors, NSC 111552 and 288387. The two compounds inhibited the FL-NAH binding to the NSP14 MTase with low micromolar IC50. We used three functional MTase assays to unambiguously verified the inhibitory potency of these molecules for the NSP14 N7-MTase function. Binding studies indicated that these molecules are bound directly to the NSP14 MTase with similar low micromolar affinity. Moreover, we further demonstrated that these molecules significantly inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell-based assays at concentrations not causing cytotoxicity. Furthermore, NSC111552 significantly synergized with known SARS-CoV-2 drugs including nirmatrelvir and remdesivir. Finally, docking suggested that these molecules bind specifically to the SAM-binding site on the NSP14 MTase. Overall, these molecules represent novel and promising candidates to further develop broad-spectrum inhibitors for the management of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subodh Kumar Samrat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Qamar Bashir
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yiding Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Xiangmeng Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Tyler Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Y. George Zheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Qing-Yu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yin Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Zhong Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Hongmin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science & College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- The BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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5
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Jin Z, Ling C, Yim W, Chang YC, He T, Li K, Zhou J, Cheng Y, Li Y, Yeung J, Wang R, Fajtová P, Amer L, Mattoussi H, O'Donoghue AJ, Jokerst JV. Endoproteolysis of Oligopeptide-Based Coacervates for Enzymatic Modeling. ACS NANO 2023; 17:16980-16992. [PMID: 37579082 PMCID: PMC10614163 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Better insights into the fate of membraneless organelles could strengthen the understanding of the transition from prebiotic components to multicellular organisms. Compartmentalized enzyme reactions in a synthetic coacervate have been investigated, yet there remains a gap in understanding the enzyme interactions with coacervate as a substrate hub. Here, we study how the molecularly crowded nature of the coacervate affects the interactions of the embedded substrate with a protease. We design oligopeptide-based coacervates that comprise an anionic Asp-peptide (D10) and a cationic Arg-peptide (R5R5) with a proteolytic cleavage site. The coacervates dissolve in the presence of the main protease (Mpro) implicated in the coronavirus lifecycle. We capitalize on the condensed structure, introduce a self-quenching mechanism, and model the enzyme kinetics by using Cy5.5-labeled peptides. The determined specificity constant (kcat/KM) is 5817 M-1 s-1 and is similar to that of the free substrate. We further show that the enzyme kinetics depend on the type and quantity of dye incorporated into the coacervates. Our work presents a simple design for enzyme-responsive coacervates and provides insights into the interactions between the enzyme and coacervates as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Jin
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Chuxuan Ling
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Wonjun Yim
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Yu-Ci Chang
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Tengyu He
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Ke Li
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis #08-03, Singapore 138634, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jiajing Zhou
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Yong Cheng
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Yi Li
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Justin Yeung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Ruijia Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Lubna Amer
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Hedi Mattoussi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee 32306, Florida, United States
| | - Anthony J O'Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
| | - Jesse V Jokerst
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California, United States
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6
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Van Oers TJ, Piercey A, Belovodskiy A, Reiz B, Donnelly BL, Vuong W, Lemieux MJ, Nieman JA, Auclair K, Vederas JC. Deuteration for Metabolic Stabilization of SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors GC373 and Nirmatrelvir. Org Lett 2023; 25:5885-5889. [PMID: 37523471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.3c02140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Nirmatrelvir and GC373 inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease and hinder viral replication in COVID-19. As nirmatrelvir in Paxlovid is oxidized by cytochrome P450 3A4, ritonavir is coadministered to block this. However, ritonavir undesirably alters the metabolism of other drugs. Hydrogens can be replaced with deuterium in nirmatrelvir and GC373 to slow oxidation. Results show that deuterium slows oxidation of nirmatrelvir adjacent to nitrogen by ∼40% and that the type of warhead can switch the site of oxidative metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayla J Van Oers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Alexia Piercey
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Alexandr Belovodskiy
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Béla Reiz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Bethan L Donnelly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Wayne Vuong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - M Joanne Lemieux
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - James A Nieman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Karine Auclair
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - John C Vederas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
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7
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Fink EA, Bardine C, Gahbauer S, Singh I, Detomasi TC, White K, Gu S, Wan X, Chen J, Ary B, Glenn I, O'Connell J, O'Donnell H, Fajtová P, Lyu J, Vigneron S, Young NJ, Kondratov IS, Alisoltani A, Simons LM, Lorenzo‐Redondo R, Ozer EA, Hultquist JF, O'Donoghue AJ, Moroz YS, Taunton J, Renslo AR, Irwin JJ, García‐Sastre A, Shoichet BK, Craik CS. Large library docking for novel SARS-CoV-2 main protease non-covalent and covalent inhibitors. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4712. [PMID: 37354015 PMCID: PMC10364469 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Antiviral therapeutics to treat SARS-CoV-2 are needed to diminish the morbidity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A well-precedented drug target is the main viral protease (MPro ), which is targeted by an approved drug and by several investigational drugs. Emerging viral resistance has made new inhibitor chemotypes more pressing. Adopting a structure-based approach, we docked 1.2 billion non-covalent lead-like molecules and a new library of 6.5 million electrophiles against the enzyme structure. From these, 29 non-covalent and 11 covalent inhibitors were identified in 37 series, the most potent having an IC50 of 29 and 20 μM, respectively. Several series were optimized, resulting in low micromolar inhibitors. Subsequent crystallography confirmed the docking predicted binding modes and may template further optimization. While the new chemotypes may aid further optimization of MPro inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2, the modest success rate also reveals weaknesses in our approach for challenging targets like MPro versus other targets where it has been more successful, and versus other structure-based techniques against MPro itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa A. Fink
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Graduate Program in BiophysicsUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Conner Bardine
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Graduate Program in Chemistry and Chemical BiologyUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Stefan Gahbauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Isha Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tyler C. Detomasi
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kris White
- Department of MicrobiologyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens InstituteIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Shuo Gu
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Xiaobo Wan
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Beatrice Ary
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Isabella Glenn
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joseph O'Connell
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Henry O'Donnell
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of California‐San DiegoSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jiankun Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Seth Vigneron
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nicholas J. Young
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ivan S. Kondratov
- Enamine Ltd.KyïvUkraine
- V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and PetrochemistryNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineKyïvUkraine
| | - Arghavan Alisoltani
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Lacy M. Simons
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Ramon Lorenzo‐Redondo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Egon A. Ozer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Judd F. Hultquist
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Anthony J. O'Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of California‐San DiegoSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Yurii S. Moroz
- National Taras Shevchenko University of KyïvKyïvUkraine
- Chemspace LLCKyïvUkraine
| | - Jack Taunton
- Department of Cellular and Molecular PharmacologyUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Adam R. Renslo
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - John J. Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Adolfo García‐Sastre
- Department of MicrobiologyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens InstituteIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious DiseasesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell‐Based MedicineIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- QBI COVID‐19 Research Group (QCRG)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brian K. Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- QBI COVID‐19 Research Group (QCRG)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryUniversity of California‐San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- QBI COVID‐19 Research Group (QCRG)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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8
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Chen S, Arutyunova E, Lu J, Khan MB, Rut W, Zmudzinski M, Shahbaz S, Iyyathurai J, Moussa EW, Turner Z, Bai B, Lamer T, Nieman JA, Vederas JC, Julien O, Drag M, Elahi S, Young HS, Lemieux MJ. SARS-CoV-2 M pro Protease Variants of Concern Display Altered Viral Substrate and Cell Host Target Galectin-8 Processing but Retain Sensitivity toward Antivirals. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:696-708. [PMID: 37122453 PMCID: PMC10042146 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) is the most promising drug target against coronaviruses due to its essential role in virus replication. With newly emerging variants there is a concern that mutations in Mpro may alter the structural and functional properties of protease and subsequently the potency of existing and potential antivirals. We explored the effect of 31 mutations belonging to 5 variants of concern (VOCs) on catalytic parameters and substrate specificity, which revealed changes in substrate binding and the rate of cleavage of a viral peptide. Crystal structures of 11 Mpro mutants provided structural insight into their altered functionality. Additionally, we show Mpro mutations influence proteolysis of an immunomodulatory host protein Galectin-8 (Gal-8) and a subsequent significant decrease in cytokine secretion, providing evidence for alterations in the escape of host-antiviral mechanisms. Accordingly, mutations associated with the Gamma VOC and highly virulent Delta VOC resulted in a significant increase in Gal-8 cleavage. Importantly, IC50s of nirmatrelvir (Pfizer) and our irreversible inhibitor AVI-8053 demonstrated no changes in potency for both drugs for all mutants, suggesting Mpro will remain a high-priority antiviral drug candidate as SARS-CoV-2 evolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sizhu
Amelia Chen
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Li
Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Elena Arutyunova
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Li
Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Jimmy Lu
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Li
Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Muhammad Bashir Khan
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Wioletta Rut
- Department
of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw
University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, 50-370, Poland
| | - Mikolaj Zmudzinski
- Department
of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw
University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, 50-370, Poland
| | - Shima Shahbaz
- Department
of Dentistry & Dental Hygiene, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Jegan Iyyathurai
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Li
Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Eman W. Moussa
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Zoe Turner
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Bing Bai
- Li
Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Tess Lamer
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - James A. Nieman
- Li
Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - John C. Vederas
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Olivier Julien
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Marcin Drag
- Department
of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw
University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, 50-370, Poland
| | - Shokrollah Elahi
- Department
of Dentistry & Dental Hygiene, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Howard S. Young
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - M. Joanne Lemieux
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Li
Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
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9
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Zvornicanin SN, Shaqra AM, Huang QJ, Ornelas E, Moghe M, Knapp M, Moquin S, Dovala D, Schiffer CA, Kurt Yilmaz N. Crystal Structures of Inhibitor-Bound Main Protease from Delta- and Gamma-Coronaviruses. Viruses 2023; 15:781. [PMID: 36992489 PMCID: PMC10059799 DOI: 10.3390/v15030781] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
With the spread of SARS-CoV-2 throughout the globe causing the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of zoonotic transmissions of coronaviruses (CoV) has become even more evident. As human infections have been caused by alpha- and beta-CoVs, structural characterization and inhibitor design mostly focused on these two genera. However, viruses from the delta and gamma genera also infect mammals and pose a potential zoonotic transmission threat. Here, we determined the inhibitor-bound crystal structures of the main protease (Mpro) from the delta-CoV porcine HKU15 and gamma-CoV SW1 from the beluga whale. A comparison with the apo structure of SW1 Mpro, which is also presented here, enabled the identification of structural arrangements upon inhibitor binding at the active site. The cocrystal structures reveal binding modes and interactions of two covalent inhibitors, PF-00835231 (active form of lufotrelvir) bound to HKU15, and GC376 bound to SW1 Mpro. These structures may be leveraged to target diverse coronaviruses and toward the structure-based design of pan-CoV inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N. Zvornicanin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ala M. Shaqra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Qiuyu J. Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ornelas
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Mallika Moghe
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mark Knapp
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Stephanie Moquin
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Dustin Dovala
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Celia A. Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nese Kurt Yilmaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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10
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Gao YY, Wang Q, Liang XY, Zhang S, Bao D, Zhao H, Li SB, Wang K, Hu GX, Gao FS. An updated review of feline coronavirus: mind the two biotypes. Virus Res 2023; 326:199059. [PMID: 36731629 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) includes two biotypes: feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) and feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). Although both biotypes can infect cats, their pathogenicities differ. The FIPV biotype is more virulent than the FECV biotype and can cause peritonitis or even death in cats, while most FECV biotypes do not cause lesions. Even pathogenic strains of the FECV biotype can cause only mild enteritis because of their very low virulence. This article reviews recent progress in FCoV research with regard to FCoV etiological characteristics; epidemiology; clinical symptoms and pathological changes; pathogenesis; and current diagnosis, prevention and treatment methods. It is hoped that this review will provide a reference for further research on FCoV and other coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Yu Gao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Affiliated Hospital, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130117, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Liang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Di Bao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Shao-Bai Li
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
| | - Gui-Xue Hu
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Xincheng Street 2888, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
| | - Feng-Shan Gao
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Xuefu Street 10, Dalian, Liaoning 116622, China; The Dalian Gene and Protein Engineering for Drug Screening Key Laboratory, Dalian 116622, China.
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11
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Zhang W, Lin SX. Search of Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors for the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020580. [PMID: 36851795 PMCID: PMC9967108 DOI: 10.3390/v15020580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has prompted the necessity of efficient treatment strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Main protease (Mpro), also called 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL protease), plays an essential role in cleaving virus polyproteins for the functional replication complex. Therefore, Mpro is a promising drug target for COVID-19 therapy. Through molecular modelling, docking and a protease activity assay, we found four novel inhibitors targeting Mpro with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and their binding affinities shown by the dissociation constants (KDs). Our new inhibitors CB-21, CB-25, CP-1 and LC24-20 have IC50s at 14.88 µM (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 10.35 µM to 20.48 µM), 22.74 µM (95% CI: 13.01 µM to 38.16 µM), 18.54µM (95% CI: 6.54 µM to 36.30 µM) and 32.87µM (95% CI: 18.37 µM to 54.80 µM)), respectively. The evaluation of interactions suggested that each inhibitor has a hydrogen bond or hydrophobic interactions with important residues, including the most essential catalytic residues: His41 and Cys145. All the four inhibitors have a much higher 50% lethal dose (LD50) compared with the well-known Mpro inhibitor GC376, demonstrating its low toxicity. These four inhibitors can be potential drug candidates for further in vitro and in vivo studies against COVID-19.
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12
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Blaskovich MAT, Verderosa AD. Use of Antiviral Agents and other Therapies for COVID-19. Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 44:118-129. [PMID: 36646090 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1758837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a remarkably rapid development of a range of effective prophylactic vaccines, including new technologies that had not previously been approved for human use. In contrast, the development of new small molecule antiviral therapeutics has taken years to produce the first approved drugs specifically targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), with the intervening years filled with attempts to repurpose existing drugs and the development of biological therapeutics. This review will discuss the reasons behind this variation in timescale and provide a survey of the many new treatments that are progressing through the clinical pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A T Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anthony D Verderosa
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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13
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Miandad K, Ullah A, Bashir K, Khan S, Abideen SA, Shaker B, Alharbi M, Alshammari A, Ali M, Haleem A, Ahmad S. Virtual Screening of Artemisia annua Phytochemicals as Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Enzyme. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27228103. [PMID: 36432204 PMCID: PMC9695405 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27228103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a human coronaviruses that emerged in China at Wuhan city, Hubei province during December 2019. Subsequently, SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide and caused millions of deaths around the globe. Several compounds and vaccines have been proposed to tackle this crisis. Novel recommended in silico approaches have been commonly used to screen for specific SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors of different types. Herein, the phytochemicals of Pakistani medicinal plants (especially Artemisia annua) were virtually screened to identify potential inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme. The X-ray crystal structure of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 with an N3 inhibitor was obtained from the protein data bank while A. annua phytochemicals were retrieved from different drug databases. The docking technique was carried out to assess the binding efficacy of the retrieved phytochemicals; the docking results revealed that several phytochemicals have potential to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme. Among the total docked compounds, the top-10 docked complexes were considered for further study and evaluated for their physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. The top-3 docked complexes with the best binding energies were as follows: the top-1 docked complex with a -7 kcal/mol binding energy score, the top-2 docked complex with a -6.9 kcal/mol binding energy score, and the top-3 docked complex with a -6.8 kcal/mol binding energy score. These complexes were subjected to a molecular dynamic simulation analysis for further validation to check the dynamic behavior of the selected top-complexes. During the whole simulation time, no major changes were observed in the docked complexes, which indicated complex stability. Additionally, the free binding energies for the selected docked complexes were also estimated via the MM-GB/PBSA approach, and the results revealed that the total delta energies of MMGBSA were -24.23 kcal/mol, -26.38 kcal/mol, and -25 kcal/mol for top-1, top-2, and top-3, respectively. MMPBSA calculated the delta total energy as -17.23 kcal/mol (top-1 complex), -24.75 kcal/mol (top-2 complex), and -24.86 kcal/mol (top-3 complex). This study explored in silico screened phytochemicals against the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus; however, the findings require an experimentally based study to further validate the obtained results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Miandad
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Asad Ullah
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Bashir
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Saifullah Khan
- Institute of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda 24461, Pakistan
| | - Syed Ainul Abideen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bilal Shaker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Metab Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahwish Ali
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Haleem
- Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
- Correspondence:
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14
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Ghosh AK, Mishevich JL, Mesecar A, Mitsuya H. Recent Drug Development and Medicinal Chemistry Approaches for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200440. [PMID: 36165855 PMCID: PMC9538661 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, continues to be a major public health crisis around the globe. Development of vaccines and the first cluster of antiviral drugs has brought promise and hope for prevention and treatment of severe coronavirus disease. However, continued development of newer, safer, and more effective antiviral drugs are critically important to combat COVID-19 and counter the looming pathogenic variants. Studies of the coronavirus life cycle revealed several important biochemical targets for drug development. In the present review, we focus on recent drug design and medicinal chemistry efforts in small molecule drug discovery, including the development of nirmatrelvir that targets viral protein synthesis and remdesivir and molnupiravir that target viral RdRp. These are recent FDA approved drugs for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun K Ghosh
- Purdue UniversityDepartments of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry560 Oval Drive47907West LafayetteUNITED STATES
| | | | - Andrew Mesecar
- Purdue University College of ScienceBiochemistryUNITED STATES
| | - Hiroaki Mitsuya
- National Cancer InstituteHIV and AIDS Malignancy BranchUNITED STATES
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