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Yu D, Wagner S, Schütz M, Jeon Y, Seo M, Kim J, Brückner N, Kicuntod J, Tillmanns J, Wangen C, Hahn F, Kaufer BB, Neipel F, Eickhoff J, Klebl B, Nam K, Marschall M. An Antiherpesviral Host-Directed Strategy Based on CDK7 Covalently Binding Drugs: Target-Selective, Picomolar-Dose, Cross-Virus Reactivity. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:158. [PMID: 38399219 PMCID: PMC10892818 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020158] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The repertoire of currently available antiviral drugs spans therapeutic applications against a number of important human pathogens distributed worldwide. These include cases of the pandemic severe acute respiratory coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 or AIDS), and the pregnancy- and posttransplant-relevant human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In almost all cases, approved therapies are based on direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), but their benefit, particularly in long-term applications, is often limited by the induction of viral drug resistance or side effects. These issues might be addressed by the additional use of host-directed antivirals (HDAs). As a strong input from long-term experiences with cancer therapies, host protein kinases may serve as HDA targets of mechanistically new antiviral drugs. The study demonstrates such a novel antiviral strategy by targeting the major virus-supportive host kinase CDK7. Importantly, this strategy focuses on highly selective, 3D structure-derived CDK7 inhibitors carrying a warhead moiety that mediates covalent target binding. In summary, the main experimental findings of this study are as follows: (1) the in vitro verification of CDK7 inhibition and selectivity that confirms the warhead covalent-binding principle (by CDK-specific kinase assays), (2) the highly pronounced antiviral efficacies of the hit compounds (in cultured cell-based infection models) with half-maximal effective concentrations that reach down to picomolar levels, (3) a particularly strong potency of compounds against strains and reporter-expressing recombinants of HCMV (using infection assays in primary human fibroblasts), (4) additional activity against further herpesviruses such as animal CMVs and VZV, (5) unique mechanistic properties that include an immediate block of HCMV replication directed early (determined by Western blot detection of viral marker proteins), (6) a substantial drug synergism in combination with MBV (measured by a Loewe additivity fixed-dose assay), and (7) a strong sensitivity of clinically relevant HCMV mutants carrying MBV or ganciclovir resistance markers. Combined, the data highlight the huge developmental potential of this host-directed antiviral targeting concept utilizing covalently binding CDK7 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- DongHoon Yu
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Schütz
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yeejin Jeon
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Mooyoung Seo
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Kim
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Nadine Brückner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jintawee Kicuntod
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Tillmanns
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Wangen
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benedikt B. Kaufer
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Straße 7–13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Neipel
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Eickhoff
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Straße 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Bert Klebl
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Straße 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- The Norwegian College of Fishery Science UiT, Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kiyean Nam
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Ahmad I, Fatemi SN, Ghaheri M, Rezvani A, Khezri DA, Natami M, Yasamineh S, Gholizadeh O, Bahmanyar Z. An overview of the role of Niemann-pick C1 (NPC1) in viral infections and inhibition of viral infections through NPC1 inhibitor. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:352. [PMID: 38098077 PMCID: PMC10722723 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses communicate with their hosts through interactions with proteins, lipids, and carbohydrate moieties on the plasma membrane (PM), often resulting in viral absorption via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Many viruses cannot multiply unless the host's cholesterol level remains steady. The large endo/lysosomal membrane protein (MP) Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), which is involved in cellular cholesterol transport, is a crucial intracellular receptor for viral infection. NPC1 is a ubiquitous housekeeping protein essential for the controlled cholesterol efflux from lysosomes. Its human absence results in Niemann-Pick type C disease, a deadly lysosomal storage disorder. NPC1 is a crucial viral receptor and an essential host component for filovirus entrance, infection, and pathogenesis. For filovirus entrance, NPC1's cellular function is unnecessary. Furthermore, blocking NPC1 limits the entry and replication of the African swine fever virus by disrupting cholesterol homeostasis. Cell entrance of quasi-enveloped variants of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus has also been linked to NPC1. By controlling cholesterol levels, NPC1 is also necessary for the effective release of reovirus cores into the cytoplasm. Drugs that limit NPC1's activity are effective against several viruses, including SARS-CoV and Type I Feline Coronavirus (F-CoV). These findings reveal NPC1 as a potential therapeutic target for treating viral illnesses and demonstrate its significance for several viral infections. This article provides a synopsis of NPC1's function in viral infections and a review of NPC1 inhibitors that may be used to counteract viral infections. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammad Ghaheri
- Student Research Committee, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Ali Rezvani
- Anesthesiology Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Dorsa Azizi Khezri
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Natami
- Department of Urology, Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | | | | | - Zahra Bahmanyar
- School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Shen S, Zhang Y, Yin Z, Zhu Q, Zhang J, Wang T, Fang Y, Wu X, Bai Y, Dai S, Liu X, Jin J, Tang S, Liu J, Wang M, Guo Y, Deng F. Antiviral activity and mechanism of the antifungal drug, anidulafungin, suggesting its potential to promote treatment of viral diseases. BMC Med 2022; 20:359. [PMID: 36266654 PMCID: PMC9585728 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02558-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome disease (SFTS), caused by the novel tick-borne SFTS virus (SFTSV), was listed among the top 10 priority infectious disease by World Health Organization due to the high fatality rate of 5-30% and the lack of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines and therefore raised the urgent need to develop effective anti-SFTSV drugs to improve disease treatment. METHODS The antiviral drugs to inhibit SFTSV infection were identified by screening the library containing 1340 FDA-approved drugs using the SFTSV infection assays in vitro. The inhibitory effect on virus entry and the process of clathrin-mediated endocytosis under different drug doses was evaluated based on infection assays by qRT-PCR to determine intracellular viral copies, by Western blot to characterize viral protein expression in cells, and by immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) to determine virus infection efficiencies. The therapeutic effect was investigated in type I interferon receptor defective A129 mice in vivo with SFTSV infection, from which lesions and infection in tissues caused by SFTSV infection were assessed by H&E staining and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS Six drugs were identified as exerting inhibitory effects against SFTSV infection, of which anidulafungin, an antifungal drug of the echinocandin family, has a strong inhibitory effect on SFTSV entry. It suppresses SFTSV internalization by impairing the late endosome maturation and decreasing virus fusion with the membrane. SFTSV-infected A129 mice had relieving symptoms, reduced tissue lesions, and improved disease outcomes following anidulafungin treatment. Moreover, anidulafungin exerts an antiviral effect in inhibiting the entry of other viruses including SARS-CoV-2, SFTSV-related Guertu virus and Heartland virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Zika virus, and Herpes simplex virus 1. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrated that the antifungal drug, anidulafungin, could effectively inhibit virus infection by interfering with virus entry, suggesting it may be utilized for the clinical treatment of infectious viral diseases, in addition to its FDA-approved use as an antifungal. The findings also suggested to further evaluate the anti-viral effects of echinocandins and their clinical importance for patients with infection of viruses, which may promote therapeutic strategies as well as treatments and improve outcomes pertaining to various viral and fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Yaxian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhiyun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Qiong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Tiantian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Yaohui Fang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoli Wu
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Yuan Bai
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Shiyu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Xijia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Jiayin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Shuang Tang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Jia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Manli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.,College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiaohongshan 44#, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
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Schloer S, Treuherz D, Faist A, Witt MD, Wunderlich K, Wiewrodt R, Wiebe K, Barth P, Wälzlein JH, Kummer S, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ludwig S, Brunotte L, Rescher U. 3D ex vivo tissue platforms to investigate the early phases of influenza A virus- and SARS-CoV-2-induced respiratory diseases. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:2160-2175. [PMID: 36000328 PMCID: PMC9518268 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2117101] [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] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pandemic outbreaks of viruses such as influenza virus or SARS-CoV-2 are associated with high morbidity and mortality and thus pose a massive threat to global health and economics. Physiologically relevant models are needed to study the viral life cycle, describe the pathophysiological consequences of viral infection, and explore possible drug targets and treatment options. While simple cell culture-based models do not reflect the tissue environment and systemic responses, animal models are linked with huge direct and indirect costs and ethical questions. Ex vivo platforms based on tissue explants have been introduced as suitable platforms to bridge the gap between cell culture and animal models. We established a murine lung tissue explant platform for two respiratory viruses, influenza A virus (IAV) and SARS-CoV-2. We observed efficient viral replication, associated with the release of inflammatory cytokines and the induction of an antiviral interferon response, comparable to ex vivo infection in human lung explants. Endolysosomal entry could be confirmed as a potential host target for pharmacological intervention, and the potential repurposing potentials of fluoxetine and interferons for host-directed therapy previously seen in vitro could be recapitulated in the ex vivo model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schloer
- Institute-Associated Research Group "Regulatory Mechanisms of Inflammation", Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Virology, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Treuherz
- Institute-Associated Research Group "Regulatory Mechanisms of Inflammation", Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Aileen Faist
- Institute of Virology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Marlous de Witt
- Institute of Virology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Wunderlich
- Institute of Virology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Rainer Wiewrodt
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Karsten Wiebe
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Peter Barth
- Gerhard-Domagk-Institute of Pathology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Joo-Hee Wälzlein
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susann Kummer
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stephan Ludwig
- Institute of Virology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Linda Brunotte
- Institute of Virology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Ursula Rescher
- Institute-Associated Research Group "Regulatory Mechanisms of Inflammation", Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, and "Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Center, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany
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Advances in Antifungal Development: Discovery of New Drugs and Drug Repurposing. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15070787. [PMID: 35890086 PMCID: PMC9318969 DOI: 10.3390/ph15070787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals describes recent advances accomplished in the field of antifungal development, especially the discovery of new drugs and drug repurposing [...]
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