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Werner AD, Krapoth N, Norris MJ, Heine A, Klebe G, Saphire EO, Becker S. Development of a Crystallographic Screening to Identify Sudan Virus VP40 Ligands. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:33193-33203. [PMID: 39100314 PMCID: PMC11292656 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
The matrix protein VP40 of the highly pathogenic Sudan virus (genus Orthoebolavirus) is a multifunctional protein responsible for the recruitment of viral nucleocapsids to the plasma membrane and the budding of infectious virions. In addition to its role in assembly, VP40 also downregulates viral genome replication and transcription. VP40's existence in various homo-oligomeric states is presumed to underpin its diverse functional capabilities during the viral life cycle. Given the absence of licensed therapeutics targeting the Sudan virus, our study focused on inhibiting VP40 dimers, the structural precursors to critical higher-order oligomers, as a novel antiviral strategy. We have established a crystallographic screening pipeline for the identification of small-molecule fragments capable of binding to VP40. Dimeric VP40 of the Sudan virus was recombinantly expressed in bacteria, purified, crystallized, and soaked in a solution of 96 different preselected fragments. Salicylic acid was identified as a crystallographic hit with clear electron density in the pocket between the N- and the C-termini of the VP40 dimer. The binding interaction is predominantly coordinated by amino acid residues leucine 158 (L158) and arginine 214 (R214), which are key in stabilizing salicylic acid within the binding pocket. While salicylic acid displayed minimal impact on the functional aspects of VP40, we delved deeper into characterizing the druggability of the identified binding pocket. We analyzed the influence of residues L158 and R214 on the formation of virus-like particles and viral RNA synthesis. Site-directed mutagenesis of these residues to alanine markedly affected both VP40's budding activity and its effect on viral RNA synthesis, underscoring the potential of the salicylic acid binding pocket as a drug target. In summary, our findings lay the foundation for structure-guided drug design to provide lead compounds against Sudan virus VP40.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nils Krapoth
- Institute
for Virology, University of Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Hessen, Germany
- Institut
für Molekulare Biologie gGmbH, D-55128 Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
| | - Michael J. Norris
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Andreas Heine
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Hessen, Germany
| | - Gerhard Klebe
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Hessen, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Becker
- Institute
for Virology, University of Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Hessen, Germany
- Partnersite
Giessen-Marburg-Langen, German Centre for
Infection Research, D-35043 Marburg, Hessen, Germany
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2
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Li S, Li H, Lian R, Xie J, Feng R. New perspective of small-molecule antiviral drugs development for RNA viruses. Virology 2024; 594:110042. [PMID: 38492519 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110042] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
High variability and adaptability of RNA viruses allows them to spread between humans and animals, causing large-scale infectious diseases which seriously threat human and animal health and social development. At present, AIDS, viral hepatitis and other viral diseases with high incidence and low cure rate are still spreading around the world. The outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, dengue and in particular of the global pandemic of COVID-19 have presented serious challenges to the global public health system. The development of highly effective and broad-spectrum antiviral drugs is a substantial and urgent research subject to deal with the current RNA virus infection and the possible new viral infections in the future. In recent years, with the rapid development of modern disciplines such as artificial intelligence technology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and structural biology, some new strategies and targets for antivirals development have emerged. Here we review the main strategies and new targets for developing small-molecule antiviral drugs against RNA viruses through the analysis of the new drug development progress against several highly pathogenic RNA viruses, to provide clues for development of future antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioengineering of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Huixia Li
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioengineering of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Ruiya Lian
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioengineering of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Jingying Xie
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China; Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioengineering of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China
| | - Ruofei Feng
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioengineering of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, 730030, China.
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3
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Liu X, Husby M, Stahelin RV, Pienaar E. Evaluation of fendiline treatment in VP40 system with nucleation-elongation process: a computational model of Ebola virus matrix protein assembly. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0309823. [PMID: 38407984 PMCID: PMC10986538 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03098-23] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) infection is threatening human health, especially in Central and West Africa. Limited clinical trials and the requirement of biosafety level-4 laboratories hinder experimental work to advance our understanding of EBOV and the evaluation of treatment. In this work, we use a computational model to study the assembly and budding process of EBOV and evaluate the effect of fendiline on these processes in the context of fluctuating host membrane lipid levels. Our results demonstrate for the first time that the assembly of VP40 filaments may follow the nucleation-elongation theory, as this mechanism is critical to maintaining a pool of VP40 dimers for the maturation and production of virus-like particles (VLPs). We further find that this nucleation-elongation process is likely influenced by fluctuating phosphatidylserine (PS), which can complicate the efficacy of lipid-targeted therapies like fendiline, a drug that lowers cellular PS levels. Our results indicate that fendiline-induced PS reduction may actually increase VLP production at earlier time points (24 h) and under low fendiline concentrations (≤2 µM). However, this effect is transient and does not change the conclusion that fendiline generally decreases VLP production. In the context of fluctuating PS levels, we also conclude that fendiline can be more efficient at the late stage of VLP budding relative to earlier phases. Combination therapy with a VLP budding step-targeted drug may therefore further increase the treatment efficiency of fendiline. Finally, we also show that fendiline-induced PS reduction more effectively lowers VLP production when VP40 expression is high. Taken together, our results provide critical quantitative information on how fluctuating lipid levels (PS) affect EBOV assembly and egress and how this mechanism can be disrupted by lipid-targeting molecules like fendiline. IMPORTANCE Ebola virus (EBOV) infection can cause deadly hemorrhagic fever, which has a mortality rate of ~50%-90% without treatment. The recent outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo illustrate its threat to human health. Though two antibody-based treatments were approved, mortality rates in the last outbreak were still higher than 30%. This can partly be due to the requirement of advanced medical facilities for current treatments. As a result, it is very important to develop and evaluate new therapies for EBOV infection, especially those that can be easily applied in the developing world. The significance of our research is that we evaluate the potential of lipid-targeted treatments in reducing EBOV assembly and egress. We achieved this goal using the VP40 system combined with a computational approach, which both saves time and lowers cost compared to traditional experimental studies and provides innovative new tools to study viral protein dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Liu
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Monica Husby
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Robert V. Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Elsje Pienaar
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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4
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Ianevski A, Frøysa IT, Lysvand H, Calitz C, Smura T, Schjelderup Nilsen HJ, Høyer E, Afset JE, Sridhar A, Wolthers KC, Zusinaite E, Tenson T, Kurg R, Oksenych V, Galabov AS, Stoyanova A, Bjørås M, Kainov DE. The combination of pleconaril, rupintrivir, and remdesivir efficiently inhibits enterovirus infections in vitro, delaying the development of drug-resistant virus variants. Antiviral Res 2024; 224:105842. [PMID: 38417531 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105842] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Enteroviruses are a significant global health concern, causing a spectrum of diseases from the common cold to more severe conditions like hand-foot-and-mouth disease, meningitis, myocarditis, pancreatitis, and poliomyelitis. Current treatment options for these infections are limited, underscoring the urgent need for effective therapeutic strategies. To find better treatment option we analyzed toxicity and efficacy of 12 known broad-spectrum anti-enterovirals both individually and in combinations against different enteroviruses in vitro. We identified several novel, synergistic two-drug and three-drug combinations that demonstrated significant inhibition of enterovirus infections in vitro. Specifically, the triple-drug combination of pleconaril, rupintrivir, and remdesivir exhibited remarkable efficacy against echovirus (EV) 1, EV6, EV11, and coxsackievirus (CV) B5, in human lung epithelial A549 cells. This combination surpassed the effectiveness of single-agent or dual-drug treatments, as evidenced by its ability to protect A549 cells from EV1-induced cytotoxicity across seven passages. Additionally, this triple-drug cocktail showed potent antiviral activity against EV-A71 in human intestinal organoids. Thus, our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of the pleconaril-rupintrivir-remdesivir combination as a broad-spectrum treatment option against a range of enterovirus infections. The study also paves the way towards development of strategic antiviral drug combinations with virus family coverage and high-resistance barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr Ianevski
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Irene Trøen Frøysa
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hilde Lysvand
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Carlemi Calitz
- OrganoVIR Labs, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Teemu Smura
- Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; HUS Diagnostic Center, Clinical Microbiology, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Erling Høyer
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Clinic for Laboratory Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Egil Afset
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Medical Microbiology, Clinic for Laboratory Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, 7028 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Adithya Sridhar
- OrganoVIR Labs, Dept of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Katja C Wolthers
- OrganoVIR Labs, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eva Zusinaite
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tanel Tenson
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Reet Kurg
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Valentyn Oksenych
- Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Angel S Galabov
- The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Adelina Stoyanova
- The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Magnar Bjørås
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Denis E Kainov
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7028 Trondheim, Norway; Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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5
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Saeed M, Alamri MA, Rashid MAR, Javed MR, Azeem F, Bashir Z, Alanzi AR, Muhseen ZT, Almusallam SY, Hussain K. Identification of novel inhibitors against VP40 protein of Marburg virus by integrating molecular modeling and dynamics approaches. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38178383 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2300134] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Marburg virus (MV) is a highly etiological agent of haemorrhagic fever in humans and has spread across the world. Its outbreaks caused a 23-90% human death rate. However, there are currently no authorized preventive or curative measures yet. VP40 is the MV matrix protein, which builds protein shell underneath the viral envelope and confers hallmark filamentous. VP40 alone is able to induce assembly and budding of filamentous virus-like particles (VLPs), which resemble authentic virions. As a result, this research is credited with clarifying the function of VP40 and leading to the discovery of new therapeutic targets effective in combating MV disease (MVD). Virtual screening, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were used to find the putative active chemicals based on a 3D pharmacophore model of the protein's active site cavity. Initially, andrographidine-C, a potent inhibitor was selected for the development of the pharmacophore model. Later, a library of 30,000 compounds along with the andrographidine-C was docked against VP40 protein. Three best hits including avanafil, diuvaretin and macrourone were subjected to further MD simulation analysis, as these compounds had better binding affinities as compared to andrographidine-C. Furthermore, throughout the 100 ns simulations, the back bone of VP40 protein in presence of avanafil, diuvaretin and macrourone remained stable which was further validated by MM-PBSA analysis. Additionally, all of these compounds depict maximum drug-like properties. The predicted drugs based on the ligand, avanafil, diuvaretin and macrourone could be exploited and developed as an alternative or complementary therapy for the treatment of MVD.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saeed
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Mubarak A Alamri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Muhammad Rizwan Javed
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Farrukh Azeem
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Zarmina Bashir
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Abdullah R Alanzi
- Department of Pharmacogonsy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Shahad Youseff Almusallam
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khadim Hussain
- Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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6
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Bennett RP, Yoluç Y, Salter JD, Ripp A, Jessen HJ, Kaiser SM, Smith HC. Sangivamycin is preferentially incorporated into viral RNA by the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase. Antiviral Res 2023; 218:105716. [PMID: 37690700 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105716] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Sangivamycin (S) is an adenosine (A) nucleoside analog with low nanomolar antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Previously, low nanomolar antiviral efficacy was revealed when tested against multiple viral variants in several cell types. SARS-CoV-2 RNA isolated from live virus infected cells and the virions released from these cells was analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS) for S incorporation. Dose-dependent incorporation occurred up to 1.8 S per 1,000 nucleotides (49 S per genome) throughout the viral genomes isolated from both infected cells and viral particles, but this incorporation did not change the viral mutation rate. In contrast, host mRNA, affinity purified from the same infected and treated cells, contained little or no S. Sangivamycin triphosphate (STP) was synthesized to evaluate its incorporation into RNA by recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) under defined in vitro conditions. SARS-CoV-2 RdRp showed that S was not a chain terminator and S containing oligonucleotides templated as A. Though the antiviral mechanism remains to be determined, the data suggests that SARS-CoV-2 RdRp incorporates STP into SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which does not significantly impair viral RNA synthesis or the mutation rate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yasemin Yoluç
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | | | - Alexander Ripp
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Henning J Jessen
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Stefanie M Kaiser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Harold C Smith
- OyaGen, Inc., Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, Center for AIDS Research, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
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7
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Liu X, Husby M, Stahelin RV, Pienaar E. Evaluation of Fendiline Treatment in VP40 System with Nucleation-Elongation Process: A Computational Model of Ebola Virus Matrix Protein Assembly. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.03.551833. [PMID: 37577722 PMCID: PMC10418208 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.03.551833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) infection is threatening human health, especially in Central and West Africa. Limited clinical trials and the requirement of biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) laboratories hinders experimental work to advance our understanding of EBOV and evaluation of treatment. In this work, we use a computational model to study the assembly and budding process of EBOV and evaluate the effect of fendiline on these processes. Our results indicate that the assembly of VP40 filaments may follow the nucleation-elongation theory, as it is critical to maintain a pool of VP40 dimer for the maturation and production of virus-like particles (VLPs). We further find that the nucleation-elongation process can also be influenced by phosphatidylserine (PS), which can complicate the efficacy of fendiline, a drug that lowers cellular PS levels. We observe that fendiline may increase VLP production at earlier time points (24 h) and under low concentrations (≤ 2 μM). But this effect is transient and does not change the conclusion that fendiline generally decreases VLP production. We also conclude that fendiline can be more efficient at the stage of VLP budding relative to earlier phases. Combination therapy with a VLP budding step-targeted drug may further increase the treatment efficiency of fendiline. Finally, we also show that fendiline has higher efficacy when VP40 expression is high. While these are single-cell level results based on the VP40 system, it points out a potential way of fendiline application affecting EBOV assembly, which can be further tested in experimental studies with multiple EBOV proteins or live virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Liu
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University
| | - Monica Husby
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University
| | - Robert V. Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University
| | - Elsje Pienaar
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University
- Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, Purdue University
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8
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Broni E, Ashley C, Adams J, Manu H, Aikins E, Okom M, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Kwofie SK. Cheminformatics-Based Study Identifies Potential Ebola VP40 Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076298. [PMID: 37047270 PMCID: PMC10094735 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ebola virus (EBOV) is still highly infectious and causes severe hemorrhagic fevers in primates. However, there are no regulatorily approved drugs against the Ebola virus disease (EVD). The highly virulent and lethal nature of EVD highlights the need to develop therapeutic agents. Viral protein 40 kDa (VP40), the most abundantly expressed protein during infection, coordinates the assembly, budding, and release of viral particles into the host cell. It also regulates viral transcription and RNA replication. This study sought to identify small molecules that could potentially inhibit the VP40 protein by targeting the N-terminal domain using an in silico approach. The statistical quality of AutoDock Vina’s capacity to discriminate between inhibitors and decoys was determined, and an area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) curve of 0.791 was obtained. A total of 29,519 natural-product-derived compounds from Chinese and African sources as well as 2738 approved drugs were successfully screened against VP40. Using a threshold of −8 kcal/mol, a total of 7, 11, 163, and 30 compounds from the AfroDb, Northern African Natural Products Database (NANPDB), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and approved drugs libraries, respectively, were obtained after molecular docking. A biological activity prediction of the lead compounds suggested their potential antiviral properties. In addition, random-forest- and support-vector-machine-based algorithms predicted the compounds to be anti-Ebola with IC50 values in the micromolar range (less than 25 μM). A total of 42 natural-product-derived compounds were identified as potential EBOV inhibitors with desirable ADMET profiles, comprising 1, 2, and 39 compounds from NANPDB (2-hydroxyseneganolide), AfroDb (ZINC000034518176 and ZINC000095485942), and TCM, respectively. A total of 23 approved drugs, including doramectin, glecaprevir, velpatasvir, ledipasvir, avermectin B1, nafarelin acetate, danoprevir, eltrombopag, lanatoside C, and glycyrrhizin, among others, were also predicted to have potential anti-EBOV activity and can be further explored so that they may be repurposed for EVD treatment. Molecular dynamics simulations coupled with molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area calculations corroborated the stability and good binding affinities of the complexes (−46.97 to −118.9 kJ/mol). The potential lead compounds may have the potential to be developed as anti-EBOV drugs after experimental testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 581, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Carolyn Ashley
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Joseph Adams
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 581, Ghana
| | - Hammond Manu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 77, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer Aikins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 77, Ghana
| | - Mary Okom
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 77, Ghana
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Correspondence: (W.A.M.III); (S.K.K.); Tel.: +1(708)-2168451 (W.A.M.III); +23-320-3797922 (S.K.K.)
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 581, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
- Correspondence: (W.A.M.III); (S.K.K.); Tel.: +1(708)-2168451 (W.A.M.III); +23-320-3797922 (S.K.K.)
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9
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Wang J, Shahed-Ai-Mahmud M, Chen A, Li K, Tan H, Joyce R. An Overview of Antivirals against Monkeypox Virus and Other Orthopoxviruses. J Med Chem 2023; 66:4468-4490. [PMID: 36961984 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
The current monkeypox outbreaks during the COVID-19 pandemic have reignited interest in orthopoxvirus antivirals. Monkeypox belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family, which also includes the variola virus, vaccinia virus, and cowpox virus. Two orally bioavailable drugs, tecovirimat and brincidofovir, have been approved for treating smallpox infections. Given their human safety profiles and in vivo antiviral efficacy in animal models, both drugs have also been recommended to treat monkeypox infection. To facilitate the development of additional orthopoxvirus antivirals, we summarize the antiviral activity, mechanism of action, and mechanism of resistance of orthopoxvirus antivirals. This perspective covers both direct-acting and host-targeting antivirals with an emphasis on drug candidates showing in vivo antiviral efficacy in animal models. We hope to speed the orthopoxvirus antiviral drug discovery by providing medicinal chemists with insights into prioritizing proper drug targets and hits for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Md Shahed-Ai-Mahmud
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Angelo Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Kan Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Haozhou Tan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Ryan Joyce
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
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Fénéant L, Leske A, Günther K, Groseth A. Generation of Reporter-Expressing New World Arenaviruses: A Systematic Comparison. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071563. [PMID: 35891543 PMCID: PMC9317149 DOI: 10.3390/v14071563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Replication-competent reporter-expressing viruses are crucial tools in molecular virology with applications that range from antiviral screening to live-cell imaging of protein spatiotemporal dynamics. However, there is currently little information available regarding viable strategies to develop reporter-expressing arenaviruses. To address this, we used Tacaribe virus (TCRV), an apathogenic BSL2 arenavirus, to assess the feasibility of different reporter expression approaches. We first generated trisegmented TCRV viruses with either the glycoprotein (GP) or nucleoprotein (NP) replaced by a reporter (GFP, mCherry, or nanoluciferase). These viruses were all viable, but showed marked differences in brightness and attenuation. Next, we generated terminal fusions with each of the TCRV proteins (i.e., NP, GP, polymerase (L), matrix protein (Z)) either with or without a T2A self-cleavage site. We tested both the function of the reporter-fused proteins alone, and the viability of corresponding recombinant TCRVs. We successfully rescued viruses with both direct and cleavable reporter fusions at the C-terminus of Z, as well as cleavable N-terminal fusions with NP. These viruses all displayed detectable reporter activity, but were also moderately attenuated. Finally, reporter proteins were inserted into a flexible hinge region within L. These viruses were also viable and showed moderate attenuation; however, reporter expression was only detectable for the luminescent virus. These strategies provide an exciting range of new tools for research into the molecular biology of TCRV that can likely also be adapted to other arenaviruses.
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Identification of novel chemical compounds targeting filovirus VP40-mediated particle production. Antiviral Res 2022; 199:105267. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Bennett RP, Postnikova EN, Eaton BP, Cai Y, Yu S, Smith CO, Liang J, Zhou H, Kocher GA, Murphy MJ, Smith HC, Kuhn JH. Sangivamycin is highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and has favorable drug properties. JCI Insight 2021; 7:153165. [PMID: 34807849 PMCID: PMC8765048 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.153165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sangivamycin is a nucleoside analog that is well tolerated by humans and broadly active against phylogenetically distinct viruses, including arenaviruses, filoviruses, and orthopoxviruses. Here, we show that sangivamycin is a potent antiviral against multiple variants of replicative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with half-maximal inhibitory concentration in the nanomolar range in several cell types. Sangivamycin suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication with greater efficacy than remdesivir (another broad-spectrum nucleoside analog). When we investigated sangivamycin’s potential for clinical administration, pharmacokinetic; absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME); and toxicity properties were found to be favorable. When tested in combination with remdesivir, efficacy was additive rather than competitive against SARS-CoV-2. The proven safety in humans, long half-life, potent antiviral activity (compared to remdesivir), and combinatorial potential suggest that sangivamycin is likely to be efficacious alone or in combination therapy to suppress viremia in patients. Sangivamycin may also have the ability to help combat drug-resistant or vaccine-escaping SARS-CoV-2 variants since it is antivirally active against several tested variants. Our results support the pursuit of sangivamycin for further preclinical and clinical development as a potential coronavirus disease 2019 therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Bennett
- Drug Discovery, OyaGen, Inc, Rochester, United States of America
| | - Elena N Postnikova
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Brett P Eaton
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Yingyun Cai
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Shuiqing Yu
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Charles O Smith
- Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester, Rochester, United States of America
| | - Janie Liang
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Huanying Zhou
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Gregory A Kocher
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Michael J Murphy
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
| | - Harold C Smith
- Drug Discovery, OyaGen, Inc, Rochester, United States of America
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Drug Discovery, Inegrated Research Facility NIH/NIAID, Frederick, United States of America
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Formulation, Stability, Pharmacokinetic, and Modeling Studies for Tests of Synergistic Combinations of Orally Available Approved Drugs against Ebola Virus In Vivo. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9030566. [PMID: 33801811 PMCID: PMC7998926 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of Ebola ebolavirus (EBOV) have been associated with high morbidity and mortality. Milestones have been reached recently in the management of EBOV disease (EVD) with licensure of an EBOV vaccine and two monoclonal antibody therapies. However, neither vaccines nor therapies are available for other disease-causing filoviruses. In preparation for such outbreaks, and for more facile and cost-effective management of EVD, we seek a cocktail containing orally available and room temperature stable drugs with strong activity against multiple filoviruses. We previously showed that (bepridil + sertraline) and (sertraline + toremifene) synergistically suppress EBOV in cell cultures. Here, we describe steps towards testing these combinations in a mouse model of EVD. We identified a vehicle suitable for oral delivery of the component drugs and determined that, thus formulated the drugs are equally active against EBOV as preparations in DMSO, and they maintain activity upon storage in solution for up to seven days. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies indicated that the drugs in the oral delivery vehicle are well tolerated in mice at the highest doses tested. Collectively the data support advancement of these combinations to tests for synergy in a mouse model of EVD. Moreover, mathematical modeling based on human oral PK projects that the combinations would be more active in humans than their component single drugs.
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