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Huang C, Zeng R, Qiao J, Quan B, Luo R, Huang Q, Guo N, Li Y, Long X, Ma R, Xia A, Fang Z, Wang Y, Li Y, Zheng Y, Li L, Lei J, Yang S. Discovery and structure-activity relationship studies of novel α-ketoamide derivatives targeting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115657. [PMID: 37517202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro, also named 3CLpro) is a promising antiviral target against COVID-19 due to its functional importance in viral replication and transcription. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of α-ketoamide derivatives as a new class of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these compounds was analyzed, which led to the identification of a potent Mpro inhibitor (27h) with an IC50 value of 10.9 nM. The crystal structure of Mpro in complex with 27h revealed that α-ketoamide warhead covalently bound to Cys145s of the protease. In an in vitro antiviral assay, 27h showed excellent activity with an EC50 value of 43.6 nM, comparable to the positive control, Nirmatrelvir. This compound displayed high target specificity for Mpro against human proteases and low toxicity. It also possesses favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Overall, compound 27h could be a promising lead compound for drug discovery targeting SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and deserves further in-depth studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Rui Zeng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Jingxin Qiao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Baoxue Quan
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ronghua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Qiao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Nihong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yueyue Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Xinyan Long
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Ronggang Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Anjie Xia
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Zhen Fang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yueshan Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yongtang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China.
| | - Linli Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Jian Lei
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Shengyong Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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Liang J, Zheng M, Xu W, Chen Y, Tang P, Wu G, Zou P, Li H, Chen L. Acriflavine and proflavine hemisulfate as potential antivirals by targeting M pro. Bioorg Chem 2022; 129:106185. [PMID: 36240541 PMCID: PMC9540699 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic buffets the world, and the concerted efforts are needed to explore effective drugs. Mpro is an intriguing antiviral target for interfering with viral RNA replication and transcription. In order to get potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents, we established an enzymatic assay using a fluorogenic substrate to screen the inhibitors of Mpro. Fortunately, Acriflavine (ACF) and Proflavine Hemisulfate (PRF) with the same acridine scaffold were picked out for their good inhibitory activity against Mpro with IC50 of 5.60 ± 0.29 μM and 2.07 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. Further evaluation of MST assay and enzymatic kinetics experiment in vitro showed that they had a certain affinity to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and were both non-competitive inhibitors. In addition, they inhibited about 90 % HCoV-OC43 replication in BHK-21 cells at 1 μM. Both compounds showed nano-molar activities against SARS-CoV-2 virus, which were superior to GC376 for anti-HCoV-43, and equivalent to the standard molecule remdesivir. Our study demonstrated that ACF and PRF were inhibitors of Mpro, and ACF has been previously reported as a PLpro inhibitor. Taken together, ACF and PRF might be dual-targeted inhibitors to provide protection against infections of coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Mengzhu Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yongkang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Piyu Tang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Guoyi Wu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China,Corresponding authors at: Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China (H. Li and L. Chen)
| | - Peng Zou
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China,Corresponding authors at: Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China (H. Li and L. Chen)
| | - Hua Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China,Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China,School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China,Corresponding authors at: Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China (H. Li and L. Chen)
| | - Lixia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China,Corresponding authors at: Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China (H. Li and L. Chen)
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Wu Q, Yan S, Wang Y, Li M, Xiao Y, Li Y. Discovery of 4'-O-methylscutellarein as a potent SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 604:76-82. [PMID: 35303682 PMCID: PMC8907111 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in millions of deaths and seriously threatened public health and safety. Despite COVID-19 vaccines being readily popularized worldwide, targeted therapeutic agents for the treatment of this disease remain very limited. Here, we studied the inhibitory activity of the scutellarein and its methylated derivatives against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay. Among all the methylated derivatives we studied, 4'-O-methylscutellarein exhibited the most promising enzyme inhibitory activity in vitro, with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration value (IC50) of 0.40 ± 0.03 μM. Additionally, the mechanism of action of the hits was further characterized through enzyme kinetic studies and molecular docking. Overall, our results implied that 4'-O-methylscutellarein could be a primary lead compound with clinical potential for the development of inhibitors against the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Shiqiang Yan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Maotian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Yingxia Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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