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Pant S, Jena NR. Repurposing of antiparasitic drugs against the NS2B-NS3 protease of the Zika virus. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37747074 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2255648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
To date, no approved drugs are available to treat the Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. Therefore, it is necessary to urgently identify potential drugs against the ZIKV infection. Here, the repurposing of 30 antiparasitic drugs against the NS2B-NS3 protease of the ZIKV has been carried out by using combined docking and molecular dynamics- (MD) simulations. Based on the docking results, 5 drugs, such as Amodiaquine, Primaquine, Paromomycin, Dichlorophene, and Ivermectin were screened for further analysis by MD simulations and free energy calculations. Among these drugs, Amodiaquine and Dichlorophen are found to produce the most stable complexes and possess relative binding free energies of about -44.3 ± 3.7 kcal/mol and -41.1 ± 5.3 kcal/mol respectively. Therefore, they would act as potent small-molecule inhibitors of the ZIKV protease.However, evaluations of biological and safety activities of these drugs against the ZIKV protease are required before their clinical use.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Pant
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - N R Jena
- Discipline of Natural Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur, India
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2
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Chen R, Francese R, Wang N, Li F, Sun X, Xu B, Liu J, Liu Z, Donalisio M, Lembo D, Zhou GC. Exploration of novel hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-e]imidazol-1-one derivatives as antiviral agents against ZIKV and USUV. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115081. [PMID: 36623328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are two emerging flaviviruses mostly transmitted by mosquitos. ZIKV is associated with microcephaly in newborns and the less-known USUV, with its reported neurotropism and its extensive spread in Europe, represents a growing concern for human health. There is still no approved vaccine or specific antiviral against ZIKV and USUV infections. The main goal of this study is to investigate the anti-ZIKV and anti-USUV activity of a new library of compounds and to preliminarily investigate the mechanism of action of the selected hit compounds in vitro. Two potent anti-ZIKV and anti-USUV agents, namely ZDL-115 and ZDL-116, were discovered, both presenting low cytotoxicity, cell-line independent antiviral activity in the low micromolar range and ability of reducing viral progeny production. The analysis of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) revealed that introduction of 2-deoxyribose to 3-arene was fundamental to enhance the solubility and improve the antiviral action. Additionally, we demonstrated that ZDL-115 and ZDL-116 are significantly active against both viruses when added on cells for at least 24 h prior to viral inoculation or immediately post-infection. The docking analysis showed that ZDL-116 could target the host vitamin D receptor (VDR) and viral proteins. Future experiments will be focused on compound modification to discover analogues that are more potent and on the clarification of the mechanism of action and the specific drug target. The discovery and the development of a novel anti-flavivirus drug will have a significant impact in a context where there are no fully effective antiviral drugs or vaccines for most flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China; Xitaihu Lake Industrial College, Nanjing Tech University, Changzhou, 213149, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rachele Francese
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Antiviral Research, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Na Wang
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Feng Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xia Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bin Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinsong Liu
- Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Zhuyun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Taizhou Polytechnic College, Taizhou, 225300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Manuela Donalisio
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Antiviral Research, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - David Lembo
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Antiviral Research, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - Guo-Chun Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China; Xitaihu Lake Industrial College, Nanjing Tech University, Changzhou, 213149, Jiangsu, China.
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3
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Chen Q, Che C, Yang S, Ding P, Si M, Yang G. Anti-inflammatory effects of extracellular vesicles from Morchella on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells via the ROS-mediated p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Mol Cell Biochem 2023; 478:317-327. [PMID: 35796909 PMCID: PMC9886593 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04508-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Morchella is a kind of important edible and medicinal fungi, which is rich in polysaccharides, enzymes, fatty acids, amino acids and other active components. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have a typical membrane structure, and the vesicles contain some specific lipids, miRNAs and proteins, and their can deliver the contents to different cells to change their functions. The present study investigated whether Morchella produce extracellular vesicles and its anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW246.7 macrophages. The experimental results showed that Morchella produced extracellular vesicles and significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a model of LPS-induced inflammation. In addition, the expression of inflammatory factor-related genes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) showed dose-dependent inhibition. Morchella extracellular vesicles also can inhibit the inflammatory response induced by LPS by inhibiting the production of ROS and reducing the phosphorylation levels of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. These results indicate that the Morchella extracellular vesicles can be used as a potential anti-inflammatory substance in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengchuan Che
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shanshan Yang
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
| | - Pingping Ding
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
| | - Meiru Si
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ge Yang
- grid.412638.a0000 0001 0227 8151College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165 People’s Republic of China
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4
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Ezeh M, Okonkwo OE, Okpoli IN, Orji CE, Modozie BU, Onyema AC, Ezebuo FC. Chemoinformatic Design and Profiling of Derivatives of Dasabuvir, Efavirenz, and Tipranavir as Potential Inhibitors of Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase and Methyltransferase. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:33330-33348. [PMID: 36157724 PMCID: PMC9494688 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is one of the mosquito-borne flaviviruses of human importance with more than 2 million suspected cases and more than 1 million people infected in about 30 countries. There are reported inhibitors of the zika virus replication machinery, but no approved effective antiviral therapy including vaccines directed against the virus for treatment or prevention is currently available. The study investigated the chemoinformatic design and profiling of derivatives of dasabuvir, efavirenz, and tipranavir as potential inhibitors of the zika virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) and/or methyltransferase (MTase). The three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of dasabuvir, efavirenz, and tipranavir were obtained from the PubChem database, and their respective derivatives were designed with DataWarrior-5.2.1 using an evolutionary algorithm. Derivatives that were not mutagenic, tumorigenic, or irritant were selected; docked into RdRP and MTase; and further subjected to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) evaluation with Swiss-ADME and pkCSM web tools. Some of the designed compounds are Lipinski's rule-of-five compliant, with good synthetic accessibilities. Compounds 20d, 21d, 22d, and 1e are nontoxic with the only limitation of CYP1A2, CYP2C19, and/or CYP2C9 inhibition. Replacements of -CH3 and -NH- in the methanesulfonamide moiety of dasabuvir with -OH and -CH2- or -CH2CH2-, respectively, improved the safety/toxicity profile. Hepatotoxicity in 5d, 4d, and 18d is likely due to -NH- in their methanesulfonamide/sulfamic acid moieties. These compounds are potent inhibitors of N-7 and 2'-methylation activities of ZIKV methyltransferase and/or RNA synthesis through interactions with amino acid residues in the priming loop/"N-pocket" in the virus RdRP. Synthesis of these compounds and wet laboratory validation against ZIKV are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine
I. Ezeh
- Department
of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra
State, Nigeria
| | - Onyinyechi E. Okonkwo
- Department
of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra
State, Nigeria
| | - Innocent N. Okpoli
- Department
of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra
State, Nigeria
- Drug
Design and Informatics Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Chima E. Orji
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Benjamin U. Modozie
- Department
of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra
State, Nigeria
| | - Augustine C. Onyema
- Department
of Biochemistry, Graduate Center, City University
of New York (CUNY), New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Fortunatus C. Ezebuo
- Department
of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra
State, Nigeria
- Drug
Design and Informatics Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, PMB 5025, Awka 420110, Anambra State, Nigeria
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Jung E, Soto-Acosta R, Geraghty RJ, Chen L. Zika Virus Inhibitors Based on a 1,3-Disubstituted 1 H-Pyrazolo[3,4- d]pyrimidine-amine Scaffold. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27186109. [PMID: 36144841 PMCID: PMC9502836 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27186109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To search for Zika virus (ZIKV) antivirals, we have further explored previously reported 7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines by examining an alternative substitution pattern of their central scaffold, leading to compound 5 with low micromolar antiviral activity. To circumvent the synthetic difficulties associated with compound 5, we have exploited a 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffold and performed structure-activity relationship studies on its peripheral rings A and B. While ring B is less sensitive to structural modifications, an electron-withdrawing group at the para position of ring A is preferred for enhanced antiviral activity. Overall, we have not only discovered an alternative substitution pattern centered on a 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffold but also generated anti-ZIKV compounds including 6 and 13, which possess low micromolar antiviral activity and relatively low cytotoxicity. These compounds represent new chemotypes that will be further optimized in our continued efforts to discover anti-ZIKV agents.
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Rejinold N S, Choi G, Piao H, Choy JH. Bovine Serum Albumin-Coated Niclosamide-Zein Nanoparticles as Potential Injectable Medicine against COVID-19. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14143792. [PMID: 34300711 PMCID: PMC8307271 DOI: 10.3390/ma14143792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: COVID-19 has affected millions of people worldwide, but countries with high experimental anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rates among the general population respectively show progress in achieving general herd immunity in the population (a combination of natural and vaccine-induced acquired immunity), resulting in a significant reduction in both newly detected infections and mortality rates. However, the longevity of the vaccines’ ability to provide protection against the ongoing pandemic is still unclear. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to have new medications to fight against the pandemic at the earliest point possible. Recently, it has been found that repurposing already existing drugs could, in fact, be an ideal strategy to formulate effective medication for COVID-19. Though there are many FDA-approved drugs, it has been found that niclosamide (NIC), an anthelmintic drug, has significantly high potential against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. (2) Methods: Here we deployed a simple self-assembling technique through which Zein nanoparticles were successfully used to encapsulate NIC, which was then coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) in order to improve the drugs’ stability, injectablity, and selectivity towards the virus-infected cells. (3) Results: The particle size for the BSA-stabilized Zein-NIC nanohybrid was found to be less than 200 nm, with excellent colloidal stability and sustained drug release properties. In addition, the nanohybrid showed enhanced drug release behavior under serum conditions, indicating that such a hybrid drug delivery system could be highly beneficial for treating COVID-19 patients suffering from high endothelial glycocalyx damage followed by a cytokine storm related to the severe inflammations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanoj Rejinold N
- Intelligent Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory (INML), Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (S.R.N.); (G.C.); (H.P.)
| | - Goeun Choi
- Intelligent Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory (INML), Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (S.R.N.); (G.C.); (H.P.)
- College of Science and Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
| | - Huiyan Piao
- Intelligent Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory (INML), Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (S.R.N.); (G.C.); (H.P.)
| | - Jin-Ho Choy
- Intelligent Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory (INML), Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea; (S.R.N.); (G.C.); (H.P.)
- Department of Pre-medical Course, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea
- Tokyo Tech World Research Hub Initiative (WRHI), Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
- Correspondence:
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Sofosbuvir Selects for Drug-Resistant Amino Acid Variants in the Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Complex In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052670. [PMID: 33800884 PMCID: PMC7962015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleotide analog sofosbuvir, licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, recently revealed activity against the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro and in animal models. However, the ZIKV genetic barrier to sofosbuvir has not yet been characterized. In this study, in vitro selection experiments were performed in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Increasing drug pressure significantly delayed viral breakthrough (p = 0.029). A double mutant in the NS5 gene (V360L/V607I) emerged in 3 independent experiments at 40–80 µM sofosbuvir resulting in a 3.9 ± 0.9-fold half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) shift with respect to the wild type (WT) virus. A triple mutant (C269Y/V360L/V607I), detected in one experiment at 80 µM, conferred a 6.8-fold IC50 shift with respect to the WT. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the double mutant V360L/V607I impacts the binding mode of sofosbuvir, supporting its role in sofosbuvir resistance. Due to the distance from the catalytic site and to the lack of reliable structural data, the contribution of C269Y was not investigated in silico. By a combination of sequence analysis, phenotypic susceptibility testing, and molecular modeling, we characterized a double ZIKV NS5 mutant with decreased sofosbuvir susceptibility. These data add important information to the profile of sofosbuvir as a possible lead for anti-ZIKV drug development.
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