1
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Shurtleff VW, Layton ME, Parish CA, Perkins JJ, Schreier JD, Wang Y, Adam GC, Alvarez N, Bahmanjah S, Bahnck-Teets CM, Boyce CW, Burlein C, Cabalu TD, Campbell BT, Carroll SS, Chang W, de Lera Ruiz M, Dolgov E, Fay JF, Fox NG, Goh SL, Hartingh TJ, Hurzy DM, Kelly MJ, Klein DJ, Klingler FM, Krishnamurthy H, Kudalkar S, Mayhood TW, McKenna PM, Murray EM, Nahas D, Nawrat CC, Park S, Qian D, Roecker AJ, Sharma V, Shipe WD, Su J, Taggart RV, Truong Q, Wu Y, Zhou X, Zhuang N, Perlin DS, Olsen DB, Howe JA, McCauley JA. Invention of MK-7845, a SARS-CoV-2 3CL Protease Inhibitor Employing a Novel Difluorinated Glutamine Mimic. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3935-3958. [PMID: 38365209 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
As SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate, antiviral treatments are needed to complement vaccines. The virus's main protease, 3CLPro, is an attractive drug target in part because it recognizes a unique cleavage site, which features a glutamine residue at the P1 position and is not utilized by human proteases. Herein, we report the invention of MK-7845, a novel reversible covalent 3CLPro inhibitor. While most covalent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLPro reported to date contain an amide as a Gln mimic at P1, MK-7845 bears a difluorobutyl substituent at this position. SAR analysis and X-ray crystallographic studies indicate that this group interacts with His163, the same residue that forms a hydrogen bond with the amide substituents typically found at P1. In addition to promising in vivo efficacy and an acceptable projected human dose with unboosted pharmacokinetics, MK-7845 exhibits favorable properties for both solubility and absorption that may be attributable to the unusual difluorobutyl substituent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark E Layton
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Craig A Parish
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - James J Perkins
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - John D Schreier
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Yunyi Wang
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Gregory C Adam
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Nadine Alvarez
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Tamara D Cabalu
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Brian T Campbell
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Steven S Carroll
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Wonsuk Chang
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | | | - Enriko Dolgov
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | - John F Fay
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Nicholas G Fox
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Shih Lin Goh
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | - Danielle M Hurzy
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Michael J Kelly
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Daniel J Klein
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | | | - Shalley Kudalkar
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Todd W Mayhood
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Philip M McKenna
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Edward M Murray
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Debbie Nahas
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | | | - Steven Park
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | | | | | - Vijeta Sharma
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | - William D Shipe
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Jing Su
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Robert V Taggart
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - Quang Truong
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Yin Wu
- Viva Biotech Ltd., Shanghai 201318, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | | | - David S Perlin
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey 07110, United States
| | - David B Olsen
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - John A Howe
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
| | - John A McCauley
- Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, United States
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2
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Lv X, Chen R, Liang T, Peng H, Fang Q, Xiao S, Liu S, Hu M, Yu F, Cao L, Zhang Y, Pan T, Xi Z, Ding Y, Feng L, Zeng T, Huang W, Zhang H, Ma X. NSP6 inhibits the production of ACE2-containing exosomes to promote SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. mBio 2024; 15:e0335823. [PMID: 38303107 PMCID: PMC10936183 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03358-23] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a global pandemic, which severely endangers public health. Our and others' works have shown that the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-containing exosomes (ACE2-exos) have superior antiviral efficacies, especially in response to emerging variants. However, the mechanisms of how the virus counteracts the host and regulates ACE2-exos remain unclear. Here, we identified that SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 6 (NSP6) inhibits the production of ACE2-exos by affecting the protein level of ACE2 as well as tetraspanin-CD63 which is a key factor for exosome biogenesis. We further found that the protein stability of CD63 and ACE2 is maintained by the deubiquitination of proteasome 26S subunit, non-ATPase 12 (PSMD12). NSP6 interacts with PSMD12 and counteracts its function, consequently promoting the degradation of CD63 and ACE2. As a result, NSP6 diminishes the antiviral efficacy of ACE2-exos and facilitates the virus to infect healthy bystander cells. Overall, our study provides a valuable target for the discovery of promising drugs for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019. IMPORTANCE The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severely endangers global public health. The efficacy of vaccines and antibodies declined with the rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutants. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-containing exosomes (ACE2-exos) therapy exhibits a broad neutralizing activity, which could be used against various viral mutations. Our study here revealed that SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 6 inhibited the production of ACE2-exos, thereby promoting viral infection to the adjacent bystander cells. The identification of a new target for blocking SARS-CoV-2 depends on fully understanding the virus-host interaction networks. Our study sheds light on the mechanism by which the virus resists the host exosome defenses, which would facilitate the study and design of ACE2-exos-based therapeutics for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Lv
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ran Chen
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Taizhen Liang
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio-Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haojie Peng
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiannan Fang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shiqi Xiao
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio-Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sen Liu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio-Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meilin Hu
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio-Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lixue Cao
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Center for Infection and Immunity Studies, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhihui Xi
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yao Ding
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Linyuan Feng
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tao Zeng
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenjing Huang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiancai Ma
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio-Island, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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3
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Nguyen HH, Tufts J, Minh DDL. On Inactivation of the Coronavirus Main Protease. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:1644-1656. [PMID: 38423522 PMCID: PMC10936523 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
A deeper understanding of the inactive conformations of the coronavirus main protease (MPro) could inform the design of allosteric drugs. Based on extensive molecular dynamics simulations, we built a Markov State Model to investigate structural changes that can inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 MPro. In a subset of structures, one subunit of the homodimer assumes an inactive conformation that resembles an inactive crystal structure. However, contradicting the widely held half-of-sites activity hypothesis, the most populated enzyme structures have two active subunits. We then used transition path theory (TPT) and the Jensen-Shannon Divergence (JSD) to pinpoint residues involved in the inactivation process. A π stack between Phe140 and His163 is a key feature that can distinguish active and inactive conformations of MPro. Each subunit has unique inactive conformations stabilized by π stacking interactions involving residues Phe140, Tyr118, His163, and His172, a hydrogen bonding network centered around His163 and His172, and a modified network of interactions in the dimer interface. The importance of these residues in maintaining an active structure explains the sensitivity of enzymatic activity to site-directed mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ha Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616, United States
| | - Jim Tufts
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616, United States
| | - David D. L. Minh
- Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616, United States
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4
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Biswas S, Mita MA, Afrose S, Hasan MR, Shimu MSS, Zaman S, Saleh MA. An in silico approach to develop potential therapies against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Heliyon 2024; 10:e25837. [PMID: 38379969 PMCID: PMC10877303 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25837] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
A deadly respiratory disease Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is caused by a perilous virus known as MERS-CoV, which has a severe impact on human health. Currently, there is no approved vaccine, prophylaxis, or antiviral therapeutics for preventing MERS-CoV infection. Due to its inexorable and integral role in the maturation and replication of the MERS-CoV virus, the 3C-like protease is unavoidly a viable therapeutic target. In this study, 2369 phytoconstituents were enlisted from Japanese medicinal plants, and these compounds were screened against 3C-like protease to identify feasible inhibitors. The best three compounds were identified as Kihadanin B, Robustaflavone, and 3-beta-O- (trans-p-Coumaroyl) maslinic acid, with binding energies of -9.8, -9.4, and -9.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The top three potential candidates interacted with several active site residues in the targeted protein, including Cys145, Met168, Glu169, Ala171, and Gln192. The best three compounds were assessed by in silico technique to determine their drug-likeness properties, and they exhibited the least harmful features and the greatest drug-like qualities. Various descriptors, such as solvent-accessible surface area, root-mean-square fluctuation, root-mean-square deviation, hydrogen bond, and radius of gyration, validated the stability and firmness of the protein-ligand complexes throughout the 100ns molecular dynamics simulation. Moreover, the top three compounds exhibited better binding energy along with better stability and firmness than the inhibitor (Nafamostat), which was further confirmed by the binding free energy calculation. Therefore, this computational investigation could aid in the development of efficient therapeutics for life-threatening MERS-CoV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvro Biswas
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Mohasana Akter Mita
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Shamima Afrose
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Robiul Hasan
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | | | - Shahriar Zaman
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Abu Saleh
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
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5
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Huang H, Lei X, Zhao C, Qin Y, Li Y, Zhang X, Li C, Lan T, Zhao B, Sun W, Lu H, Jin N. Porcine deltacoronavirus nsp5 antagonizes type I interferon signaling by cleaving IFIT3. J Virol 2024; 98:e0168223. [PMID: 38289117 PMCID: PMC10878044 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01682-23] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) has caused enormous economic losses to the global pig industry. However, the immune escape mechanism of PDCoV remains to be fully clarified. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a high abundance of interferon (IFN)-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) transcripts after PDCoV infection, which initially implied a correlation between IFIT3 and PDCoV. Further studies showed that PDCoV nsp5 could antagonize the host type I interferon signaling pathway by cleaving IFIT3. We demonstrated that PDCoV nsp5 cleaved porcine IFIT3 (pIFIT3) at Gln-406. Similar cleavage of endogenous IFIT3 has also been observed in PDCoV-infected cells. The pIFIT3-Q406A mutant was resistant to nsp5-mediated cleavage and exhibited a greater ability to inhibit PDCoV infection than wild-type pIFIT3. Furthermore, we found that cleavage of IFIT3 is a common characteristic of nsp5 proteins of human coronaviruses, albeit not alphacoronavirus. This finding suggests that the cleavage of IFIT3 is an important mechanism by which PDCoV nsp5 antagonizes IFN signaling. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms by which PDCoV antagonizes the host innate immune response.IMPORTANCEPorcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a potential emerging zoonotic pathogen, and studies on the prevalence and pathogenesis of PDCoV are ongoing. The main protease (nsp5) of PDCoV provides an excellent target for antivirals due to its essential and conserved function in the viral replication cycle. Previous studies have revealed that nsp5 of PDCoV antagonizes type I interferon (IFN) production by targeting the interferon-stimulated genes. Here, we provide the first demonstration that nsp5 of PDCoV antagonizes IFN signaling by cleaving IFIT3, which affects the IFN response after PDCoV infection. Our findings reveal that PDCoV nsp5 is an important interferon antagonist and enhance the understanding of immune evasion by deltacoronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixin Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Lei
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenchen Zhao
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan Qin
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuying Li
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengkai Li
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tian Lan
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Baopeng Zhao
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenchao Sun
- Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huijun Lu
- Changchun Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ningyi Jin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
- Changchun Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China
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6
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Li X, Wu Y, Yan Z, Li G, Luo J, Huang S, Guo X. A Comprehensive View on the Protein Functions of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:165. [PMID: 38397155 PMCID: PMC10887554 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020165] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus (PEDV) is one of the main pathogens causing diarrhea in piglets and fattening pigs. The clinical signs of PED are vomiting, acute diarrhea, dehydration, and mortality resulting in significant economic losses and becoming a major challenge in the pig industry. PEDV possesses various crucial structural and functional proteins, which play important roles in viral structure, infection, replication, assembly, and release, as well as in escaping host innate immunity. Over the past few years, there has been progress in the study of PEDV pathogenesis, revealing the crucial role of the interaction between PEDV viral proteins and host cytokines in PEDV infection. At present, the main control measure against PEDV is vaccine immunization of sows, but the protective effect for emerging virus strains is still insufficient, and there is no ideal safe and efficient vaccine. Although scientists have persistently delved their research into the intricate structure and functionalities of the PEDV genome and viral proteins for years, the pathogenic mechanism of PEDV remains incompletely elucidated. Here, we focus on reviewing the research progress of PEDV structural and nonstructural proteins to facilitate the understanding of biological processes such as PEDV infection and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing 526238, China
| | - Yiwan Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing 526238, China
| | - Zhibin Yan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing 526238, China
| | - Gen Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Jun Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Shile Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA
| | - Xiaofeng Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (Z.Y.); (G.L.); (J.L.)
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing 526238, China
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7
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Janin YL. On the origins of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:81-118. [PMID: 38283212 PMCID: PMC10809347 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00493g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to address the world-wide health challenge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3CL protease/SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2-Mpro) coded by its nsp5 gene became one of the biochemical targets for the design of antiviral drugs. In less than 3 years of research, 4 inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2-Mpro have actually been authorized for COVID-19 treatment (nirmatrelvir, ensitrelvir, leritrelvir and simnotrelvir) and more such as EDP-235, FB-2001 and STI-1558/Olgotrelvir or five undisclosed compounds (CDI-988, ASC11, ALG-097558, QLS1128 and H-10517) are undergoing clinical trials. This review is an attempt to picture this quite unprecedented medicinal chemistry feat and provide insights on how these cysteine protease inhibitors were discovered. Since many series of covalent SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors owe some of their origins to previous work on other proteases, we first provided a description of various inhibitors of cysteine-bearing human caspase-1 or cathepsin K, as well as inhibitors of serine proteases such as human dipeptidyl peptidase-4 or the hepatitis C protein complex NS3/4A. This is then followed by a description of the results of the approaches adopted (repurposing, structure-based and high throughput screening) to discover coronavirus main protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves L Janin
- Structure et Instabilité des Génomes (StrInG), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, INSERM, CNRS, Alliance Sorbonne Université 75005 Paris France
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8
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Wang G, Venegas FA, Rueda AM, Weerasinghe NW, Uggowitzer KA, Thibodeaux CJ, Moitessier N, Mittermaier AK. A naturally occurring G11S mutation in the 3C-like protease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus dramatically weakens the dimer interface. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4857. [PMID: 38058248 PMCID: PMC10731504 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4857] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The 3C-like protease (3CLpro ) is crucial to the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, and is the target of several successful drugs including Paxlovid and Xocova. Nevertheless, the emergence of viral resistance underlines the need for alternative drug strategies. 3CLpro only functions as a homodimer, making the protein-protein interface an attractive drug target. Dimerization is partly mediated by a conserved glycine at position 11. However, some naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 sequences contain a serine at this position, potentially disrupting the dimer. We have used concentration-dependent activity assays and mass spectrometry to show that indeed the G11S mutation reduces the stability of the dimer by 600-fold. This helps to set a quantitative benchmark for the minimum potency required of any future protein-protein interaction inhibitors targeting 3CLpro and raises interesting questions regarding how coronaviruses bearing such weakly dimerizing 3CLpro enzymes are capable of replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanyu Wang
- Department of ChemistryMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
| | | | - Andres M. Rueda
- Department of ChemistryMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
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9
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Islam MA. A review of SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccines: Viral properties, mutations, vaccine efficacy, and safety. INFECTIOUS MEDICINE 2023; 2:247-261. [PMID: 38205179 PMCID: PMC10774670 DOI: 10.1016/j.imj.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 instigated by coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has delivered an unfathomable obstruction that has touched all sectors worldwide. Despite new vaccine technologies and mass administration of booster doses, the virus persists, and unknown the ending of the pandemic for new variants and sub-variants. Moreover, whether leaning on home medications or using plant extracts is sufficient often to combat the virus has generated tremendous interest in the scientific fraternity. Different databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar used to find published articles linked with related topics. Currently, COVID-19 third and fourth shots of vaccines are progressively administered worldwide, where some countries trail others by a significant margin. Many proteins related to viral activity have changed, possibly boosting the virus infectivity and making antibodies ineffective. This study will reminisce the viral genome, associated pathways for viral protein functions, variants, and their mutations. The current, comprehensive review will also provide information on vaccine technologies developed by several biotech companies and the efficacy of their doses, costs including boosters on a mass level. As no vaccine is working to protect fully against all the variants, the new proactive vaccine research needs to be conducted based on all variants, their sub-lineage, and mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Aminul Islam
- Advanced Molecular Lab, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj 2310, Bangladesh
- COVID-19 Diagnostic lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
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10
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Tripathi SM, Akash S, Rahman MA, Sundriyal S. Identification of synthetically tractable MERS-CoV main protease inhibitors using structure-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics potential of mean force (PMF) calculations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37978909 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2283780] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a potentially lethal infection that presents a substantial threat to health, especially in Middle East nations. Given that no FDA-approved specific therapy for MERS infection exists, designing and discovering a potent antiviral therapy for MERS-CoV is crucial. One pivotal strategy for inhibiting MERS replication is to focus on the viral main protease (Mpro). In this study, we identify potential novel Mpro inhibitors employing structure-based virtual screening of our recently reported Ugi reaction-derived library (URDL) consisting of cherry-picked molecules from the literature. The key features of the URDL library include synthetic tractability (1-2 pot synthesis) of the molecules scaffold and unexplored chemical space. The hits were ranked based on the docking score, MM-GBSA free energy of binding, and the interaction pattern with the active site residues. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study was performed for the first two top-ranked compounds to analyze the stability and free binding energy based on the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area. The potential mean force calculated from the steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations of the hits indicates improved H-bond potential, enhanced conformational stability, and binding affinity toward the target, compared to the cocrystallized ligand. The discovered hits represent novel synthetically tractable scaffolds as potential MERS-CoV Mpro inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailesh Mani Tripathi
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Rajasthan, India
| | - Shopnil Akash
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Ashulia, Bangladesh
| | | | - Sandeep Sundriyal
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Rajasthan, India
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11
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Zhou K, Chen D. Conventional Understanding of SARS-CoV-2 M pro and Common Strategies for Developing Its Inhibitors. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300301. [PMID: 37577869 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300301] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought a widespread influence on the world, especially in the face of sudden coronavirus infections, and there is still an urgent need for specific small molecule therapies to cope with possible future pandemics. The pathogen responsible for this pandemic is Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and understanding its structure and lifecycle is beneficial for designing specific drugs of treatment for COVID-19. The main protease (Mpro ) which has conservative and specific advantages is essential for viral replication and transcription. It is regarded as one of the most potential targets for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug development. This review introduces the popular knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in drug development and lists a series of design principles and relevant activities of advanced Mpro inhibitors, hoping to provide some new directions and ideas for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, RT 264005, P. R. China
| | - Daquan Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, RT 264005, P. R. China
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12
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Leonard RA, Rao VN, Bartlett A, Froggatt HM, Luftig MA, Heaton BE, Heaton NS. A low-background, fluorescent assay to evaluate inhibitors of diverse viral proteases. J Virol 2023; 97:e0059723. [PMID: 37578235 PMCID: PMC10506478 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00597-23] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple coronaviruses (CoVs) can cause respiratory diseases in humans. While prophylactic vaccines designed to prevent infection are available for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), incomplete vaccine efficacy, vaccine hesitancy, and the threat of other pathogenic CoVs for which vaccines do not exist have highlighted the need for effective antiviral therapies. While antiviral compounds targeting the viral polymerase and protease are already in clinical use, their sensitivity to potential resistance mutations as well as their breadth against the full range of human and preemergent CoVs remain incompletely defined. To begin to fill that gap in knowledge, we report here the development of an improved, noninfectious, cell-based fluorescent assay with high sensitivity and low background that reports on the activity of viral proteases, which are key drug targets. We demonstrate that the assay is compatible with not only the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro protein but also orthologues from a range of human and nonhuman CoVs as well as clinically reported SARS-CoV-2 drug-resistant Mpro variants. We then use this assay to define the breadth of activity of two clinically used protease inhibitors, nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir. Continued use of this assay will help define the strengths and limitations of current therapies and may also facilitate the development of next-generation protease inhibitors that are broadly active against both currently circulating and preemergent CoVs. IMPORTANCE Coronaviruses (CoVs) are important human pathogens with the ability to cause global pandemics. Working in concert with vaccines, antivirals specifically limit viral disease in people who are actively infected. Antiviral compounds that target CoV proteases are already in clinical use; their efficacy against variant proteases and preemergent zoonotic CoVs, however, remains incompletely defined. Here, we report an improved, noninfectious, and highly sensitive fluorescent method of defining the sensitivity of CoV proteases to small molecule inhibitors. We use this approach to assay the activity of current antiviral therapies against clinically reported SARS-CoV-2 protease mutants and a panel of highly diverse CoV proteases. Additionally, we show this system is adaptable to other structurally nonrelated viral proteases. In the future, this assay can be used to not only better define the strengths and limitations of current therapies but also help develop new, broadly acting inhibitors that more broadly target viral families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Leonard
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vishwas N. Rao
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandria Bartlett
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Heather M. Froggatt
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Micah A. Luftig
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brook E. Heaton
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas S. Heaton
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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13
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Li F, Fang T, Guo F, Zhao Z, Zhang J. Comprehensive Understanding of the Kinetic Behaviors of Main Protease from SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV: New Data and Comparison to Published Parameters. Molecules 2023; 28:4605. [PMID: 37375160 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124605] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) is a promising drug target for inhibiting the coronavirus due to its conserved properties and lack of homologous genes in humans. However, previous studies on Mpro's kinetic parameters have been confusing, hindering the selection of accurate inhibitors. Therefore, obtaining a clear view of Mpro's kinetic parameters is necessary. In our study, we investigated the kinetic behaviors of Mpro from SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV using both FRET-based cleavage assay and the LC-MS method, respectively. Our findings indicate that the FRET-based cleavage assay could be used for preliminary screening of Mpro inhibitors, while the LC-MS method should be applied to select the effective inhibitors with higher reliability. Furthermore, we constructed the active site mutants (H41A and C145A) and measured the kinetic parameters to gain a deeper understanding of the atomic-level enzyme efficiency reduction compared to the wild type. Overall, our study provides valuable insights for inhibitor screening and design by offering a comprehensive understanding of Mpro's kinetic behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangya Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tingting Fang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Feng Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zipeng Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jianyu Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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14
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Pang X, Xu W, Liu Y, Li H, Chen L. The research progress of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors from 2020 to 2022. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 257:115491. [PMID: 37244162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a central role in viral replication and transcription and represents an attractive drug target for fighting COVID-19. Many SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors have been reported, including covalent and noncovalent inhibitors. The SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor PF-07321332 (Nirmatrelvir) designed by Pfizer has been put on the market. This paper briefly introduces the structural characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and summarizes the research progress of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors from the aspects of drug repurposing and drug design. These information will provide a basis for the drug development of treating the infection of SARS-CoV-2 and even other coronaviruses in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Pang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - 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.
| | - Lixia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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15
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Brier L, Hassan H, Hanoulle X, Landry V, Moschidi D, Desmarets L, Rouillé Y, Dumont J, Herledan A, Warenghem S, Piveteau C, Carré P, Ikherbane S, Cantrelle FX, Dupré E, Dubuisson J, Belouzard S, Leroux F, Deprez B, Charton J. Novel dithiocarbamates selectively inhibit 3CL protease of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 250:115186. [PMID: 36796300 PMCID: PMC9901219 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115186] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Since end of 2019, the global and unprecedented outbreak caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to dramatic numbers of infections and deaths worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 produces two large viral polyproteins which are cleaved by two cysteine proteases encoded by the virus, the 3CL protease (3CLpro) and the papain-like protease, to generate non-structural proteins essential for the virus life cycle. Both proteases are recognized as promising drug targets for the development of anti-coronavirus chemotherapy. Aiming at identifying broad spectrum agents for the treatment of COVID-19 but also to fight emergent coronaviruses, we focused on 3CLpro that is well conserved within this viral family. Here we present a high-throughput screening of more than 89,000 small molecules that led to the identification of a new chemotype, potent inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. The mechanism of inhibition, the interaction with the protease using NMR and X-Ray, the specificity against host cysteine proteases and promising antiviral properties in cells are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucile Brier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Haitham Hassan
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Xavier Hanoulle
- CNRS, EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Valerie Landry
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Danai Moschidi
- CNRS, EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Lowiese Desmarets
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Yves Rouillé
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Julie Dumont
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Adrien Herledan
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Sandrine Warenghem
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Catherine Piveteau
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Paul Carré
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Sarah Ikherbane
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - François-Xavier Cantrelle
- CNRS, EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Elian Dupré
- CNRS, EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Jean Dubuisson
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Sandrine Belouzard
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Florence Leroux
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, EGID, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Benoit Deprez
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, EGID, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, F-59000, Lille, France.
| | - Julie Charton
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1177 - Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems, EGID, F-59000, Lille, France
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16
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Arnaiz A, Guirado-Moreno JC, Guembe-García M, Barros R, Tamayo-Ramos JA, Fernández-Pampín N, García JM, Vallejos S. Lab-on-a-chip for the easy and visual detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva based on sensory polymers. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. B, CHEMICAL 2023; 379:133165. [PMID: 36536612 PMCID: PMC9751010 DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2022.133165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The initial stages of the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 showed that early detection of the virus in a simple way is the best tool until the development of vaccines. Many different tests are invasive or need the patient to cough up or even drag a sample of mucus from the throat area. Besides, the manufacturing time has proven insufficient in pandemic conditions since they were out of stock in many countries. Here we show a new method of manufacturing virus sensors and a proof of concept with SARS-CoV-2. We found that a fluorogenic peptide substrate of the main protease of the virus (Mpro) can be covalently immobilized in a polymer, with which a cellulose-based material can be coated. These sensory labels fluoresce with a single saliva sample of a positive COVID-19 patient. The results matched with that of the antigen tests in 22 of 26 studied cases (85% success rate).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Arnaiz
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle Ramiro de Maeztu, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Carlos Guirado-Moreno
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Marta Guembe-García
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Rocio Barros
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Tamayo-Ramos
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Natalia Fernández-Pampín
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - José M García
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Saúl Vallejos
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
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17
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Stefanelli I, Corona A, Cerchia C, Cassese E, Improta S, Costanzi E, Pelliccia S, Morasso S, Esposito F, Paulis A, Scognamiglio S, Di Leva FS, Storici P, Brindisi M, Tramontano E, Cannalire R, Summa V. Broad-spectrum coronavirus 3C-like protease peptidomimetic inhibitors effectively block SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells: Design, synthesis, biological evaluation, and X-ray structure determination. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 253:115311. [PMID: 37043904 PMCID: PMC10068823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the approval of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and restrictions during the pandemic, the demand for new efficacious and safe antivirals is compelling to boost the therapeutic arsenal against the COVID-19. The viral 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) is an essential enzyme for replication with high homology in the active site across CoVs and variants showing an almost unique specificity for Leu-Gln as P2-P1 residues, allowing the development of broad-spectrum inhibitors. The design, synthesis, biological activity, and cocrystal structural information of newly conceived peptidomimetic covalent reversible inhibitors are herein described. The inhibitors display an aldehyde warhead, a Gln mimetic at P1 and modified P2-P3 residues. Particularly, functionalized proline residues were inserted at P2 to stabilize the β-turn like bioactive conformation, modulating the affinity. The most potent compounds displayed low/sub-nM potency against the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV and inhibited viral replication of three human CoVs, i.e. SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and HCoV 229 in different cell lines. Particularly, derivative 12 exhibited nM-low μM antiviral activity depending on the virus, and the highest selectivity index. Some compounds were co-crystallized with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro validating our design. Altogether, these results foster future work toward broad-spectrum 3CLpro inhibitors to challenge CoVs related pandemics.
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18
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The Substitutions L50F, E166A, and L167F in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro Are Selected by a Protease Inhibitor In Vitro and Confer Resistance To Nirmatrelvir. mBio 2023; 14:e0281522. [PMID: 36625640 PMCID: PMC9973015 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02815-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro) has an indispensable role in the viral life cycle and is a therapeutic target for the treatment of COVID-19. The potential of 3CLpro-inhibitors to select for drug-resistant variants needs to be established. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 was passaged in vitro in the presence of increasing concentrations of ALG-097161, a probe compound designed in the context of a 3CLpro drug discovery program. We identified a combination of amino acid substitutions in 3CLpro (L50F E166A L167F) that is associated with a >20× increase in 50% effective concentration (EC50) values for ALG-097161, nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332), PF-00835231, and ensitrelvir. While two of the single substitutions (E166A and L167F) provide low-level resistance to the inhibitors in a biochemical assay, the triple mutant results in the highest levels of resistance (6× to 72×). All substitutions are associated with a significant loss of enzymatic 3CLpro activity, suggesting a reduction in viral fitness. Structural biology analysis indicates that the different substitutions reduce the number of inhibitor/enzyme interactions while the binding of the substrate is maintained. These observations will be important for the interpretation of resistance development to 3CLpro inhibitors in the clinical setting. IMPORTANCE Paxlovid is the first oral antiviral approved for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antiviral treatments are often associated with the development of drug-resistant viruses. In order to guide the use of novel antivirals, it is essential to understand the risk of resistance development and to characterize the associated changes in the viral genes and proteins. In this work, we describe for the first time a pathway that allows SARS-CoV-2 to develop resistance against Paxlovid in vitro. The characteristics of in vitro antiviral resistance development may be predictive for the clinical situation. Therefore, our work will be important for the management of COVID-19 with Paxlovid and next-generation SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitors.
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19
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Jochmans D, Liu C, Donckers K, Stoycheva A, Boland S, Stevens SK, De Vita C, Vanmechelen B, Maes P, Trüeb B, Ebert N, Thiel V, De Jonghe S, Vangeel L, Bardiot D, Jekle A, Blatt LM, Beigelman L, Symons JA, Raboisson P, Chaltin P, Marchand A, Neyts J, Deval J, Vandyck K. The Substitutions L50F, E166A, and L167F in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro Are Selected by a Protease Inhibitor In Vitro and Confer Resistance To Nirmatrelvir. mBio 2023. [PMID: 36625640 DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.07.495116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro) has an indispensable role in the viral life cycle and is a therapeutic target for the treatment of COVID-19. The potential of 3CLpro-inhibitors to select for drug-resistant variants needs to be established. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 was passaged in vitro in the presence of increasing concentrations of ALG-097161, a probe compound designed in the context of a 3CLpro drug discovery program. We identified a combination of amino acid substitutions in 3CLpro (L50F E166A L167F) that is associated with a >20× increase in 50% effective concentration (EC50) values for ALG-097161, nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332), PF-00835231, and ensitrelvir. While two of the single substitutions (E166A and L167F) provide low-level resistance to the inhibitors in a biochemical assay, the triple mutant results in the highest levels of resistance (6× to 72×). All substitutions are associated with a significant loss of enzymatic 3CLpro activity, suggesting a reduction in viral fitness. Structural biology analysis indicates that the different substitutions reduce the number of inhibitor/enzyme interactions while the binding of the substrate is maintained. These observations will be important for the interpretation of resistance development to 3CLpro inhibitors in the clinical setting. IMPORTANCE Paxlovid is the first oral antiviral approved for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antiviral treatments are often associated with the development of drug-resistant viruses. In order to guide the use of novel antivirals, it is essential to understand the risk of resistance development and to characterize the associated changes in the viral genes and proteins. In this work, we describe for the first time a pathway that allows SARS-CoV-2 to develop resistance against Paxlovid in vitro. The characteristics of in vitro antiviral resistance development may be predictive for the clinical situation. Therefore, our work will be important for the management of COVID-19 with Paxlovid and next-generation SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Jochmans
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology & Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Cheng Liu
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kim Donckers
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology & Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Sarah K Stevens
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Chloe De Vita
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Bert Vanmechelen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bettina Trüeb
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Ebert
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology & Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Vangeel
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology & Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Andreas Jekle
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | - Julian A Symons
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Patrick Chaltin
- CISTIM Leuven vzw, Leuven, Belgium
- Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology & Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jerome Deval
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
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20
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Hou N, Shuai L, Zhang L, Xie X, Tang K, Zhu Y, Yu Y, Zhang W, Tan Q, Zhong G, Wen Z, Wang C, He X, Huo H, Gao H, Xu Y, Xue J, Peng C, Zou J, Schindewolf C, Menachery V, Su W, Yuan Y, Shen Z, Zhang R, Yuan S, Yu H, Shi PY, Bu Z, Huang J, Hu Q. Development of Highly Potent Noncovalent Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:217-227. [PMID: 36844503 PMCID: PMC9885526 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c01359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The 3C-like protease (3CLpro) is an essential enzyme for the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses and thus is a target for coronavirus drug discovery. Nearly all inhibitors of coronavirus 3CLpro reported so far are covalent inhibitors. Here, we report the development of specific, noncovalent inhibitors of 3CLpro. The most potent one, WU-04, effectively blocks SARS-CoV-2 replications in human cells with EC50 values in the 10-nM range. WU-04 also inhibits the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV with high potency, indicating that it is a pan-inhibitor of coronavirus 3CLpro. WU-04 showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity similar to that of PF-07321332 (Nirmatrelvir) in K18-hACE2 mice when the same dose was administered orally. Thus, WU-04 is a promising drug candidate for coronavirus treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningke Hou
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Westlake University; Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake
Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Shuai
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Lijing Zhang
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
- Zhejiang
University, 866 Yuhangtang
Rd, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Human Infection
and Immunity, University of Texas Medical
Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Kaiming Tang
- State Key
Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology,
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University
of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yunkai Zhu
- Key Laboratory
of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical
Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory,
Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yin Yu
- Key Laboratory
of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical
Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory,
Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Qiaozhu Tan
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Gongxun Zhong
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Zhiyuan Wen
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Chong Wang
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Xijun He
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Hong Huo
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Haishan Gao
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - You Xu
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Jing Xue
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Chen Peng
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Jing Zou
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Human Infection
and Immunity, University of Texas Medical
Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Craig Schindewolf
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Vineet Menachery
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University
of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Wenji Su
- WuXi AppTec
(Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 288 Middle Fu Te Road, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Youlang Yuan
- WuXi AppTec
(Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 288 Middle Fu Te Road, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Zuyuan Shen
- WuXi AppTec
(Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 288 Middle Fu Te Road, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory
of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical
Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory,
Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- State Key
Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology,
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University
of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hongtao Yu
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Human Infection
and Immunity, University of Texas Medical
Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Zhigao Bu
- State
Key
Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, No.678 Haping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150069, China
- National
High Containment Laboratory for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
| | - Qi Hu
- Key Laboratory
of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences,
Center for Infectious Disease Research, Westlake Laboratory of Life
Sciences and Biomedicine, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute
for Advanced Study, Westlake University, No.18 Shilongshan Road Cloud Town,
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang China
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21
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Lubin JH, Martinusen SG, Zardecki C, Olivas C, Bacorn M, Balogun M, Slaton EW, Wu AW, Sakeer S, Hudson BP, Denard CA, Burley SK, Khare SD. A comprehensive survey of coronaviral main protease active site diversity in 3D: Identifying and analyzing drug discovery targets in search of broad specificity inhibitors for the next coronavirus pandemic. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.30.526101. [PMID: 36778399 PMCID: PMC9915488 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Although the rapid development of therapeutic responses to combat SARS-CoV-2 represents a great human achievement, it also demonstrates untapped potential for advanced pandemic preparedness. Cross-species efficacy against multiple human coronaviruses by the main protease (MPro) inhibitor nirmatrelvir raises the question of its breadth of inhibition and our preparedness against future coronaviral threats. Herein, we describe sequence and structural analyses of 346 unique MPro enzymes from all coronaviruses represented in the NCBI Virus database. Cognate substrates of these representative proteases were inferred from their polyprotein sequences. We clustered MPro sequences based on sequence identity and AlphaFold2-predicted structures, showing approximate correspondence with known viral subspecies. Predicted structures of five representative MPros bound to their inferred cognate substrates showed high conservation in protease:substrate interaction modes, with some notable differences. Yeast-based proteolysis assays of the five representatives were able to confirm activity of three on inferred cognate substrates, and demonstrated that of the three, only one was effectively inhibited by nirmatrelvir. Our findings suggest that comprehensive preparedness against future potential coronaviral threats will require continued inhibitor development. Our methods may be applied to candidate coronaviral MPro inhibitors to evaluate in advance the breadth of their inhibition and identify target coronaviruses potentially meriting advanced development of alternative countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H. Lubin
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Christine Zardecki
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Cassandra Olivas
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- California State University Stanislaus, Turlock, California, USA
| | - Mickayla Bacorn
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- University Of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - MaryAgnes Balogun
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ethan W. Slaton
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Amy Wu Wu
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
| | - Sarah Sakeer
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Brian P. Hudson
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Carl A. Denard
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Stephen K. Burley
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sagar D. Khare
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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22
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Sarkar M, Saha S. Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Virus Proteins: Implications on Its Proteome. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2627:265-299. [PMID: 36959453 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2974-1_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by a group of beta coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is similar to previous SARS- and MERS-causing strains and has infected nearly six hundred and fifty million people all over the globe, while the death toll has crossed the six million mark (as of December, 2022). In this chapter, we look at how computational modeling approaches of the viral proteins could help us understand the various processes in the viral life cycle inside the host, an understanding of which might provide key insights in mitigating this and future threats. This understanding helps us identify key targets for the purpose of drug discovery and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Sarkar
- Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- MedInsights SAS, Paris, France
| | - Soham Saha
- MedInsights, Veuilly la Poterie, France.
- MedInsights SAS, Paris, France.
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23
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Pelliccia S, Cerchia C, Esposito F, Cannalire R, Corona A, Costanzi E, Kuzikov M, Gribbon P, Zaliani A, Brindisi M, Storici P, Tramontano E, Summa V. Easy access to α-ketoamides as SARS-CoV-2 and MERS M pro inhibitors via the PADAM oxidation route. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 244:114853. [PMID: 36332546 PMCID: PMC9575579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114853] [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] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 caused worldwide the current outbreak called COVID-19. Despite multiple countermeasures implemented, there is an urgent global need for new potent and efficient antiviral drugs against this pathogen. In this context, the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an essential viral enzyme and plays a pivotal role in viral replication and transcription. Its specific cleavage of polypeptides after a glutamine residue has been considered as a key element to design novel antiviral drugs. Herein, we reported the design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel α-ketoamides as covalent reversible inhibitors of Mpro, exploiting the PADAM oxidation route. The reported compounds showed μM to nM activities in enzymatic and in the antiviral cell-based assays against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In order to assess inhibitors’ binding mode, two co-crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in complex with our inhibitors were solved, which confirmed the covalent binding of the keto amide moiety to the catalytic Cys145 residue of Mpro. Finally, in order to interrogate potential broad-spectrum properties, we assessed a selection of compounds against MERS Mpro where they showed nM inhibitory potency, thus highlighting their potential as broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sveva Pelliccia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy,Corresponding author
| | - Carmen Cerchia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Esposito
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, Monserrato, SS-554, Italy
| | - Rolando Cannalire
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Corona
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, Monserrato, SS-554, Italy
| | - Elisa Costanzi
- Protein Facility, Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS 14 - km 163, 5 in AREA Science Park, Trieste, Basovizza, 34149, Italy
| | - Maria Kuzikov
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Schnackenburgallee 114, Hamburg, 22525, Germany,Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759, Bremen, Germany,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Philip Gribbon
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Schnackenburgallee 114, Hamburg, 22525, Germany,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Zaliani
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Schnackenburgallee 114, Hamburg, 22525, Germany,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Storici
- Protein Facility, Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS 14 - km 163, 5 in AREA Science Park, Trieste, Basovizza, 34149, Italy
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Cagliari, Monserrato, SS-554, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Summa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy,Corresponding author
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24
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Al Adem K, Ferreira JC, Fadl S, Rabeh WM. pH profiles of 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) from SARS-CoV-2 elucidate its catalytic mechanism and a histidine residue critical for activity. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102790. [PMID: 36509143 PMCID: PMC9733303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
3-Chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) is a promising drug target for coronavirus disease 2019 and related coronavirus diseases because of the essential role of this protease in processing viral polyproteins after infection. Understanding the detailed catalytic mechanism of 3CLpro is essential for designing effective inhibitors of infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Molecular dynamics studies have suggested pH-dependent conformational changes of 3CLpro, but experimental pH profiles of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and analyses of the conserved active-site histidine residues have not been reported. In this work, pH-dependence studies of the kinetic parameters of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro revealed a bell-shaped pH profile with 2 pKa values (6.9 ± 0.1 and 9.4 ± 0.1) attributable to ionization of the catalytic dyad His41 and Cys145, respectively. Our investigation of the roles of conserved active-site histidines showed that different amino acid substitutions of His163 produced inactive enzymes, indicating a key role of His163 in maintaining catalytically active SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. By contrast, the H164A and H172A mutants retained 75% and 26% of the activity of WT, respectively. The alternative amino acid substitutions H172K and H172R did not recover the enzymatic activity, whereas H172Y restored activity to a level similar to that of the WT enzyme. The pH profiles of H164A, H172A, and H172Y were similar to those of the WT enzyme, with comparable pKa values for the catalytic dyad. Taken together, the experimental data support a general base mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and indicate that the neutral states of the catalytic dyad and active-site histidine residues are required for maximum enzyme activity.
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25
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Kidera A, Moritsugu K, Ekimoto T, Ikeguchi M. Functional dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease as a member of clan PA. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:1473-1485. [PMID: 36474932 PMCID: PMC9716165 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-01020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease (3CLpro), a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19, consists of a chymotrypsin fold and a C-terminal α-helical domain (domain III), the latter of which mediates dimerization required for catalytic activation. To gain further understanding of the functional dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, this review extends the scope to the comparative study of many crystal structures of proteases having the chymotrypsin fold (clan PA of the MEROPS database). First, the close correspondence between the zymogen-enzyme transformation in chymotrypsin and the allosteric dimerization activation in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro is illustrated. Then, it is shown that the 3C-like proteases of family Coronaviridae (the protease family C30), which are closely related to SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, have the same homodimeric structure and common activation mechanism via domain III mediated dimerization. The survey extended to order Nidovirales reveals that all 3C-like proteases belonging to Nidovirales have domain III, but with various chain lengths, and 3CLpro of family Mesoniviridae (family C107) has the same homodimeric structure as that of C30, even though they have no sequence similarity. As a reference, monomeric 3C proteases belonging to the more distant family Picornaviridae (family C3) lacking domain III are compared with C30, and it is shown that the 3C proteases are rigid enough to maintain their structures in the active state. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12551-022-01020-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Kidera
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
| | - Kei Moritsugu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan ,Present Address: Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-1 Gakuen-Cho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8570 Japan
| | - Toru Ekimoto
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
| | - Mitsunori Ikeguchi
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
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26
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Barakat A, Mostafa A, Ali M, Al-Majid AM, Domingo LR, Kutkat O, Moatasim Y, Zia K, Ul-Haq Z, Elshaier YAMM. Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of Spirooxindole-Based Phenylsulfonyl Moiety as a Candidate Anti-SAR-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV-2 with the Implementation of Combination Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911861. [PMID: 36233160 PMCID: PMC9569468 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for an effective anti-viral to inhibit COVID-19 is a challenge for the specialized scientific research community. This work investigated the anti-coronavirus activity for spirooxindole-based phenylsulfone cycloadducts in a single and combination protocols. The newly designed anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics spirooxindoles synthesized by [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions represent an efficient approach. One-pot multicomponent reactions between phenyl vinyl sulfone, substituted isatins, and amines afforded highly stereoselective anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics spirooxindoles with three stereogenic centers. Herein, the newly synthesized spirooxindoles were assessed individually against the highly pathogenic human coronaviruses and proved to be highly potent and safer. Interestingly, the synergistic effect by combining the potent, tested spirooxindoles resulted in an improved antiviral activity as well as better host-cell safety. Compounds 4i and 4d represented the most potent activity against MERS-CoV with IC50 values of 11 and 23 µM, respectively. Both compounds 4c and 4e showed equipotent activity with the best IC50 against SARS-CoV-2 with values of 17 and 18 µM, respectively, then compounds 4d and 4k with IC50 values of 24 and 27 µM, respectively. Then, our attention oriented to perform a combination protocol as anti-SARS-CoV-2 for the best compounds with a different binding mode and accompanied with different pharmacophores. Combination of compound 4k with 4c and combination of compounds 4k with 4i proved to be more active and safer. Compounds 4k with 4i displayed IC50 = 3.275 µM and half maximal cytotoxic-concentration CC50 = 11832 µM. MD simulation of the most potential compounds as well as in silico ADMET properties were investigated. This study highlights the potential drug-like properties of spirooxindoles as a cocktail anti-coronavirus protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assem Barakat
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (Y.A.M.M.E.); Tel.: +966-11467-5901 (A.B.); Fax: +966-11467-5992 (A.B.)
| | - Ahmed Mostafa
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - M. Ali
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Mohammed Al-Majid
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luis R. Domingo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Omnia Kutkat
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Yassmin Moatasim
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Komal Zia
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Zaheer Ul-Haq
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Yaseen A. M. M. Elshaier
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Menoufiya 32958, Egypt
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (Y.A.M.M.E.); Tel.: +966-11467-5901 (A.B.); Fax: +966-11467-5992 (A.B.)
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27
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Geethakumari AM, Ahmed WS, Rasool S, Fatima A, Nasir Uddin SM, Aouida M, Biswas KH. A genetically encoded BRET-based SARS-CoV-2 M pro protease activity sensor. Commun Chem 2022; 5:117. [PMID: 36187754 PMCID: PMC9516532 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-022-00731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The main protease, Mpro, is critical for SARS-CoV-2 replication and an appealing target for designing anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of improved sensors to monitor its activity. Here, we report a pair of genetically encoded, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based sensors for detecting Mpro proteolytic activity in live cells as well as in vitro. The sensors were generated by sandwiching peptides containing the Mpro N-terminal autocleavage sites, either AVLQSGFR (short) or KTSAVLQSGFRKME (long), in between the mNeonGreen and NanoLuc proteins. Co-expression of the sensors with Mpro in live cells resulted in their cleavage while mutation of the critical C145 residue (C145A) in Mpro completely abrogated their cleavage. Additionally, the sensors recapitulated the inhibition of Mpro by the well-characterized pharmacological agent GC376. Further, in vitro assays with the BRET-based Mpro sensors revealed a molecular crowding-mediated increase in the rate of Mpro activity and a decrease in the inhibitory potential of GC376. The sensors developed here will find direct utility in studies related to drug discovery targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and functional genomics application to determine the effect of sequence variation in Mpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupriya M. Geethakumari
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - Wesam S. Ahmed
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - Saad Rasool
- Division of Genomics and Precision Medicine, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - Asma Fatima
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - S. M. Nasir Uddin
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - Mustapha Aouida
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
| | - Kabir H. Biswas
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, 34110 Qatar
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28
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Bereczki I, Vimberg V, Lőrincz E, Papp H, Nagy L, Kéki S, Batta G, Mitrović A, Kos J, Zsigmond Á, Hajdú I, Lőrincz Z, Bajusz D, Petri L, Hodek J, Jakab F, Keserű GM, Weber J, Naesens L, Herczegh P, Borbás A. Semisynthetic teicoplanin derivatives with dual antimicrobial activity against SARS-CoV-2 and multiresistant bacteria. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16001. [PMID: 36163239 PMCID: PMC9511441 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20182-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 risk co-infection with Gram-positive bacteria, which severely affects their prognosis. Antimicrobial drugs with dual antiviral and antibacterial activity would be very useful in this setting. Although glycopeptide antibiotics are well-known as strong antibacterial drugs, some of them are also active against RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2. It has been shown that the antiviral and antibacterial efficacy can be enhanced by synthetic modifications. We here report the synthesis and biological evaluation of seven derivatives of teicoplanin bearing hydrophobic or superbasic side chain. All but one teicoplanin derivatives were effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication in VeroE6 cells. One lipophilic and three perfluoroalkyl conjugates showed activity against SARS-CoV-2 in human Calu-3 cells and against HCoV-229E, an endemic human coronavirus, in HEL cells. Pseudovirus entry and enzyme inhibition assays established that the teicoplanin derivatives efficiently prevent the cathepsin-mediated endosomal entry of SARS-CoV-2, with some compounds inhibiting also the TMPRSS2-mediated surface entry route. The teicoplanin derivatives showed good to excellent activity against Gram-positive bacteria resistant to all approved glycopeptide antibiotics, due to their ability to dually bind to the bacterial membrane and cell-wall. To conclude, we identified three perfluoralkyl and one monoguanidine analog of teicoplanin as dual inhibitors of Gram-positive bacteria and SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Bereczki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Hungary.,National Laboratory of Virology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 20, 7624, Hungary
| | - Vladimir Vimberg
- Laboratory for Biology of Secondary Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Eszter Lőrincz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Hungary.,Institute of Healthcare Industry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Nagyerdei körút 98, 4032, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Hungary
| | - Henrietta Papp
- National Laboratory of Virology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 20, 7624, Hungary.,Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 6, 7624, Hungary
| | - Lajos Nagy
- Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Sándor Kéki
- Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Gyula Batta
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Ana Mitrović
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janko Kos
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Áron Zsigmond
- TargetEx Ltd., Dunakeszi, Madách Imre utca 31/2, 2120, Hungary
| | - István Hajdú
- TargetEx Ltd., Dunakeszi, Madách Imre utca 31/2, 2120, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Lőrincz
- TargetEx Ltd., Dunakeszi, Madách Imre utca 31/2, 2120, Hungary
| | - Dávid Bajusz
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, 1117, Hungary
| | - László Petri
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, 1117, Hungary
| | - Jan Hodek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 16000, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Ferenc Jakab
- National Laboratory of Virology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 20, 7624, Hungary.,Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 6, 7624, Hungary
| | - György M Keserű
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, 1117, Hungary.
| | - Jan Weber
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 16000, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lieve Naesens
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Pál Herczegh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Hungary
| | - Anikó Borbás
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Hungary. .,National Laboratory of Virology, University of Pécs, Pecs, Ifjúság útja 20, 7624, Hungary.
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29
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Hu Q, Xiong Y, Zhu GH, Zhang YN, Zhang YW, Huang P, Ge GB. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro): Structure, function, and emerging therapies for COVID-19. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e151. [PMID: 35845352 PMCID: PMC9283855 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The main proteases (Mpro), also termed 3‐chymotrypsin‐like proteases (3CLpro), are a class of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β‐coronaviruses. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that 3CLpros play an indispensable role in viral replication and have been recognized as key targets for preventing and treating coronavirus‐caused infectious diseases, including COVID‐19. This review is focused on the structural features and biological function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) main protease Mpro (also known as 3CLpro), as well as recent advances in discovering and developing SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors. To better understand the characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, the inhibition activities, inhibitory mechanisms, and key structural features of various 3CLpro inhibitors (including marketed drugs, peptidomimetic, and non‐peptidomimetic synthetic compounds, as well as natural compounds and their derivatives) are summarized comprehensively. Meanwhile, the challenges in this field are highlighted, while future directions for designing and developing efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus therapies are also proposed. Collectively, all information and knowledge presented here are very helpful for understanding the structural features and inhibitory mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, which offers new insights or inspiration to medicinal chemists for designing and developing more efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.,Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Yuan Xiong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Guang-Hao Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Ya-Ni Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Ping Huang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Guang-Bo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
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30
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Pillaiyar T, Flury P, Krüger N, Su H, Schäkel L, Barbosa Da Silva E, Eppler O, Kronenberger T, Nie T, Luedtke S, Rocha C, Sylvester K, Petry MR, McKerrow JH, Poso A, Pöhlmann S, Gütschow M, O’Donoghue AJ, Xu Y, Müller CE, Laufer SA. Small-Molecule Thioesters as SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors: Enzyme Inhibition, Structure-Activity Relationships, Antiviral Activity, and X-ray Structure Determination. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9376-9395. [PMID: 35709506 PMCID: PMC9216242 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro, 3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an attractive target in coronaviruses because of its crucial involvement in viral replication and transcription. Here, we report on the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of novel small-molecule thioesters as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. Compounds 3w and 3x exhibited excellent SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibition with kinac/Ki of 58,700 M-1 s-1 (Ki = 0.0141 μM) and 27,200 M-1 s-1 (Ki = 0.0332 μM), respectively. In Calu-3 and Vero76 cells, compounds 3h, 3i, 3l, 3r, 3v, 3w, and 3x displayed antiviral activity in the nanomolar range without host cell toxicity. Co-crystallization of 3w and 3af with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro was accomplished, and the X-ray structures showed covalent binding with the catalytic Cys145 residue of the protease. The potent SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors also inhibited the Mpro of other beta-coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, indicating that they might be useful to treat a broader range of coronaviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Philipp Flury
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Haixia Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Laura Schäkel
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Elany Barbosa Da Silva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Olga Eppler
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Tianqing Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Stephanie Luedtke
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Cheila Rocha
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Katharina Sylvester
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Marvin R.I. Petry
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Antti Poso
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211,
Finland
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology,
University Göttingen,Göttingen 37073,
Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Yechun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Christa E. Müller
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Stefan A. Laufer
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
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31
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Thakur A, Sharma G, Badavath VN, Jayaprakash V, Merz KM, Blum G, Acevedo O. Primer for Designing Main Protease (M pro) Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:5776-5786. [PMID: 35726889 PMCID: PMC9235046 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak has been devastating, with hundreds of millions of infections and millions of deaths reported worldwide. In response, the application of structure-activity relationships (SAR) upon experimentally validated inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) may provide an avenue for the identification of new lead compounds active against COVID-19. Upon the basis of information gleaned from a combination of reported crystal structures and the docking of experimentally validated inhibitors, four "rules" for designing potent Mpro inhibitors have been proposed. The aim here is to guide medicinal chemists toward the most probable hits and to provide guidance on repurposing available structures as Mpro inhibitors. Experimental examination of our own previously reported inhibitors using the four "rules" identified a potential lead compound, the cathepsin inhibitor GB111-NH2, that was 2.3 times more potent than SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor N3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Thakur
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, United States
| | - Gaurav Sharma
- Department
of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Vishnu Nayak Badavath
- School
of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Hyderabad 509301, India
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand 835 215, India
| | - Venkatesan Jayaprakash
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand 835 215, India
| | - Kenneth M. Merz
- Department
of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Galia Blum
- Institute
for Drug Research, The Hebrew University
of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9112001, Israel
| | - Orlando Acevedo
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, United States
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32
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Kaptan S, Girych M, Enkavi G, Kulig W, Sharma V, Vuorio J, Rog T, Vattulainen I. Maturation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is regulated by dimerization of its main protease. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3336-3346. [PMID: 35720615 PMCID: PMC9195460 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) involved in COVID-19 is required for maturation of the virus and infection of host cells. The key question is how to block the activity of Mpro. By combining atomistic simulations with machine learning, we found that the enzyme regulates its own activity by a collective allosteric mechanism that involves dimerization and binding of a single substrate. At the core of the collective mechanism is the coupling between the catalytic site residues, H41 and C145, which direct the activity of Mpro dimer, and two salt bridges formed between R4 and E290 at the dimer interface. If these salt bridges are mutated, the activity of Mpro is blocked. The results suggest that dimerization of main proteases is a general mechanism to foster coronavirus proliferation, and propose a robust drug-based strategy that does not depend on the frequently mutating spike proteins at the viral envelope used to develop vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Kaptan
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mykhailo Girych
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giray Enkavi
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Waldemar Kulig
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joni Vuorio
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Rog
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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33
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Ferreira JC, Fadl S, Rabeh WM. Key dimer interface residues impact the catalytic activity of 3CLpro, the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102023. [PMID: 35568197 PMCID: PMC9091064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
3C-like protease (3CLpro) is one of two proteases that process and liberate functional viral proteins essential for the maturation and infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. It has been suggested that 3CLpro is catalytically active as a dimer, making the dimerization interface a target for antiviral development. Guided by structural analysis, here we introduced single amino acid substitutions at nine residues at three key sites of the dimer interface to assess their impact on dimerization and activity. We show that at site 1, alanine substitution of S1 or E166 increased by 2-fold or reduced relative activity, respectively. At site 2, alanine substitution of S10 or E14 eliminated activity, whereas K12A exhibited ∼60% relative activity. At site 3, alanine substitution of R4, E290, or Q299 eliminated activity, whereas S139A exhibited 46% relative activity. We further found the oligomerization states of the dimer interface mutants varied; the inactive mutants R4A, R4Q, S10A/C, E14A/D/Q/S, E290A, and Q299A/E were present as dimers, demonstrating that dimerization is not an indication of catalytically active 3CLpro. In addition, present mostly as monomers, K12A displayed residual activity, which could be attributed to the conspicuous amount of dimer present. Finally, differential scanning calorimetry did not reveal a direct relationship between the thermodynamic stability of mutants with oligomerization or catalytic activity. These results provide insights on two allosteric sites, R4/E290 and S10/E14, that may promote the design of antiviral compounds that target the dimer interface rather than the active site of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana C Ferreira
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Samar Fadl
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael M Rabeh
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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34
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Dimerization Tendency of 3CLpros of Human Coronaviruses Based on the X-ray Crystal Structure of the Catalytic Domain of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095268. [PMID: 35563658 PMCID: PMC9103169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2 is a promising target for developing anti-COVID19 agents. In order to evaluate the catalytic activity of 3CLpros according to the presence or absence of the dimerization domain, two forms had been purified and tested. Enzyme kinetic studies with a FRET method revealed that the catalytic domain alone presents enzymatic activity, despite it being approximately 8.6 times less than that in the full domain. The catalytic domain was crystallized and its X-ray crystal structure has been determined to 2.3 Å resolution. There are four protomers in the asymmetric unit. Intriguingly, they were packed as a dimer though the dimerization domain was absent. The RMSD of superimposed two catalytic domains was 0.190 for 182 Cα atoms. A part of the long hinge loop (LH-loop) from Gln189 to Asp197 was not built in the model due to its flexibility. The crystal structure indicates that the decreased proteolytic activity of the catalytic domain was due to the incomplete construction of the substrate binding part built by the LH-loop. A structural survey with other 3CLpros showed that SARS-CoV families do not have interactions between DM-loop due to the conformational difference at the last turn of helix α7 compared with others. Therefore, we can conclude that the monomeric form contains nascent enzyme activity and that its efficiency increases by dimerization. This new insight may contribute to understanding the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and thus be useful in developing anti-COVID-19 agents.
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35
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Huang Q, Lai L, Liu Z. Quantitative Analysis of Dynamic Allostery. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:2538-2549. [PMID: 35511068 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic allostery refers to one important class of allosteric regulation that does not involve noticeable conformational changes upon effector binding. In recent years, many "quasi"-dynamic allosteric proteins have been found to only experience subtle conformational changes during allosteric regulation. However, as enthalpic and entropic contributions are coupled to each other and even tiny conformational changes could bring in noticeable free energy changes, a quantitative description is essential to understand the contribution of pure dynamic allostery. Here, by developing a unified anisotropic elastic network model (uANM) considering both side-chain information and ligand heavy atoms, we quantitatively estimated the contribution of pure dynamic allostery in a dataset of known allosteric proteins by excluding the conformational changes upon ligand binding. We found that the contribution of pure dynamic allostery is generally small (much weaker than previously expected) and robustly exhibits an allosteric activation effect, which exponentially decays with the distance between the substrate and the allosteric ligand. We further constructed toy models to study the determinant factors of dynamic allostery in monomeric and oligomeric proteins using the uANM. Analysis of the toy models revealed that a short distance, a small angle between the two ligands, strong protein-ligand interactions, and weak protein internal interactions lead to strong dynamic allostery. Our study provides a quantitative estimation of pure dynamic allostery and facilitates the understanding of dynamic-allostery-controlled biological processes and the design of allosteric drugs and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaojing Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Luhua Lai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhirong Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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36
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High predictive QSAR models for predicting the SARS coronavirus main protease inhibition activity of ketone-based covalent inhibitors. JOURNAL OF THE IRANIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2022. [PMCID: PMC8547569 DOI: 10.1007/s13738-021-02426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In this research, a dataset including 29 ketone-based covalent inhibitors with SARS-CoV-1 3CLpro inhibition activity was used to develop high predictive QSAR models. Twenty-two molecules were put in train set and seven molecules in test set. By using stepwise MLR method for molecules in train set, four molecular descriptors including Mor26p, Hy, GATS7p and Mor04v were selected to build QSAR models. MLR and ANN methods were used to create QSAR models for predicting the activity of molecules in both train and test sets. Both QSAR models were validated by calculating several statistical parameters. R2 values for the test set of MLR and ANN models were 0.93 and 0.95, respectively, and RMSE values for their test sets were 0.24 and 0.17, respectively. Other calculated statistical parameters (especially \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Q_{F3}^{2}$$\end{document}QF32 parameter) show that created ANN model has more predictive power with respect to developed MLR model (with four descriptor). Calculated leverages for all molecules show that predicted pIC50 (by both QSAR models) for all molecules is acceptable, and drawn residuals plots show that there is no systematic error in building both QSAR modes. Also, based on developed MLR model, used molecular descriptors were interpreted.
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37
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Scott BM, Lacasse V, Blom DG, Tonner PD, Blom NS. Predicted coronavirus Nsp5 protease cleavage sites in the human proteome. BMC Genom Data 2022; 23:25. [PMID: 35379171 PMCID: PMC8977440 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-022-01044-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The coronavirus nonstructural protein 5 (Nsp5) is a cysteine protease required for processing the viral polyprotein and is therefore crucial for viral replication. Nsp5 from several coronaviruses have also been found to cleave host proteins, disrupting molecular pathways involved in innate immunity. Nsp5 from the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 virus interacts with and can cleave human proteins, which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Based on the continuing global pandemic, and emerging understanding of coronavirus Nsp5-human protein interactions, we set out to predict what human proteins are cleaved by the coronavirus Nsp5 protease using a bioinformatics approach.
Results
Using a previously developed neural network trained on coronavirus Nsp5 cleavage sites (NetCorona), we made predictions of Nsp5 cleavage sites in all human proteins. Structures of human proteins in the Protein Data Bank containing a predicted Nsp5 cleavage site were then examined, generating a list of 92 human proteins with a highly predicted and accessible cleavage site. Of those, 48 are expected to be found in the same cellular compartment as Nsp5. Analysis of this targeted list of proteins revealed molecular pathways susceptible to Nsp5 cleavage and therefore relevant to coronavirus infection, including pathways involved in mRNA processing, cytokine response, cytoskeleton organization, and apoptosis.
Conclusions
This study combines predictions of Nsp5 cleavage sites in human proteins with protein structure information and protein network analysis. We predicted cleavage sites in proteins recently shown to be cleaved in vitro by SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5, and we discuss how other potentially cleaved proteins may be relevant to coronavirus mediated immune dysregulation. The data presented here will assist in the design of more targeted experiments, to determine the role of coronavirus Nsp5 cleavage of host proteins, which is relevant to understanding the molecular pathology of coronavirus infection.
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38
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In Silico and In Vitro Identification of Pan-Coronaviral Main Protease Inhibitors from a Large Natural Product Library. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15030308. [PMID: 35337106 PMCID: PMC8952009 DOI: 10.3390/ph15030308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro or 3CLpro) in coronaviruses represents a promising specific drug target as it is essential for the cleavage of the virus polypeptide and has a unique cleavage site that does not exist in human host proteases. In this study, we explored potential natural pan-coronavirus drugs using in vitro and in silico approaches and three coronavirus main proteases as treatment targets. The PyRx program was used to screen 39,442 natural-product-like compounds from the ZINC database and 121 preselected phytochemicals from medicinal plants with known antiviral activity. After assessment with Lipinski’s rule of five, molecular docking was performed for the top 33 compounds of both libraries. Enzymatic assays were applied for the top candidates from both in silico approaches to test their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The four compounds (hypericin, rosmarinic acid, isorhamnetin, and luteolin) that most efficiently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in vitro were further tested for their efficacy in inhibiting Mpro of SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV. Microscale thermophoresis was performed to determine dissociation constant (Kd) values to validate the binding of these active compounds to recombinant Mpro proteins of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and MERS-CoV. The cytotoxicity of hypericin, rosmarinic acid, isorhamnetin, and luteolin was assessed in human diploid MRC-5 lung fibroblasts using the resazurin cell viability assay to determine their therapeutic indices. Sequence alignment of Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 demonstrated 96.08%, 50.83%, 49.17%, 48.51%, 44.04%, and 41.06% similarity to Mpro of other human-pathogenic coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, and HCoV-229E, respectively). Molecular docking showed that 12 out of 121 compounds were bound to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro at the same binding site as the control inhibitor, GC376. Enzyme inhibition assays revealed that hypericin, rosmarinic acid, isorhamnetin, and luteolin inhibited Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, while hypericin and isorhamnetin inhibited Mpro of SARS-CoV-1; hypericin showed inhibitory effects toward Mpro of MERS-CoV. Microscale thermophoresis confirmed the binding of these compounds to Mpro with high affinity. Resazurin assays showed that rosmarinic acid and luteolin were not cytotoxic toward MRC-5 cells, whereas hypericin and isorhamnetin were slightly cytotoxic. We demonstrated that hypericin represents a potential novel pan-anti-coronaviral agent by binding to and inhibiting Mpro of several human-pathogenic coronaviruses. Moreover, isorhamnetin showed inhibitory effects toward SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 Mpro, indicating that this compound may have some pan-coronaviral potential. Luteolin had inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.
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39
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Han SH, Goins CM, Arya T, Shin WJ, Maw J, Hooper A, Sonawane DP, Porter MR, Bannister BE, Crouch RD, Lindsey AA, Lakatos G, Martinez SR, Alvarado J, Akers WS, Wang NS, Jung JU, Macdonald JD, Stauffer SR. Structure-Based Optimization of ML300-Derived, Noncovalent Inhibitors Targeting the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 3CL Protease (SARS-CoV-2 3CL pro). J Med Chem 2022; 65:2880-2904. [PMID: 34347470 PMCID: PMC8353992 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Starting from the MLPCN probe compound ML300, a structure-based optimization campaign was initiated against the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) main protease (3CLpro). X-ray structures of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro enzymes in complex with multiple ML300-based inhibitors, including the original probe ML300, were obtained and proved instrumental in guiding chemistry toward probe compound 41 (CCF0058981). The disclosed inhibitors utilize a noncovalent mode of action and complex in a noncanonical binding mode not observed by peptidic 3CLpro inhibitors. In vitro DMPK profiling highlights key areas where further optimization in the series is required to obtain useful in vivo probes. Antiviral activity was established using a SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cell viability assay and a plaque formation assay. Compound 41 demonstrates nanomolar activity in these respective assays, comparable in potency to remdesivir. These findings have implications for antiviral development to combat current and future SARS-like zoonotic coronavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Han
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Christopher M. Goins
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Tarun Arya
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Woo-Jin Shin
- Cleveland Clinic Florida Research & Innovation Center, Port St. Lucie, FL, 34987, USA
| | - Joshua Maw
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Alice Hooper
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Dhiraj P. Sonawane
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Matthew R. Porter
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Breyanne E. Bannister
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, Nashville, TN, 37204, USA
| | - Rachel D. Crouch
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, Nashville, TN, 37204, USA
| | - A. Abigail Lindsey
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Gabriella Lakatos
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Steven R. Martinez
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Joseph Alvarado
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Wendell S. Akers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, Nashville, TN, 37204, USA
| | - Nancy S. Wang
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Jae U. Jung
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Center for Global and Emerging Pathogens Research, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Macdonald
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Shaun R. Stauffer
- Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
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40
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Galkin SO, Anisenko AN, Shadrina OA, Gottikh MB. Genetic Engineering Systems to Study Human Viral Pathogens from the Coronaviridae Family. Mol Biol 2022; 56:72-89. [PMID: 35194246 PMCID: PMC8853348 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the previously unknown SARS-CoV-2 Betacoronavirus made it extremely important to develop simple and safe cellular systems which allow manipulation of the viral genome and high-throughput screening of its potential inhibitors. In this review, we made an attempt at summarizing the currently existing data on genetic engineering systems used to study not only SARS-CoV-2, but also other viruses from the Coronaviridae family. In addition, the review covers the basic knowledge about the structure and the life cycle of coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. O. Galkin
- Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - A. N. Anisenko
- Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - O. A. Shadrina
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - M. B. Gottikh
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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41
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Luttens A, Gullberg H, Abdurakhmanov E, Vo DD, Akaberi D, Talibov VO, Nekhotiaeva N, Vangeel L, De Jonghe S, Jochmans D, Krambrich J, Tas A, Lundgren B, Gravenfors Y, Craig AJ, Atilaw Y, Sandström A, Moodie LWK, Lundkvist Å, van Hemert MJ, Neyts J, Lennerstrand J, Kihlberg J, Sandberg K, Danielson UH, Carlsson J. Ultralarge Virtual Screening Identifies SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors with Broad-Spectrum Activity against Coronaviruses. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:2905-2920. [PMID: 35142215 PMCID: PMC8848513 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 could have saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is now crucial to develop inhibitors of coronavirus replication in preparation for future outbreaks. We explored two virtual screening strategies to find inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease in ultralarge chemical libraries. First, structure-based docking was used to screen a diverse library of 235 million virtual compounds against the active site. One hundred top-ranked compounds were tested in binding and enzymatic assays. Second, a fragment discovered by crystallographic screening was optimized guided by docking of millions of elaborated molecules and experimental testing of 93 compounds. Three inhibitors were identified in the first library screen, and five of the selected fragment elaborations showed inhibitory effects. Crystal structures of target-inhibitor complexes confirmed docking predictions and guided hit-to-lead optimization, resulting in a noncovalent main protease inhibitor with nanomolar affinity, a promising in vitro pharmacokinetic profile, and broad-spectrum antiviral effect in infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Luttens
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hjalmar Gullberg
- Science for Life Laboratory, Biochemical and Cellular Assay Facility, Drug Discovery and Development Platform, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, SE-17121 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eldar Abdurakhmanov
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Duy Duc Vo
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dario Akaberi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Natalia Nekhotiaeva
- Science for Life Laboratory, Biochemical and Cellular Assay Facility, Drug Discovery and Development Platform, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, SE-17121 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Vangeel
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Global Virus Network, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Global Virus Network, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Global Virus Network, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Janina Krambrich
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ali Tas
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bo Lundgren
- Science for Life Laboratory, Biochemical and Cellular Assay Facility, Drug Discovery and Development Platform, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Solna, SE-17121 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ylva Gravenfors
- Science for Life Laboratory, Drug Discovery & Development Platform, Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Solna, SE-17121 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander J Craig
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anja Sandström
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lindon W K Moodie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden.,Uppsala Antibiotic Centre, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Åke Lundkvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martijn J van Hemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Global Virus Network, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Johan Lennerstrand
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Clinical Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristian Sandberg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory, Drug Discovery & Development Platform, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - U Helena Danielson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
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42
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Hajizadeh M, Moosavi-Movahedi Z, Sheibani N, Moosavi-Movahedi AA. An outlook on suicide enzyme inhibition and drug design. JOURNAL OF THE IRANIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2022; 19. [PMCID: PMC8501922 DOI: 10.1007/s13738-021-02416-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
There have been recent renewed interests in the importance of suicide enzyme inhibition. The principal objective of this review is to investigate all types of suicide inhibitions for natural enzymes, artificial biocatalysts as well as therapeutic potential of enzyme suicide inhibition. It is discussed the suicide inhibition beneficial in drug design and treatments and non-beneficial achievements for some industrial enzymes such as HRP peroxidase enzyme. The design of biomimetic artificial enzymes explained to prevent inhibition by protecting the active site via environmental conditions. Suicide enzyme inhibition development can be the key mechanism against sever diseases such as SARS. In this report, suicide enzyme inactivation classes are classified based on target enzyme groups via their substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Hajizadeh
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), The University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nader Sheibani
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cell and Regenerative Biology, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI USA
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Chen J, Zhang Y, Zeng D, Zhang B, Ye X, Zeng Z, Zhang XK, Wang Z, Zhou H. Merbromin is a mixed-type inhibitor of 3-chyomotrypsin like protease of SARS-CoV-2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 591:118-123. [PMID: 35007835 PMCID: PMC8716398 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
3-chyomotrypsin like protease (3CLpro) has been considered as a promising target for developing anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. Herein, about 6000 compounds were analyzed by high-throughput screening using enzyme activity model, and Merbromin, an antibacterial agent, was identified as a potent inhibitor of 3CLpro. Merbromin strongly inhibited the proteolytic activity of 3CLpro but not the other three proteases Proteinase K, Trypsin and Papain. Michaelis-Menten kinetic analysis showed that Merbromin was a mixed-type inhibitor of 3CLpro, due to its ability of increasing the KM and decreasing the Kcat of 3CLpro. The binding assays and molecular docking suggested that 3CLpro possessed two binding sites for Merbromin. Consistently, Merbromin showed a weak binding to the other three proteases. Together, these findings demonstrated that Merbromin is a selective inhibitor of 3CLpro and provided a scaffold to design effective inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Yaya Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China
| | - Dequan Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Bingchang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China
| | - Xiaohong Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Zhiping Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China
| | - Zhanxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
| | - Hu Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform of Xiamen University, China.
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Hu Y, Xie X, Yang L, Wang A. A Comprehensive View on the Host Factors and Viral Proteins Associated With Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:762358. [PMID: 34950116 PMCID: PMC8688245 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.762358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a coronavirus pathogen of the pig intestinal tract, can cause fatal watery diarrhea in piglets, thereby causing huge economic losses to swine industries around the world. The pathogenesis of PEDV has intensively been studied; however, the viral proteins of PEDV and the host factors in target cells, as well as their interactions, which are the foundation of the molecular mechanisms of viral infection, remain to be summarized and updated. PEDV has multiple important structural and functional proteins, which play various roles in the process of virus infection. Among them, the S and N proteins play vital roles in biological processes related to PEDV survival via interacting with the host cell proteins. Meanwhile, a number of host factors including receptors are required for the infection of PEDV via interacting with the viral proteins, thereby affecting the reproduction of PEDV and contributing to its life cycle. In this review, we provide an updated understanding of viral proteins and host factors, as well as their interactions in terms of PEDV infection. Additionally, the effects of cellular factors, events, and signaling pathways on PEDV infection are also discussed. Thus, these comprehensive and profound insights should facilitate for the further investigations, control, and prevention of PEDV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Hu
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention and Control and Animal Model, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaohong Xie
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Livestock and Poultry Health Care, Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Lingchen Yang
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention and Control and Animal Model, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Aibing Wang
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention and Control and Animal Model, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.,PCB Biotechnology, LLC, Rockville, MD, United States
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Razali R, Asis H, Budiman C. Structure-Function Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Proteases and Their Potential Inhibitors from Microbial Sources. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2481. [PMID: 34946083 PMCID: PMC8706127 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is considered the greatest challenge to the global health community of the century as it continues to expand. This has prompted immediate urgency to discover promising drug targets for the treatment of COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 viral proteases, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) and papain-like cysteine protease (PLpro), have become the promising target to study due to their essential functions in spreading the virus by RNA transcription, translation, protein synthesis, processing and modification, virus replication, and infection of the host. As such, understanding of the structure and function of these two proteases is unavoidable as platforms for the development of inhibitors targeting this protein which further arrest the infection and spread of the virus. While the abundance of reports on the screening of natural compounds such as SARS-CoV-2 proteases inhibitors are available, the microorganisms-based compounds (peptides and non-peptides) remain less studied. Indeed, microorganisms-based compounds are also one of the potent antiviral candidates against COVID-19. Microbes, especially bacteria and fungi, are other resources to produce new drugs as well as nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleic acids. Thus, we have compiled various reported literature in detail on the structures, functions of the SARS-CoV-2 proteases, and potential inhibitors from microbial sources as assistance to other researchers working with COVID-19. The compounds are also compared to HIV protease inhibitors which suggested the microorganisms-based compounds are advantageous as SARS-CoV2 proteases inhibitors. The information should serve as a platform for further development of COVID-19 drug design strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cahyo Budiman
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia; (R.R.); (H.A.)
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Hanna GS, Choo YM, Harbit R, Paeth H, Wilde S, Mackle J, Verga JU, Wolf BJ, Thomas OP, Croot P, Cray J, Thomas C, Li LZ, Hardiman G, Hu JF, Wang X, Patel D, Schinazi RF, O’Keefe BR, Hamann MT. Contemporary Approaches to the Discovery and Development of Broad-Spectrum Natural Product Prototypes for the Control of Coronaviruses. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2021; 84:3001-3007. [PMID: 34677966 PMCID: PMC8547502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The pressing need for SARS-CoV-2 controls has led to a reassessment of strategies to identify and develop natural product inhibitors of zoonotic, highly virulent, and rapidly emerging viruses. This review article addresses how contemporary approaches involving computational chemistry, natural product (NP) and protein databases, and mass spectrometry (MS) derived target-ligand interaction analysis can be utilized to expedite the interrogation of NP structures while minimizing the time and expense of extraction, purification, and screening in BioSafety Laboratories (BSL)3 laboratories. The unparalleled structural diversity and complexity of NPs is an extraordinary resource for the discovery and development of broad-spectrum inhibitors of viral genera, including Betacoronavirus, which contains MERS, SARS, SARS-CoV-2, and the common cold. There are two key technological advances that have created unique opportunities for the identification of NP prototypes with greater efficiency: (1) the application of structural databases for NPs and target proteins and (2) the application of modern MS techniques to assess protein-ligand interactions directly from NP extracts. These approaches, developed over years, now allow for the identification and isolation of unique antiviral ligands without the immediate need for BSL3 facilities. Overall, the goal is to improve the success rate of NP-based screening by focusing resources on source materials with a higher likelihood of success, while simultaneously providing opportunities for the discovery of novel ligands to selectively target proteins involved in viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- George S. Hanna
- Departments of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Yeun-Mun Choo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ryan Harbit
- College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Heather Paeth
- Departments of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Sarah Wilde
- Department of Biology, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29631, United States
| | - James Mackle
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jacopo-Umberto Verga
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany J. Wolf
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Olivier P. Thomas
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway H91Tk33, Ireland
| | - Peter Croot
- Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience, Earth and Ocean Sciences and Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - James Cray
- Department of Biomedical Education and Anatomy, College of Medicine and Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Courtney Thomas
- Department of Chemistry, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States
| | - Ling-Zhi Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University/SPU, Shenyang, China
| | - Gary Hardiman
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jin-Feng Hu
- School of Advanced Study, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Zhejiang 318000, China
| | - Xiaojuan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Dharmeshkhumar Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Raymond F. Schinazi
- Department of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Barry R. O’Keefe
- Molecular Targets Program, Center for Cancer Research, Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Mark T. Hamann
- Departments of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
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Xanthohumol Is a Potent Pan-Inhibitor of Coronaviruses Targeting Main Protease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212134. [PMID: 34830015 PMCID: PMC8624673 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses cause diseases in humans and livestock. The SARS-CoV-2 is infecting millions of human beings, with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The main protease (Mpro) of coronavirus plays a pivotal role in viral replication and transcription, which, in theory, is an attractive drug target for antiviral drug development. It has been extensively discussed whether Xanthohumol is able to help COVID-19 patients. Here, we report that Xanthohumol, a small molecule in clinical trials from hops (Humulus lupulus), was a potent pan-inhibitor for various coronaviruses by targeting Mpro, for example, betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 value of 1.53 μM), and alphacoronavirus PEDV (IC50 value of 7.51 μM). Xanthohumol inhibited Mpro activities in the enzymatical assays, while pretreatment with Xanthohumol restricted the SARS-CoV-2 and PEDV replication in Vero-E6 cells. Therefore, Xanthohumol is a potent pan-inhibitor of coronaviruses and an excellent lead compound for further drug development.
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48
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Natural Apocarotenoids and Their Synthetic Glycopeptide Conjugates Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Replication. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14111111. [PMID: 34832893 PMCID: PMC8619593 DOI: 10.3390/ph14111111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The protracted global COVID-19 pandemic urges the development of new drugs against the causative agent SARS-CoV-2. The clinically used glycopeptide antibiotic, teicoplanin, emerged as a potential antiviral, and its efficacy was improved with lipophilic modifications. This prompted us to prepare new lipophilic apocarotenoid conjugates of teicoplanin, its pseudoaglycone and the related ristocetin aglycone. Their antiviral effect was tested against SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells, using a cell viability assay and quantitative PCR of the viral RNA, confirming their micromolar inhibitory activity against viral replication. Interestingly, two of the parent apocarotenoids, bixin and β-apo-8′carotenoic acid, exerted remarkable anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Mechanistic studies involved cathepsin L and B, as well as the main protease 3CLPro, and the results were rationalized by computational studies. Glycopeptide conjugates show dual inhibitory action, while apocarotenoids have mostly cathepsin B and L affinity. Since teicoplanin is a marketed antibiotic and the natural bixin is an approved, cheap and widely used red colorant food additive, these readily available compounds and their conjugates as potential antivirals are worthy of further exploration.
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49
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Boras B, Jones RM, Anson BJ, Arenson D, Aschenbrenner L, Bakowski MA, Beutler N, Binder J, Chen E, Eng H, Hammond H, Hammond J, Haupt RE, Hoffman R, Kadar EP, Kania R, Kimoto E, Kirkpatrick MG, Lanyon L, Lendy EK, Lillis JR, Logue J, Luthra SA, Ma C, Mason SW, McGrath ME, Noell S, Obach RS, O' Brien MN, O'Connor R, Ogilvie K, Owen D, Pettersson M, Reese MR, Rogers TF, Rosales R, Rossulek MI, Sathish JG, Shirai N, Steppan C, Ticehurst M, Updyke LW, Weston S, Zhu Y, White KM, García-Sastre A, Wang J, Chatterjee AK, Mesecar AD, Frieman MB, Anderson AS, Allerton C. Preclinical characterization of an intravenous coronavirus 3CL protease inhibitor for the potential treatment of COVID19. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6055. [PMID: 34663813 PMCID: PMC8523698 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26239-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a global pandemic. 3CL protease is a virally encoded protein that is essential across a broad spectrum of coronaviruses with no close human analogs. PF-00835231, a 3CL protease inhibitor, has exhibited potent in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 as a single agent. Here we report, the design and characterization of a phosphate prodrug PF-07304814 to enable the delivery and projected sustained systemic exposure in human of PF-00835231 to inhibit coronavirus family 3CL protease activity with selectivity over human host protease targets. Furthermore, we show that PF-00835231 has additive/synergistic activity in combination with remdesivir. We present the ADME, safety, in vitro, and in vivo antiviral activity data that supports the clinical evaluation of PF-07304814 as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britton Boras
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, La Jolla, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Rhys M Jones
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, La Jolla, CA, 92121, USA.
| | - Brandon J Anson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Dan Arenson
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - Malina A Bakowski
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Nathan Beutler
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Joseph Binder
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, La Jolla, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Emily Chen
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Heather Eng
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Holly Hammond
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jennifer Hammond
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Robert E Haupt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Robert Hoffman
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, La Jolla, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Eugene P Kadar
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Rob Kania
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, La Jolla, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Emi Kimoto
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | | | - Lorraine Lanyon
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Emma K Lendy
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jonathan R Lillis
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Sandwich, CT13 9ND, UK
| | - James Logue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Suman A Luthra
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Chunlong Ma
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Stephen W Mason
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Marisa E McGrath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Stephen Noell
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - R Scott Obach
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Matthew N O' Brien
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Lake Forest, IL, 60045, USA
| | - Rebecca O'Connor
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Kevin Ogilvie
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Dafydd Owen
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Martin Pettersson
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Matthew R Reese
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Thomas F Rogers
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- UC San Diego Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Romel Rosales
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Jean G Sathish
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Norimitsu Shirai
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Claire Steppan
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, 06340, USA
| | - Martyn Ticehurst
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Sandwich, CT13 9ND, UK
| | - Lawrence W Updyke
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Stuart Weston
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Yuao Zhu
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Kris M White
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Arnab K Chatterjee
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Andrew D Mesecar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Matthew B Frieman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | | | - Charlotte Allerton
- Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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50
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Gul S, Ozcan O, Asar S, Okyar A, Barıs I, Kavakli IH. In silico identification of widely used and well-tolerated drugs as potential SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease and viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors for direct use in clinical trials. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 39:6772-6791. [PMID: 32752938 PMCID: PMC7484590 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1802346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite strict measures taken by many countries, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be an issue of global concern. Currently, there are no clinically proven pharmacotherapies for coronavirus disease 2019, despite promising initial results obtained from drugs such as azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine. Therefore, the repurposing of clinically approved drugs for use against SARS-CoV-2 has become a viable strategy. Here, we searched for drugs that target SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease (3CLpro) and viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) by in silico screening of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved drug library. Well-tolerated and widely used drugs were selected for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to evaluate drug-protein interactions and their persistence under physiological conditions. Tetracycline, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, dutasteride, nelfinavir, and paliperidone formed stable interactions with 3CLpro based on MD simulation results. Similar analysis with RdRp showed that eltrombopag, tipranavir, ergotamine, and conivaptan bound to the enzyme with high binding free energies. Docking results suggest that ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, bromocriptine, dutasteride, conivaptan, paliperidone, and tipranavir can bind to both enzymes with high affinity. As these drugs are well tolerated, cost-effective, and widely used, our study suggests that they could potentially to be used in clinical trials for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seref Gul
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Onur Ozcan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sinan Asar
- Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alper Okyar
- Department of Pharmacology, Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ibrahim Barıs
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ibrahim Halil Kavakli
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
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