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Chumillas S, Loharch S, Beltrán M, Szewczyk MP, Bernal S, Puertas MC, Martinez-Picado J, Alcamí J, Bedoya LM, Marchán V, Gallego J. Exploring the HIV-1 Rev Recognition Element (RRE)-Rev Inhibitory Capacity and Antiretroviral Action of Benfluron Analogs. Molecules 2023; 28:7031. [PMID: 37894510 PMCID: PMC10609163 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) remains one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease, and novel antiretroviral agents with alternative mechanisms are needed to cure this infection. Here, we describe an exploratory attempt to optimize the antiretroviral properties of benfluron, a cytostatic agent previously reported to exhibit strong anti-HIV activity likely based on inhibitory actions on virus transcription and Rev-mediated viral RNA export. After obtaining six analogs designed to modify the benzo[c]fluorenone system of the parent molecule, we examined their antiretroviral and toxicity properties together with their capacity to recognize the Rev Recognition Element (RRE) of the virus RNA and inhibit the RRE-Rev interaction. The results indicated that both the benzo[c] and cyclopentanone components of benfluron are required for strong RRE-Rev target engagement and antiretroviral activity and revealed the relative impact of these moieties on RRE affinity, RRE-Rev inhibition, antiviral action and cellular toxicity. These data provide insights into the biological properties of the benzo[c]fluorenone scaffold and contribute to facilitating the design of new anti-HIV agents based on the inhibition of Rev function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Chumillas
- Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Secció de Química Orgànica, IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Saurabh Loharch
- Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (S.L.); (M.P.S.)
| | - Manuela Beltrán
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Majadahonda, Spain; (M.B.); (L.M.B.)
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mateusz P. Szewczyk
- Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (S.L.); (M.P.S.)
- Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Bernal
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity Department, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Maria C. Puertas
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Javier Martinez-Picado
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity Department, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Alcamí
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Majadahonda, Spain; (M.B.); (L.M.B.)
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M. Bedoya
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Majadahonda, Spain; (M.B.); (L.M.B.)
- CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Vicente Marchán
- Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Secció de Química Orgànica, IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - José Gallego
- Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain; (S.L.); (M.P.S.)
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Castillo-Martínez J, Fan L, Szewczyk MP, Wang YX, Gallego J. OUP accepted manuscript. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:2287-2301. [PMID: 35137150 PMCID: PMC8887478 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Subdomain 5BSL3.2 of hepatitis C virus RNA lies at the core of a network of distal RNA–RNA contacts that connect the 5′ and 3′ regions of the viral genome and regulate the translation and replication stages of the viral cycle. Using small-angle X-ray scattering and NMR spectroscopy experiments, we have determined at low resolution the structural models of this subdomain and its distal complex with domain 3′X, located at the 3′-terminus of the viral RNA chain. 5BSL3.2 adopts a characteristic ‘L’ shape in solution, whereas the 5BSL3.2–3′X distal complex forms a highly unusual ‘Y’-shaped kissing junction that blocks the dimer linkage sequence of domain 3′X and promotes translation. The structure of this complex may impede an effective association of the viral polymerase with 5BSL3.2 and 3′X to start negative-strand RNA synthesis, contributing to explain the likely mechanism used by these sequences to regulate viral replication and translation. In addition, sequence and shape features of 5BSL3.2 are present in functional RNA motifs of flaviviruses, suggesting conserved regulatory processes within the Flaviviridae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Castillo-Martínez
- Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia, 46001Valencia, Spain
- Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Católica de Valencia, 46001Valencia, Spain
| | - Lixin Fan
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Core Facility of National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Mateusz P Szewczyk
- Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia, 46001Valencia, Spain
- Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Católica de Valencia, 46001Valencia, Spain
| | - Yun-Xing Wang
- Protein-Nucleic Acid Interaction Section, Center for Structural Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - José Gallego
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +34 963637412;
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