Discovery of a novel 5-carbonyl-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide class of inhibitors of the HIV-1 integrase-LEDGF/p75 interaction

Abstract

Though much progress has been made in the inhibition of HIV-1 integrase catalysis, clinical resistance mutations have limited the promise of long-term drug prescription. Consequently, allosteric inhibition of integrase activity has emerged as a promising approach to antiretroviral discovery and development. Specifically, inhibitors of the interaction between HIV-1 integrase and cellular cofactor LEDGF/p75 have been validated to diminish proviral integration in cells and deliver a potent reduction in viral replicative capacity. Here, we have contributed to the development of novel allosteric integrase inhibitors with a high-throughput AlphaScreen-based random screening approach, with which we have identified novel 5-carbonyl-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamides capable of inhibiting the HIV-1 integrase-LEDGF/p75 interaction in vitro. Following a structure-activity relationship analysis of the initial 1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarbonyl core, we optimized the compound's structure through an industrial database search, and we went further to synthesize a selective and non-cytotoxic panel of inhibitors with enhanced potency.

Keywords: 2B4J; 5-carbonyl-1H-Imidazole-4-carboxamide; 50% cytotoxic concentration; 50% effective concentration; 50% inhibitory concentration; Antiviral; CC(50); CCID(50); EC(50); HBA; HBD; HIV-1; HIV-1 integrase; IC(50); IN; Integrase; LEDGF/p75; Protein–protein interaction; cell culture infective dose; hydrogen bond acceptor; hydrogen bond donor; lens epithelium-derived growth factor/p75.