In silico screening for potent inhibitors against the NS3/4A protease of hepatitis C virus

Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(21):3465-77. doi: 10.2174/13816128113199990632.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a serious viral health problem globally, causing liver cirrhosis and inflammation that can develop to hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Since the HCV NS3/4A protease complex cleaves the scissile peptide bond in the viral encoded polypeptide to release the non-structural proteins during the viral replication process, this protease is then an important target for drug design. The computer-aided drug design and screening targeted at NS3/4A protease of HCV were reviewed. In addition, using steered molecular dynamics simulations, potent inhibitors of the NS3/4A complex were searched for by screening the ZINC database based upon the hypothesis that a high rupture force indicates a high binding efficiency. Nine top-hit compounds (59500093, 59784724, 13527817, 26660256, 29482733, 25977181, 28005928, 13527826 and 13527826) were found that had the same or a greater maximum rupture force (and so assumed binding strength and inhibitory potency) than the four current drugs and so are potential candidates as anti- HCV chemotherapeutic agents. In addition, van der Waals interactions were found to be the main contribution in stabilizing the ligand- NS3/4A complex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism*
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
  • Hepacivirus / drug effects
  • Hepacivirus / enzymology*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Protease Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism*
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins