In vitro evaluation of novel inhibitors against the NS2B-NS3 protease of dengue fever virus type 4

Molecules. 2013 Dec 13;18(12):15600-12. doi: 10.3390/molecules181215600.

Abstract

The discovery of potent therapeutic compounds against dengue virus is urgently needed. The NS2B-NS3 protease (NS2B-NS3pro) of dengue fever virus carries out all enzymatic activities needed for polyprotein processing and is considered to be amenable to antiviral inhibition by analogy. Virtual screening of 300,000 compounds using Autodock 3 on the GVSS platform was conducted to identify novel inhibitors against the NS2B-NS3pro. Thirty-six compounds were selected for in vitro assay against NS2B-NS3pro expressed in Pichia pastoris. Seven novel compounds were identified as inhibitors with IC50 values of 3.9 ± 0.6-86.7 ± 3.6 μM. Three strong NS2B-NS3pro inhibitors were further confirmed as competitive inhibitors with Ki values of 4.0 ± 0.4, 4.9 ± 0.3, and 3.4 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. Hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions between amino acid residues in the NS3pro active site with inhibition compounds were also identified.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Dengue Virus / classification
  • Dengue Virus / drug effects*
  • Dengue Virus / enzymology*
  • Dengue Virus / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protease Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Serine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Serine Endopeptidases / isolation & purification
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • NS3 protease, dengue virus
  • Serine Endopeptidases