Double-Winged 3-Hydroxypyrimidine-2,4-diones: Potent and Selective Inhibition against HIV-1 RNase H with Significant Antiviral Activity

J Med Chem. 2017 Jun 22;60(12):5045-5056. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00440. Epub 2017 May 31.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT)-associated ribonuclease H (RNase H) remains the only virally encoded enzymatic function yet to be exploited as an antiviral target. One of the possible challenges may be that targeting HIV RNase H is confronted with a steep substrate barrier. We have previously reported a 3-hydroxypyrimidine-2,4-dione (HPD) subtype that potently and selectively inhibited RNase H without inhibiting HIV in cell culture. We report herein a critical redesign of the HPD chemotype featuring an additional wing at the C5 position that led to drastically improved RNase H inhibition and significant antiviral activity. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) concerning primarily the length and flexibility of the two wings revealed important structural features that dictate the potency and selectivity of RNase H inhibition as well as the observed antiviral activity. Our current medicinal chemistry data also revealed that the RNase H biochemical inhibition largely correlated the antiviral activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology*
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cell Line
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • HIV Integrase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • HIV Integrase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Pyrimidinones / chemistry
  • Ribonuclease H, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Ribonuclease H, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • HIV Integrase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidinones
  • Ribonuclease H, Human Immunodeficiency Virus