Proline-Based Allosteric Inhibitors of Zika and Dengue Virus NS2B/NS3 Proteases

J Med Chem. 2019 Dec 26;62(24):11359-11382. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01697. Epub 2019 Dec 13.

Abstract

The NS2B/NS3 serine proteases of the Zika and Dengue flaviviruses are attractive targets for the development of antiviral drugs. We report the synthesis and evaluation of a new, proline-based compound class that displays allosteric inhibition of both proteases. The structural features relevant for protease binding and inhibition were determined to establish them as new lead compounds for flaviviral inhibitors. Based on our structure-activity relationship studies, the molecules were further optimized, leading to inhibitors with submicromolar IC50 values and improved lipophilic ligand efficiency. The allosteric binding site in the proteases was probed using mutagenesis and covalent modification of the obtained cysteine mutants with maleimides, followed by computational elucidation of the possible binding modes. In infected cells, antiviral activity against Dengue virus serotype 2 using prodrugs of the inhibitors was observed. In summary, a novel inhibitor scaffold targeting an allosteric site shared between flaviviral NS2B/NS3 proteases is presented whose efficacy is demonstrated in vitro and in cellulo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Allosteric Regulation
  • Allosteric Site
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Dengue / drug therapy*
  • Dengue / metabolism
  • Dengue / virology
  • Dengue Virus / drug effects*
  • Dengue Virus / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Peptide Hydrolases
  • Proline / chemistry*
  • Protease Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Serine Endopeptidases / chemistry
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Zika Virus / drug effects*
  • Zika Virus / enzymology
  • Zika Virus Infection / drug therapy*
  • Zika Virus Infection / metabolism
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • NS2B protein, flavivirus
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Proline
  • NS3 protein, zika virus
  • Peptide Hydrolases
  • NS3 protease, dengue virus
  • Serine Endopeptidases