Supercoiling Structure-Based Design of a Trimeric Coiled-Coil Peptide with High Potency against HIV-1 and Human β-Coronavirus Infection

J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 24;65(4):2809-2819. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00258. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Abstract

Hexameric structure formation through packing of three C-terminal helices and an N-terminal trimeric coiled-coil core has been proposed as a general mechanism of class I enveloped virus entry. In this process, the C-terminal helical repeat (HR2) region of viral membrane fusion proteins becomes transiently exposed and accessible to N-terminal helical repeat (HR1) trimer-based fusion inhibitors. Herein, we describe a mimetic of the HIV-1 gp41 HR1 trimer, N3G, as a promising therapeutic against HIV-1 infection. Surprisingly, we found that in addition to protection against HIV-1 infection, N3G was also highly effective in inhibiting infection of human β-coronaviruses, including MERS-CoV, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2, possibly by binding the HR2 region in the spike protein of β-coronaviruses to block their hexameric structure formation. These studies demonstrate the potential utility of anti-HIV-1 HR1 peptides in inhibiting human β-coronavirus infection. Moreover, this strategy could be extended to the design of broad-spectrum antivirals based on the supercoiling structure of peptides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / metabolism
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • HIV-1 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41
  • Peptides