Peptidomimetic Small-Molecule Inhibitors of 3CLPro Activity and Spike-ACE2 Interaction: Toward Dual-Action Molecules against Coronavirus Infections

J Org Chem. 2022 Sep 16;87(18):12041-12051. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c01047. Epub 2022 Aug 30.

Abstract

The development of molecules able to target protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is of interest for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Since a high percentage of PPIs are mediated by α-helical structure at the interacting surface, peptidomimetics that reproduce the essential conformational components of helices are useful templates for the development of PPIs inhibitors. In this work, the synthesis of a constrained dipeptide isostere and insertion in the short peptide epitope EDLFYQ of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) α1 helix domain resulted in the identification of a molecule capable of inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 ACE2/spike interaction in the micromolar range. Moreover, inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CLPro main protease activity was assessed as an additional inhibitory property of the synthesized peptidomimetics, taking advantage of the C-terminal Q amino acid present in both the ACE2 epitope and the Mpro recognizing motif (APSTVxLQ), thus paving the way to the development of multitarget therapeutics toward coronavirus infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • COVID-19*
  • Dipeptides
  • Epitopes
  • Humans
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Peptidomimetics* / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / chemistry
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Dipeptides
  • Epitopes
  • Peptides
  • Peptidomimetics
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2