ABSTRACT
Dengue fever is a severe, widespread, and neglected disease with more than 2 million diagnosed infections per year. The dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease (PR) represents a prime target for rational drug design. At the moment, there are no clinical PR inhibitors (PIs) available. We have identified diaryl (thio)ethers as candidates for a novel class of PIs. Here, we report the selective and noncompetitive inhibition of the serotype 2 and 3 dengue virus PR
in vitro
and in cells by benzothiazole derivatives exhibiting 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC
50
s) in the low-micromolar range. Inhibition of replication of DENV serotypes 1 to 3 was specific, since all substances influenced neither hepatitis C virus (HCV) nor HIV-1 replication. Molecular docking suggests binding at a specific allosteric binding site. In addition to the
in vitro
assays, a cell-based PR assay was developed to test these substances in a replication-independent way. The new compounds inhibited the DENV PR with IC
50
s in the low-micromolar or submicromolar range in cells. Furthermore, these novel PIs inhibit viral replication at submicromolar concentrations.
摘要
登革热是一种严重、广泛和被忽视的疾病,每年确诊感染人数超过 200 万。登革热病毒 NS2B/NS3 蛋白酶(PR)是合理药物设计的主要目标。目前,还没有可用于临床的 PR 抑制剂 (PI)。我们发现二芳基(硫)醚是一类新型 PI 的候选化合物。在此,我们报告了二芳基(硫)醚在体外选择性和非竞争性抑制血清 2 型和 3 型登革热病毒 PR
在体外
的选择性和非竞争性抑制作用。
50
s)在低微摩尔范围内。对 1 至 3 型登革热病毒血清型复制的抑制是特异性的,因为所有物质都不会影响丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)或 HIV-1 的复制。分子对接表明,这些物质与一个特定的异生结合位点结合。除了
体外
除了体外试验外,还开发了一种基于细胞的 PR 试验,以独立于复制的方式测试这些物质。新化合物抑制 DENV PR 的 IC
50
s在低微摩尔或亚微摩尔范围内抑制细胞中的DENV PR。此外,这些新型 PI 在亚摩尔浓度下也能抑制病毒复制。