We designed and synthesized a series of novel 3-arylquinoxaline derivatives and evaluated their biological activities as potential dengue virus (DENV) replication inhibitors. Among them, [3-(4-methoxyphenyl)quinoxalin-2-yl](phenyl)methanol (19a), [6,7-dichloro-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)quinoxalin-2-yl](phenyl)methanol (20a), and (4-methoxyphenyl)(3-phenylquinoxalin-2-yl)methanone (21b) were found to significantly inhibit the DENV RNA expression in Huh-7-DV-Fluc cells with a potency better than that of ribavirin. Compound 19a reduced DENV replication in both viral protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited no significant cell cytotoxicity. Notably, compound 19a exhibited a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) value at 1.29 ± 0.74 μM. We further observed that the inhibitory effect of 19a on DENV replication was due to suppression of DENV-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Docking studies also showed that 19a caused hydrophobic interactions at the active sites with Arg29, Glu31, Tyr116, Leu138, Pro139, Lys454, Arg455, and Gln529. The calculated lowest binding energy between the 19a and COX-2 was −9.10 kcal/mol. In conclusion, compound 19a might be a potential lead compound for developing an anti-DENV agent.
我们设计并合成了一系列新型的3-芳基喹喔啉衍生物,并评估它们作为潜在登革热病毒(DENV)复制抑制剂的生物活性。其中,[3-(4-甲氧基苯基)喹喔啉-2-基](苯基)甲醇(19a)、[6,7-二氯-3-(4-甲氧基苯基)喹喔啉-2-基](苯基)甲醇(20a)和(4-甲氧基苯基)(3-苯基喹喔啉-2-基)甲酮(21b)被发现能显著抑制Huh-7-DV-Fluc细胞中DENV RNA的表达,其效力优于利巴韦林。化合物19a以剂量依赖的方式降低了DENV复制的病毒蛋白和信使RNA(mRNA)水平,并且没有显著的细胞毒性。值得注意的是,化合物19a的半最大有效浓度(EC50)值为1.29 ± 0.74 μM。我们进一步观察到,19a对DENV复制的抑制作用是由于抑制DENV诱导的环氧合酶-2(COX-2)表达。对接研究还表明,19a在活性位点与Arg29、Glu31、Tyr116、Leu138、Pro139、Lys454、Arg455和Gln529之间发生疏水相互作用。19a与COX-2之间的计算最低结合能为-9.10 kcal/mol。总之,化合物19a可能是开发抗DENV药物的潜在首选化合物。