Enantioselective synthesis of derivatives and structure-activity relationship study in the development of NA255 as a novel host-targeting anti-HCV agent.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a serious health-care problem. Previously we reported the identification of NA255 from our natural products library using a HCV sub-genomic replicon cell culture system. Herein, we report how the absolute stereochemistry of NA255 was determined and an enantioselective synthetic method for NA255 derivatives was developed. The structure-activity relationship of the NA255 derivatives and rat pharmacokinetic profiles of the representative compounds are disclosed.

An orally available, small-molecule interferon inhibits viral replication.

Most acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections become chronic and some progress to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Standard therapy involves an interferon (IFN)-α-based regimen, and efficacy of therapy has been significantly improved by the development of protease inhibitors. However, several issues remain concerning the injectable form and the side effects of IFN. Here, we report an orally available, small-molecule type I IFN receptor agonist that directly transduces the IFN signal cascade and stimulates antiviral gene expression. Like type I IFN, the small-molecule compound induces IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression for antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo in mice, and the ISG induction mechanism is attributed to a direct interaction between the compound and IFN-α receptor 2, a key molecule of IFN-signaling on the cell surface. Our study highlights the importance of an orally active IFN-like agent, both as a therapy for antiviral infections and as a potential IFN substitute.

Establishment of infectious HCV virion-producing cells with newly designed full-genome replicon RNA.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon systems enable in-depth analysis of the life cycle of HCV. However, the previously reported full-genome replicon system is unable to produce authentic virions. On the basis of these results, we constructed newly designed full-genomic replicon RNA, which is composed of the intact 5'-terminal-half RNA extending to the NS2 region flanked by an extra selection marker gene. Huh-7 cells harboring this full-genomic RNA proliferated well under G418 selection and secreted virion-like particles into the supernatant. These particles, which were round and 50 nm in diameter when analyzed by electron microscopy, had a buoyant density of 1.08 g/mL that shifted to 1.19 g/mL after NP-40 treatment; these figures match the putative densities of intact virions and nucleocapsids without envelope. The particles also showed infectivity in a colony-forming assay. This system may offer another option for investigating the life cycle of HCV.

Host sphingolipid biosynthesis as a target for hepatitis C virus therapy.

An estimated 170 million individuals worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), a serious cause of chronic liver disease. Current interferon-based therapy for treating HCV infection has an unsatisfactory cure rate, and the development of more efficient drugs is needed. During the early stages of HCV infections, various host genes are differentially regulated, and it is possible that inhibition of host proteins affords a therapeutic strategy for treatment of HCV infection. Using an HCV subgenomic replicon cell culture system, here we have identified, from a secondary fungal metabolite, a lipophilic long-chain base compound, NA255 (1), a previously unknown small-molecule HCV replication inhibitor. NA255 prevents the de novo synthesis of sphingolipids, major lipid raft components, thereby inhibiting serine palmitoyltransferase, and it disrupts the association among HCV nonstructural (NS) viral proteins on the lipid rafts. Furthermore, we found that NS5B protein has a sphingolipid-binding motif in its molecular structure and that the domain was able to directly interact with sphingomyelin. Thus, NA255 is a new anti-HCV replication inhibitor that targets host lipid rafts, suggesting that inhibition of sphingolipid metabolism may provide a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of HCV infection.

The Candida albicans CHS4 gene complements a Saccharomyces cerevisiae skt5/chs4 mutation and is involved in chitin biosynthesis.

The Candida albicans CHS4 gene encoding chitin synthase 4 has been isolated using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CHS4/SKT5 gene as a probe. The gene contains a 2061 bp open reading frame capable of encoding a protein of 687 amino acids (76053 Da). No intron was observed in the gene. Disruption of CHS4 in C. albicans yielded a Calcofluor-resistant phenotype, indicating that Chs4p contributes to chitin biosynthesis. Consistent with this, overexpression of Chs4p under the regulation of the ScGAL1 promoter enhanced chitin synthase 3 activity in S. cerevisiae 7- to 38-fold. In addition, chs3 and chs4 null mutants were significantly defective in Calcofluor white staining and their chitin content was 10% of that of the parental strain. Chs4p of C. albicans and S. cerevisiae showed 61% identity in the C-terminal half of the proteins and that region of C. albicans Chs4p complemented the Chs4p function of a mutant of S. cerevisiae resistant to Calcofluor white. Therefore, it appears that Chs4p is involved in chitin synthase 3 activity by combining with Chs3p to interact synergistically in chitin biosynthesis.