Inhibition mechanisms of HIV-1, Mo-MuLV and AMV reverse transcriptases by Kelletinin A from Buccinulum corneum.

Kelletinin A [ribity pentakis (p-hydroxybenzoate)] (KA), an inhibitor of HTLV-1 replication isolated from Buccinulum corneum, showed a noncompetitive inhibitory activity with respect to the template primer and to dTTP in the poly(rA).oligo(dT)12-18-directed reaction of HIV-1, Mo-MuLV and AMV reverse transcriptases (RT). Analysis of natural and synthetic KA-related compounds showed that the inhibitory activity was strictly related to the structural peculiarities of the molecule. In the presence of DNA as template primer the inhibition mechanism was drastically modified: HIV-1 RT activity was stimulated by low concentrations of KA and was inhibited by increasing the concentration of the compound, while Mo-MuLV and AMV activities were irreversibly inhibited by the formation of a non-reactive complex. The RNase H activities of these RTs were not affected by KA. The results of this study suggest a different mechanism of interaction of Kelletinins with HIV-1 RT compared with other non-nucleoside inhibitors. A possible use of these drugs in combination therapy and in the design of structure-based reverse transcriptase inhibitors is discussed.

Antibiotics from basidiomycetes. XLI. Clavicoronic acid, a novel inhibitor of reverse transcriptases from Clavicorona pyxidata (Pers. ex Fr.) Doty.

A novel inhibitor of RNA-directed DNA-polymerases was isolated from fermentations of Clavicorona pyxidata. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Clavicoronic acid (1) is a noncompetitive inhibitor of avian myeloblastosis virus (Ki 130 microM) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (Ki 68 microM) reverse transcriptases. In permeabilized cells and isolated nucleic DNA- and RNA-synthesis are not affected. Clavicoronic acid markedly inhibits the multiplication of vesicular stomatitis virus in baby hamster kidney cells by interfering with this virus's RNA-directed RNA-polymerase. 1 exhibits no cytotoxic and very weak antimicrobial activities.

Avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase inhibition by nalidixic acid.

Nalidixic acid, a very specific inhibitor of bacterial DNA synthesis, has been studied for its action on the avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase activity. The drug inhibited the DNA synthesis reaction catalyzed by the viral enzyme in the presence of different template-primers. The inhibitory effect by nalidixic acid was higher with polyriboadenylic acid than with polyribocytidylic acid as a synthetic template. With activated DNA as a template nalidixic acid preferentially inhibited the TMP incorporation when compared with the dAMP incorporation. Both these results showed the importance of the presence of adenine in the templates for a more efficient inhibition by nalidixic acid. The inhibition for this drug was also shown in the presence of Mn2+ instead of Mg2+ as the divalent cation, and with a 2'-fluorinated analogue of polyriboadenylic acid as the template. Kinetic data showed a non-competitive inhibition by nalidixic acid in relation to polyriboadenylic acid and to TTP in the reaction catalyzed by reverse transcriptase.

Saponins from leaves of Acanthopanax hypoleucus Makino.

From the leaves of Acanthopanax hypoleucus Makino (Araliaceae), five triterpenoidal saponins, having oleanolic acid and hederagenin as sapogenins, were isolated. On the basis of chemical and spectral data, the structures of two new saponins, named hypoleucosides A (1), and B (5) were elucidated as follows: 1; 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 11 alpha-methoxy-oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 5; 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1---- 4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester.

Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase by aurochloric acid.

We investigated the inhibitory effects of aurochloric acid (AuCl4H) on reverse transcriptase (RT) derived from avian myeloblastosis virus and DNA polymerase alpha (pol. alpha) purified from HeLa S3 cells. The activities of RT, pol. alpha and E. coli DNA polymerase I (pol. I) with dTTP as the substrate were inhibited 50% at AuCl4H concentrations of 18 microM, 43 microM and 230 microM, respectively. AuCl4H inhibited RT activity competitively with respect to the substrate, dTTP, and uncompetitively with the template/primer, (rA)n(dT)12-18. In assays with dGTP as the substrate, 50% inhibitions of RT, pol. alpha and pol. I activities were observed at AuCl4H concentrations of 100 microM, 450 microM and 580 microM, respectively. AuCl4H inhibited RT activity uncompetitively with respect to the substrate, dGTP, and noncompetitively with the template/primer, (rC)n(dG)12-18. AuCl4H at concentrations causing more than 50% inhibition of RT activity had little inhibitory effect on the colony-forming ability of HeLa cells or their syntheses of DNA, RNA and protein.

Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase by diphosphates of acyclic phosphonylmethyl nucleotide analogues.

Diphosphates of N-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl) derivatives of heterocyclic bases were studied in the endogenous oligo(dT)12-18 primed reaction of reverse transcriptase from detergent-disrupted AMV(MAV) retrovirions. These diphosphates (analogues of nucleotide 5'-triphosphates) exhibited an inhibitory activity towards reverse transcriptase. This inhibitory activity was dependent on the character of the heterocyclic base and decreased in the order: 2-aminoadenine greater than adenine greater than guanine much greater than cytosine much greater than thymine greater than uracil. The 2-aminoadenine derivative was more potent than either AZT-TP or ddTTP, while PMEApp had approximately the same potency as the two reference compounds (IC50 approximately 1 microM at 20 microM competing substrate). This finding is consistent with the antiviral activity of the parent nucleotide analogues against retroviruses (including HIV).

Captan binding to avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and its effect on RNase H activity.

The inhibitor captan (N-trichloromethylthio-4-cyclohexen-1,2-dicarboximide) was used to explore the ribonuclease H (RNase H) active site of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase. Gel permeation chromatography of purified enzyme showed that [14C]captan bound to the alpha subunit in a ratio of 10:1 and to a 32,000 d polypeptide in a ratio of 4:1. Neither the alpha beta nor the beta subunit bound [14C]captan. The binding of 5 of the captan molecules was prevented by preincubating enzyme with polynucleotide. Deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) protected the enzyme against the binding of 4 captan molecules. Each holoenzyme bound 2 molecules of [3H]dGTP in the absence of, and 1 molecule of [3H]dGTP in the presence of 1 mM captan. Ribonuclease H activity was inhibited when AMV reverse transcriptase was preincubated with 1 mM captan before the degradative reaction was initiated. Preincubation of enzyme with polynucleotide before exposure to captan could partially protect the RNase H activity (61 +/- 2% activity remained). Deoxyguanosine triphosphate also partially protected the RNase H activity from inhibition by captan (75 +/- 9% activity remained). Inhibition of the RNase H activity was completely prevented by preincubating enzyme simultaneously with polynucleotide and dGTP. When separated by glycerol gradients the alpha subunit and alpha beta dimer both exhibited RNase H activity, but only the RNase H activity of the alpha subunit was inhibited by captan. Activity and binding studies revealed that the RNase H and polymerase activities of the alpha subunit are not susceptible to the interaction of captan when this subunit is in the alpha beta dimer form.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative studies of the inhibitory properties of antibiotics on human immunodeficiency virus and avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptases and cellular DNA polymerases.

The inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase by certain antibiotics and related compounds was studied in comparison with that of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase and cellular DNA polymerases alpha and beta. In general, compounds that inhibited HIV reverse transcriptase also inhibited AMV reverse transcriptase. For example, 10 micrograms/ml of the isoquinoline quinones used in this study inhibited approximately 80% of the activity of reverse transcriptases of HIV and AMV, but did not inhibit the activity of DNA polymerases alpha and beta even at 50 micrograms/ml. AMV enzyme was more sensitive than HIV enzyme to colistin, enduracidins A and B, janiemycin, glysperin A, and thielavins A and B. The streptonigrin alkyl esters, however, inhibited HIV reverse transcriptase only. Sakyomicin A, luzopeptins, ellagic acid and suramine inhibited the activities of reverse transcriptases and cellular DNA polymerases.

Pharmacokinetics and chemotherapeutic efficacy of adriamycin encapsulated in immunoliposomes against avian myeloblastosis virus infection.

Immunoliposomes were prepared using rabbit anti-AMV gp80 IgG for the targeted chemotherapy of avian myeloblastosis virus infection. Adriamycin was encapsulated into immunoliposomes and used for in vivo studies. Comparative pharmacokinetics of free drug, drug encapsulated in free liposomes and of drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes in the virus-infected cells revealed that (i) the drug encapsulated in liposomes was cleared from the plasma slowly, and (ii) the drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes accumulated in the target tissue, the bone marrow, 5- and 8.5-fold more than the drug encapsulated in free liposomes and free drug, respectively. The drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes inactivated the virus and exhibited more chemotherapeutic efficacy as compared to controls when injected up to 24 h post-infection. However, when injected 48 h post-infection the drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes did not offer any protection against the virus infection. There is no detectable antibody response against immunoliposomes in the infected animals.

Cytotoxic activity of daunomycin and adriamycin encapsulated in immunoliposomes against avian myeloblastosis virus-infected cells.

Immunoliposomes were prepared using the antibody raised against the avian myeloblastosis virus envelope glycoprotein, gp80. Adriamycin was encapsulated into immunoliposomes. More drug was delivered into target cells when the drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes was incubated with the cells. The drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes was able to inhibit the RNA synthesis twice more than free drug in the virus-transformed myeloblasts. Pre-treatment of cells with ammonium chloride, reversed the effect of drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes. The drugs encapsulated in immunoliposomes had marginal effect on the RNA synthesis of non-target cells, the yolk sac cells. Colony formation by virus-transformed cells and focus formation by virus-infected yolk sac cells was inhibited significantly by the drug encapsulated in immunoliposomes.

Inhibition (in vitro) of replication and of the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus by an extract of the culture medium of Lentinus edodes mycelia.

An extract of culture medium of Lentinus edodes mycelia (LEM) was prepared. This was further fractionated by 50% ethanol precipitation and both the resulting product, E-P-LEM, and LEM were studied to evaluate their effect on the activity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. The experiments were performed using either a cell-free infection system with MT-4 cells, or a cell-to-cell infection system with MOLT-4 cells, which induces multinucleated giant cells very efficiently. E-P-LEM almost completely blocked both the cytopathic effect of giant cell formation and specific antigen expression due to HIV, whereas LEM before ethanol precipitation blocked the expression of HIV antigen in MT-4 cells only at a high concentration. Pretreatment of the virus with E-P-LEM before infection blocked HIV infection in the target cells. Thus, the inhibitory effect of LEM and E-P-LEM on HIV could be due to a blocking of the initial stages of HIV infection. Moreover, reverse transcriptase activity of avian myeloblastosis virus was inhibited.

Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and virus inactivation by metal complexes of isonicotinic acid hydrazide.

The cupric and ferric complexes of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) inhibit the DNA synthesis catalysed by avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase. The inhibition was to the extent of 95% by 50 microM of cupric-INH complex and 55% by 100 microM of ferric-INH complex. These complexes have been found to bind preferentially to the enzyme than to the template-primer. Kinetic analysis showed that the cupric-INH complex is a non-competitive inhibitor with respect to dTTP. The time course of inhibition has revealed that the complexes are inhibitory even after the initiation of polynucleotide synthesis. In vivo toxicity studies in 1-day-old chicks have shown that the complexes are not toxic up to a concentration of 500 microgram per chick. Infection of the 1-day-old chicks with AMV pretreated with 150 microgram of either of the complexes prevented symptoms of leukemia due to virus inactivation.

Disintegration of retroviruses by chelating agents.

Exposure in vitro of various mammalian retroviruses to the chelating agents EDTA or EGTA in millimolar concentrations resulted in partial disintegration of viral membranes as measured by accessibility or even release of reverse transcriptase, an internal viral protein, without any other treatment usually required. Among the viruses responding to chelators were mammalian type C viruses, primate type D viruses and bovine leukemia virus. The effect was dose-dependent. The avian type C virus AMV, however, was found to be not susceptible to the agents. Rauscher mouse leukemia virus treated in vitro with EDTA or EGTA showed reduced infectivity in mice. The results are considered as evidence for some association of divalent cations with membranes of mammalian retroviruses. The disintegrating activity of EGTA suggests that Ca2+ is an integral constituent of viruses but Mg2+ may also be involved. These cations seem to be responsible for maintaining integrity of retroviral membranes which, after chelation of ions, are either disrupted or become permeable for the exogenous template of reverse transcriptase. In addition, the disintegrating activity of trifluoperazine may indicate that a calmodulin-like protein occurs in retroviral membranes.

Antiviral properties of polyinosinic acids containing thio and methyl substitutions.

Polyinosinic acids containing methyl and sulphur substitutions are potent inhibitors of reverse transcriptase. Substitution of sulphur for oxygen at the 6 position produces significant effects on the properties of polyinosinic acid: the kinetics of inhibition change from competitive to mixed-type and the inhibition constant falls by three orders of magnitude. In contrast, 1-methyl substitution produces no such effects. Poly(1-methyl-6-thioinosinic acid) or poly(m1s6I) inhibits irreversibly, inhibiting all ten reverse transcriptases tested under a variety of assay conditions. In cell culture test systems, poly(m1s6I) is capable of blocking both infection by non-transforming viruses and transformation by a sarcoma virus. The presence of poly(m1s6I) in a preinfected culture results in the production of non-infectious virus particles lacking reverse transcriptase activity.

Suramin: a potent inhibitor of the reverse transcriptase of RNA tumor viruses.

Suramin--a well-known antitrypanosomal agent--was found to exert a strong inhibitory effect on the RNA-directed DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) activity of several oncornaviruses such as Moloney murine leukemia virus, murine Rauscher leukemia viruses, Moloney murine sarcoma virus and avian myeloblastosis virus. Inhibition of enzyme activity was obtained with both endogenous viral RNA and (A)n . oligo(dT) as the template-primer. Suramin effected a 50% inhibition of the reverse transcriptase activity of oncornaviruses at a concentration range of 0.1--1 microgram/ml. In this aspect it compared favorably to ethidium bromide, another trypanocide drug which is considered as one of the most powerful inhibitors of oncornaviral DNA polymerases. The inhibition of reverse transcriptase activity by suramin was competitive with the template-primer, (A)n . oligo(dT), suggesting that the drug may interact with the template-primer binding site of the enzyme.