Combined Effect of Basic Antiherpetic Drugs with a New Inhibitor of the Terminase Complex of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Vero Cell Cultures.

Carriers of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) account for more than 90% of the global population. Infection manifests itself in the formation of blisters and ulcers on the face or genitals and can cause blindness, encephalitis, and generalized infection. All first- and second-line modern antiherpetic drugs selectively inhibit viral DNA polymerase. The purine-benzoxazine conjugate LAS-131 ((S)-4-[6-(purin-6-yl)aminohexanoyl]-7,8-difluoro-3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-2H-[1,4]benzoxazine), which we have described earlier, uses the large subunit of the HSV-1 terminase complex as a biotarget and selectively inhibits HSV-1 reproduction in vitro. Basically new results were for the first time obtained to characterize the combined effect on human herpesvirus infection for LAS-131 used in combination with practically significant antiviral compounds, including the nucleoside analogs acyclovir (ACV), penciclovir (PCV), ganciclovir (GCV), brivudine (BVdU), iododeoxyuridine (IdU), and adenine arabinoside (Ara-A); the nucleoside phosphonate analog cidofovir (CDV); and the pyrophosphate analog foscarnet (FOS). A cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition assay showed that the drug concentration that inhibited the virus-induced CPE by 50% decreased by a factor of 2 (an additive effect, FOS) or more (a synergistic effect; ACV, PCV, GCV, IdU, BVdU, Ara-A, and CDV) when the drugs were used in combination with LAS-131. Nonpermissive conditions for HSV-1 reproduction were thus created at lower drug concentrations, opening up new real possibilities to control human herpesvirus infection.

[Antiviral effect of novel purine conjugate LAS-131 against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (Herpesviridae: Alphaherpesvirinae: Simplexvirus: Human alphaherpesvirus 1) in vitro].

INTRODUCTION: Herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) are extremely widespread throughout the world and, similar to other herpesviruses, establish lifelong persistent infection in the host. Reactivating sporadically, HSV-1 elicits recurrences in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals and can cause serious diseases (blindness, encephalitis, generalized infections). The currently available antiherpetic drugs that aimed mainly at suppressing replication of viral DNA are not always effective enough, for example, due to the development of drug resistance. As we showed earlier the newly discovered compound LAS-131 exhibits the strong and highly selective inhibitory activity against HSV­1, including strain resistant to acyclovir (selective index, SI = 63). The presence of LAS-131 at a concentration of 20 µg/ml leads to a decrease in the titer of HSV-1 (strain L2) by 4 lg in a one round of HSV-1 replication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To establish the step(s) of the virus life cycle that is sensitive to the action of LAS-131, we have applied a widely used approach, that made it possible to determine how long the addition of a compound can be postponed before it loses its antiviral activity (time-of-addition assay), and to compare this indicator with the crucial time of application of inhibitors with a well-known mechanism of action (in cell culture). RESULTS: It has been shown for the first time that LAS-131 retains a pronounced antiviral effect when introduced into the experimental system no later than 9 hours post-infection (p.i.). However, LAS-131 does not affect the release of HSV-1 from the cell. DISCUSSION: Together with published data on the termination of the synthesis of viral DNA 9-12 h after the adsorption in a cell culture infected with HSV with a high multiplicity (≥1 PFU/cell), our results suggest that LAS-131 interferes the life cycle of HSV-1 during synthesis of viral DNA. Further studies of the mechanism of action are necessary to establish definitely the biological target for this compound,.

The Mechanism of the Stimforte Effect on the Activation of Target Cell Defense against Viral Infection.

Stimforte in a wide range of concentrations (15-225 µg/mL) totally inhibits the cytopathic activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Vero-V cell culture. Interferons (IFN) play the most important role in the suppression of infection when the drug is introduced into the culture before the infection. When Stimforte is introduced after the infection, the mechanism of action seems to be different. The activators of IFN production are mainly (or exclusively) the ligands of receptor complexes TLR-4 and NOD-2 contained in the drug. The action of these substances is probably synergistic, similar to the action of LPS and MDP in Vero-V cells.

[AntiHIV/AIDS drug 6HP: antiviral activity, pre-clinical study. Efficiency in adult HIV-infected patients.]

The new domestic antiretroviral drug 6HP, which is ammonium-3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine-5'-carbomoylphosphonate, shows a high level of anti-HIV activity in cultures of lymphoblastoid cells. In a organism, the 6HP is converted to azidothymidine, and the its pharmacokinetic parameters indicate a prolonged nature of action of this compound in vivo. It is an important indicator that allows to formulate optimal therapeutic regimens during clinical application of 6HP. The complex of its antiviral properties and the results of its exhaustive preclinica study, as well as the results of studying its safety and tolerability in adult HIV-infected patients, including important first data of its use as a specific therapeutic antiHIV / AIDS drug, certainly indicate on its prospects and its usefulness in clinical use in patients with HIV infection, including as part of combination antiretroviral therapy.

[Modern ethiotropic chemotherapy of human cytomegalovirus infection: clinical effectiveness, molecular mechanism of action, drug resistance, new trends and prospects. Part 1.]

Modern chemotherapy of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections has a very limited arsenal of first-line drugs. These are preparations of ganciclovir (GCV) belonging to the class of modified nucleosides and its metabolic precursor ganciclovir valine ester. After three-step phosphorylation, GCV, as a structural analogue of the natural nucleotide, competes with it for binding to DNA polymerase and, due to its structural features, inhibits its activity. However, with prolonged use of GCV, mainly under conditions of immunosuppression, the virus develops drug resistance associated in most cases with changes in pUL97 catalyzing the first stage of GCV phosphorylation, as well as in the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase. When variants of viruses resistant to GCV appear, second-line drugs are used: pyrophosphate analog of foscarnet and nucleotide cidofovir. Resistance to second-line drugs is due to mutations in the pol-gene and in a number of cases leads to multiresistance, which makes it impossible to use traditional anti-CMV drugs. In addition, the use of all of the above drugs is accompanied by the development of severe side effects. All of the above determines the need to search for new compounds that can effectively inhibit the reproduction of the virus, harmless to the macroorganism, convenient to use, overcoming the drug resistance barrier in viruses.As a result of the search in international databases (PubMed, MedLine, eLIBRARY.RU, ClinicalTrials.gov, etc.), the main trends in the search for new anti-CMV agents were identified. In the first part of the review, we concentrated on compounds that are modifications of known antiviral agents currently used in clinical practice, the most promising for the development of drug anti-CMV drugs.

[The mechanism of stimforte action on herpesvirus infection.]

Increased protease activity and a significant amount of granzyme B were observed in in organs of mice infected with acute herpes simplex virus HSV-1 with the introduction of Stimforte (100 or 250 µg/mouse). Thus, this drug activates killer cells, which play an extremely important role in the suppression of HSV-1 infection. Although the administration of Stimforte (100 µg/mouse) to intact mice results in the activation of IFN-ß production and does not activate the production of IFN-λ, Stimforte administration to animals infected with HSV-1 reduces production of IFN-ß in serum, brain and lungs, whereas the production of IFN-λ considerably increases as the result of administration of 100 µg/mouse of Stimforte.

MODERN ETHIOTROPIC CHEMOTHERAPY OF HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS: ADVANCES, NEW TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES. ALPHAHERPESVIRINAE (part I).

Modern therapy of infections caused by alpha-herpesviruses is based on drugs belonging to the class of modified nucleosides (acyclovir) and their metabolic progenitors - valine ester of acyclovir and famciclovir (prodrug of penciclovir). The biological activity of these compounds is determined by the similarity of their structure to natural nucleosides: modified nucleosides compete with natural nucleosides for binding to DNA-polymerase and, due to their structural features, inhibit its activity. However, the emergence of variants of viruses resistant to the antiviral drugs available in the arsenal of modern medicine necessitates the search for new compounds able of effectively inhibiting the reproduction of viruses. These compounds should be harmless to the macroorganisms, convenient to use, and overcoming the drug resistance barrier in viruses. The search for literature in international databases (PubMed, MedLine, RINC, etc.) in order to obtain information on promising developments that open new possibilities for treating herpesvirus infection and subsequent analysis of the collected data made it possible to determine not only the main trends in the search for new antiviral agents, but also to provide information on the compounds most promising for the development of anti-herpesvirus drugs.

MODERN ETHIOTROPIC CHEMOTHERAPY OF HERPESVIRUS INFECTIONS: ADVANCES, NEW TRENDS AND PERSPECTIVES. ALPHAHERPESVIRUSES (PART II).

A key role in the treatment of herpesviral infections is played by modified nucleosides and their predecessors - acyclovir, its L-valine ester (valaciclovir) and famciclovir (prodrug of penciclovir). The biological activity of compounds of this class is determined by their similarity to natural nucleosides. After phosphorylation by viral thymidine kinase and then cell enzymes to the triphosphate forms, acyclovir and penciclovir inhibit the activity of viral DNA polymerase and synthesis of viral DNA. The increasing role of herpesvirus infections in human infectious pathology, as well as the development of drug resistance in viruses, mainly in patients with immunodeficiencies of various origins, necessitate the search for new compounds possessing anti-herpesvirus activity, using as a biological target not DNA polymerase, but other viral proteins and enzymes, unique or different from cellular proteins, performing similar functions.

[Modern ethiotropic chemotherapy of human cytomegalovirus infection: clinical effectiveness, molecular mechanism of action, drug resistance, new trends and prospects. Part 2.]

A number of synthetic compounds, such as the nucleoside analog ganciclovir, its L-valine ester (a metabolic precursor of ganciclovir) and pyrophosphate analog foscarnet, are permitted for the treatment of HCMVrelated diseases in the WHO European Region. The viral DNA- polymerase is used by all these drugs as a biotarget. However, the usage of standard anti-CMV therapy is accompanied by severe side effects, as well as the development of drug resistance in the virus, mainly in conditions of immunodefciency. In this review, we focused on viral proteins of interest as new potential targets and their inhibitors, such as the inhibitor of human CMV terminology, lethermovir, which showed great activity in the third phase of clinical trials, inhibitors of viral cyclin-dependent kinase (maribavir, cyclopropavir) and a number of compounds exhibiting anti-HCMV-activity, undergoing only preclinical trials in the experiment. Inclusion of new anti-CMV agents that are active against GСV/PFA/CDV-resistant strains of CMV into standard prophylactic and therapeutic regimens, will allow to increase the effectiveness of anti-CMV therapy, including in cases when standard therapy is ineffective. Areas covered: the international databases such as A MEDLINE, PubMed, eLIBRARY.RU, ClinicalTrials.gov., etc. with the purpose of obtaining information on compounds showing selective action against the human cytomegalovirus, the most promising for the development of drugs.

Different effects of the immunostimulatory drug Stimforte on infections of hepatitis C virus and herpes simplex virus type 1.

Stimforte, an immune response-stimulating preparation, is active with respect to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1). The effects of Stimforte in animals infected with either HCV or HSV-1 are fundamentally different. In mice with acute herpes virus infection, Stimforte administration leads to a higher activity of natural killer cells and cytotoxic lymphocytes, and the amount of interferon (IFN) λ grows. In mice infected with HCV, Stimforte administration results in a significant increase in IFN-ß but not IFN-λ in blood and affected organs. Stimforte has been found to affect directly HCV reproduction that causes the infected cell death, but it does not affect HSV-1 reproduction in the Vero cells (V).

INFLUENCE OF IMMUNOMODULATORY DRUG STIMFORTE ON THE EXPERIMENTAL HERPES VIRUS INFECTION IN COMBINATION WITH ACYCLOVIR AND ON HIV-INFECTION IN COMBINATION WITH RETROVIR.

The combined action of the immunostimulatory drug Stimforte and the basic etiotropic drug acyclovir commonly used to treat herpes infections was studied using the model of lethal experimental infection of mice BALB/c with herpes simplex virus type 1. It was found that the interaction of these drugs is additive. In addition, Stimforte inhibits infection caused by a strain of virus, which is highly resistant to acyclovir. When administered 24 hours prior to HIV-1 infection of human lymphoblastoid cells MT-4, Stimforte exhibited reliable antiretroviral activity best expressed during the early period of infection (the 3rd day). On the 6th day of observation the effect was almost completely lost. Combined use of Stimforte at a dose of 50-100 µg/ml with a subthreshold dose of retrovir (0.03 µg/ml) had a synergistic antiviral effect. Thus, Stimforte, which exhibits, on the one hand, antiviral activity against viruses of different families and, on the other hand, the immunomodulatory properties, could be promising as an etiopathogenic tool in helping to normalize both nonspecific and specific immunity. It may be used simultaneously with etiotropic antiviral chemotherapy in treatment of generalized herpes infection in patients with immunodeficiency. Furthermore, Stimforte can be used in the case of development of drug resistance in HSV, in particular, in HIV-infected patients.

[Interaction of Dystamycin Dimeric Analog with Poly(dA) x poly(dT), Poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)] and Duplex O23 at Origin of Replication of the Herpes Simplex Virus].

The binding of distamycin dimeric analog (Pt-bis-Dst) to poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)1, poly(dA) x poly(dT) and duplex O23 with the sequence 5'-GCCAATATATATATATTATTAGG-3' which is present at the origin of replication of herpes simplex virus OriS is investigated with the use of UV and CD spectroscopy. The distinction of the synthetic polyamide from a natural antibiotic lies in the fact that in the synthetic polyamide there are two distamycin moieties bound via a glycine cis-diamino platinum group. It was shown that the binding of Pt-bis-Dst to poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)] and poly(dA) x poly(dT) reaches saturation if one molecule of the ligand occurs at approximately every 8 bp. With further increase in the ratio of the added ligand to the base pairs in CD spectra of complexes with poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)], we observed that the maximum wavelength band tend to be shifted towards longer wavelengths, while in the spectral region of 290-310 nm a "shoulder", that was absent in the spectra of the complexes obtained at low polymer coverages by the ligand, appeared. At high molar concentration ratios of ligand to oligonucleotide Pt-bis-Dst can bind to poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)] in the form of hairpins or may form associates by the interaction between the distamycin moieties of neighboring molecules of Pt-bis-Dst. The structure of the complexes is stabilized by interactions between pirrolcarboxamide moieties of two molecules of Pt-bis-Dst adsorbed on adjacent overlapping binding sites. These interactions are probably also responsible for the concentration-dependent spectral changes observed during the formation of a complex between Pt-bis-Dst and poly[d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)]. Spectral changes are almost absent in binding of Pt-bis-Dst to poly(dA) x poly(dT). Binding of Pt-bis-Dst to duplex O23 reaches saturation if two ligand molecules occur in a duplex that contains a cluster of 18 AT pairs. With increasing the molar concentration ratio of the ligand to the duplex CD spectra undergo concentration-dependent changes similar to those observed during binding of Pt-bis-Dst to poly [d(A-T)] x poly[d(A-T)]. Testing for antiviral efficacy of Pt-bis-Dst showed that the concentration, at which the cytopathic effect produced by the herpes simplex virus in cell culture Vero E6 halved, is equal to 1.5 µg/ml and the selectivity index for evaluating antiviral activity is 65 at a relatively low cytotoxicity. The concentration of Pt-bis-Dst, at which approximately half the cells are killed, is equal to 100 µg/ml.

Study of Antiherpetic Efficiency of Phosphite of Acycloguanosine Ableto Over come the Barrier of Resistance to Acyclovir.

As has been shown previously, phosphite of acycloguanosine (Hp-ACG) exhibits equal efficacy against ACV-sensitive and ACV-resistant HSV-1 strains in cell culture. Intraperitoneal administration of Hp-ACG to model mice with herpetic encephalitis caused by HSV-1 infection was shown to be effective in protecting against death. In the present work, we continue the study of the antiviral efficiency of Hp-ACG against HSV administered non-invasively; namely in vivo, orally and in the form of ointment formulations. It has been first shown that oral administration of Hp-ACG twice daily for five days prevents systemic infection in mice caused by HSV-1. Mortality in the control group of animals was 57%. Administration of Hp-ACG at doses of 600, 800 and 1,000 mg/kg per day significantly increased the survival and median day of death of the animals compared to the placebo-treated control group. A comparative evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy parameters of polyethylene glycol-based ACV ointment and Hp-ACG ointment was carried out after a 5-day course in the model of an experimental cutaneous infection of HSV-1 in guinea pigs. It was found that Hp-ACG has a significant therapeutic effect resulting in a statistically significant reduction in the lesion's surface area and the amount of vesicular structures. The exhibited therapeutic effect of 10% Hp-ACG in ointment form compares well with that of 5% ACG ointment.

Influence of the immunomodulatory drug stimforte on the humoral immune response in the experimental herpes virus infection.

In the study of the immunostimulation preparation Stimforte activity using the model of the experimental herpes virus infection BALB/c, mice has shown that sera from mice treated with the drug on the 4th and 7th day after infection possessed a 3 times greater capability of specifically binding to the culture of HSV-1 (on cells Vero) according to dot blot analysis, as compared with intact infected mice sera obtained at the same time. It was also shown that these sera had a 5 times higher index of neutralization. On the basis of Western blots, it was detected that antibodies from sera of mice treated with Stimforte contacted the glycoproteins gB and gC of HSV-1 significantly better. Thus, Stimforte stimulates one of the strongest modulatory effects on the immune memory and is a promising drug for the treatment of chronic viral diseases.

[Substances from pyrolised tissues of reptile carcases differently modulate immunity of mammals of both sexes].

Substances with gender action on immunity were detected in water soluble hydrolised matter from reptile carcases. The gender action was shown on isolated blood neutrophils, whole blood and in vivo by the antiviral activity on experimental animals, contaminated with three types of viruses: Herpes simplex type 1, the virus of encephalomyocarditis and the virus of hepatitis of mice. The possible mechanism of the inhibitory action on the male immunity was associated with the protein kinase cascade, including protein kinase C, activated by phorbolmyristate in the cells of the immune system.

[Stimforte action on the main inflammation characteristics in experimental animals contaminated by Herpes simplex-1].

In the brain and lungs of the experimental animals contaminated by Herpes simplex-1 there were detected much higher levels of the thiobarbituric acid-stained lipid oxidation products and proteolytic activity, evident of the inflammation process. Stimforte lowered the inflammation indices to the level, close to that in the brain of the noninfected animals. Yet the drug provided lower titers of the virus in the brain, lungs and serum in the contaminated animals and arrested the infection process by stimulation of the immune system. The mechanism of the inflammation suppression is discussed.

[Research of suppression of the herpes simplex virus reproduction with drug resistance using a combination 15-Lys-bis-Nt with some antiherpetic drugs].

The antiviral effect of combinations of netropsin derivative 15-Lys-bis-Nt with the known antiherpetic compounds, whose activity does not depend on viral TK and which are able to inhibit replication of HSV in most cases, including strains resistant to acyclovir and pencyclovir, was studied. The combinations evoking additive, synergistic and significant synergistic effects of interaction of tested compounds were observed. The results obtained in this work indicated the possibility of significant reduction of concentrations of high toxic compounds in case of the combined use.

Complex of the herpes simplex virus type 1 origin binding protein UL9 with DNA as a platform for the design of a new type of antiviral drugs.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 origin-binding protein, OBP, is a DNA helicase encoded by the UL9 gene. The protein binds in a sequence-specific manner to the viral origins of replication, two OriS sites and one OriL site. In order to search for efficient inhibitors of the OBP activity, we have obtained a recombinant origin-binding protein expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The UL9 gene has been amplified by PCR and inserted into a modified plasmid pET14 between NdeI and KpnI sites. The recombinant protein binds to Box I and Box II sequences and possesses helicase and ATPase activities. In the presence of ATP and viral protein ICP8 (single-strand DNA-binding protein), the initiator protein induces unwinding of the minimal OriS duplex (≈80 bp). The protein also binds to a single-stranded DNA (OriS*) containing a stable Box I-Box III hairpin and an unstable AT-rich hairpin at the 3'-end. In the present work, new minor groove binding ligands have been synthesized which are capable to inhibit the development of virus-induced cytopathic effect in cultured Vero cells. Studies on binding of these compounds to DNA and synthetic oligonucleotides have been performed by fluorescence methods, gel mobility shift analysis and footprinting assays. Footprinting studies have revealed that Pt-bis-netropsin and related molecules exhibit preferences for binding to the AT-spacer in OriS. The drugs stabilize structure of the AT-rich region and inhibit the fluctuation opening of AT-base pairs which is a prerequisite to unwinding of DNA by OBP. Kinetics of ATP-dependent unwinding of OriS in the presence and absence of netropsin derivatives have been studied by measuring the efficiency of Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorophores attached to 5'- and 3'- ends of an oligonucleotide in the minimal OriS duplex. The results are consistent with the suggestion that OBP is the DNA Holiday junction (HJ) binding helicase. The protein induces conformation changes (bending and partial melting) of OriS duplexes and stimulates HJ formation in the absence of ATP. The antiviral activity of bis-netropsins is coupled with their ability to inhibit the fluctuation opening of АТ base pairs in the А + Т cluster and their capacity to stabilize the structure of the АТ-rich hairpin in the single-stranded oligonucleotide corresponding to the upper chain in the minimal duplex OriS. The antiviral activities of bis-netropsins in cell culture and their therapeutic effects on HSV1-infected laboratory animals have been studied.

[The suppression of a herpes simplex virus reproduction with drug resistance by combination 15lys-bis-nt and phosphate of acycloguanosine with some antiherpetic drugs].

Antiherpetic activity of the double and triple combinations, including original connections 15Lys-bis-Nt and phosphate of acycloguanosine (P-ACG), was studied in vitro. For the first time, it was demonstrated that in case of their combined use with known antiherpetic agents, whose activity does not depend on TK of HSV (PFA, AraA, CDV, Rib, GLN, αa-IFN), synergistic or additive effects of interaction was observed. The antiviral effect of the tested combinations was studied on the model of ACG-resistant viral strain. The tested combinations could be of interest for practical medicine.