[The Role of the WGR Domain in the Functions of PARP1 and PARP2].

The PARP1 and PARP2 proteins are members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase family involved in the regulation of DNA repair and replication, RNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, transcription, cell division, and cell death. PARP1 and PARP2 are promising targets for the development of anticancer drugs and can be used in the treatment of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and other disorders. The WGR domain has been shown to play a central role in the functioning of PARP1 and PARP2 proteins. This review considers the mechanisms of functioning of WGR domains in the PARP1 and PARP2 proteins, which have several similar and specialized properties. Understanding these processes is of great interest to fundamental science and can contribute to the development of more effective and selective inhibitors of PARP1 and PARP2.

Data on synthesis of methylene bisphosphonates and screening of their inhibitory activity towards HIV reverse transcriptase.

Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) mimetics designed on a basis of methylenediphosphonic acid backbone are promising inhibitors of two key HIV replication enzymes, IN [1] and RT [2]. Herein, we present chemical synthesis of eleven methylenebisphosphonates (BPs) with their NMR and HRMS analysis synthesized via five different ways. Also, we present data on inhibition of HIV RT catalyzed phosphorolysis and polymerization by synthesized BPs using two methods based on denaturing urea PAGE. Tests were also performed for thymidine analogue mutations reverse transcriptase (TAM RT), which was expressed and purified for that. Structure-activity relationships and inhibitory activity data of synthesized BPs are presented in "Methylene bisphosphonates as the inhibitors of HIV RT phosphorolytic activity" [2].

Methylene bisphosphonates as the inhibitors of HIV RT phosphorolytic activity.

The structure-function analysis of 36 methylenebisphosphonates (BPs) as inhibitors of the phosphorolytic activity of native and drug-resistant forms of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) was performed. It was shown that with the increase of the inhibitory potential of BPs towards the phosphorolytic activity raises their ability to inhibit the RT-catalyzed DNA elongation. Herein, we report the impact of the thymidine analog mutations (TAM) on the activity of bisphosphonates, as well as some structural features of the BPs, allowing them to maintain the inhibitory activity on the enzyme resistant to nucleoside analog therapy. We estimated the Mg(2+)-coordinating group structure, the linker and the aromatic pharmacophore influence on the inhibitory potential of the BPs. Based on the 31 BPs SAR, several BPs with improved inhibitory properties were designed and synthesized.

Human herpes simplex virus: life cycle and development of inhibitors.

WHO reports that 90% of human population is infected by different types of herpesviruses, which develop latency or cause oral and genital herpes, conjunctivitis, eczema herpeticum, and other diseases. Herpesvirus almost always accompanies HIV-infection and complicates AIDS treatment. Herpes simplex virus type 1 is one of the most wide spread viruses from the Herpesviridae family. HSV virion, genome structure, replication mechanisms, antiherpes drug development strategies, including design of prodrugs, and mutations causing ACV-resistance in clinical HSV isolates are discussed in this review.

[2'fluoro derivatives of nucleosides as substrates of viral replicative nucleotide polymerases].

Substrate specificities of three viral replicative polymerases of different origins (HIV reverse transcriptase, hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase, and herpes virus DNA polymerase) towards 2'F-NTP were studied. Activated DNA, polyA-oligoUs and (2'F-A)20-oligoU6-complexes were used as templates. It was shown that all DNA polymerases studied can incorporate 2'F-NMP into the 3'-end of primer-template complexes. HIV reverse transcriptase and herpes virus DNA polymerase can elongate synthesis with both dNTP and 2'F-NTP. Homopolymer (2'F-A)20 can serve as a template for polymerization of both UTP and 2'F-UTP,-catalyzed by hepatitis C virus polymerase although with efficacy about 5 to 10-fold lower in comparison with natural primertemplate complex. Pyrophosphorolysis reaction of 2'F-CMP residue at 3'-end of primer catalyzed with HIV reverse transcriptase is going by two orders of magnitude less effective if compared with natural dNMP residue at the same system.

Biogenic polyamines spermine and spermidine activate RNA polymerase and inhibit RNA helicase of hepatitis C virus.

Influence of the biogenic polyamines spermine, spermidine, and putrescine as well as their derivatives on the replication enzymes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated. It was found that spermine and spermidine activate HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5B protein). This effect was not caused by the stabilization of the enzyme or by competition with template-primer complex, but rather it was due to achievement of true maximum velocity V(max). Natural polyamines and their derivatives effectively inhibited the helicase reaction catalyzed by another enzyme of HCV replication - helicase/NTPase (NS3 protein). However, these compounds affected neither the NTPase reaction nor its activation by polynucleotides. Activation of the HCV RNA polymerase and inhibition of the viral helicase were shown at physiological concentrations of the polyamines. These data suggest that biogenic polyamines may cause differently directed effects on the replication of the HCV genome in an infected cell.

[Non-hydrolysable analogs of inorganic pyrophosphate as inhibitors of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase].

Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) is a product of the polymerization reaction catalyzed by DNA- and RNA-polymerases. We have synthesized a number of novel non-hydrolysable PPi analogues, some of them have demonstrated inhibition of polymerization reaction catalyzed by hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (NS5B). A new pharmacophore has been developed based on non-hydrolysable methylene-diphosphonate backbone. Structure-activity relationship analysis of 12 bisphosphonates is presented and structural features crucial for the ability of molecule to inhibit NS5B polymerase activity are ascertained.

1,2,4-Triazoloazine derivatives as a new type of herpes simplex virus inhibitors.

A new class of inhibitors of herpes simplex virus replication was found. The compounds under study are derived from condensed 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazines and 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines, structural analogues of natural nucleic bases. Antiherpetic activity and cytotoxicity of the compounds were studied. The corresponding triphosphates of several active compounds were prepared and tested as inhibitors of DNA synthesis catalyzed by herpes simplex virus polymerase. The potential mechanism of their action is blocking of DNA dependent DNA polymerase, a key enzyme of viral replication.

[Analysis of mutations in DNA polymerase and thymidine kinase genes of herpes simplex virus clinical isolates resistant to antiherpetic drugs].

The primary structures of DNA-polymerase (ul30) and thymidine kinase (ul23) genes from several herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) clinical isolates which differed in sensitivity for a number of antiherpetic drugs were determined and compared with those for two laboratory HSV-1 strains one of which was ACV-sensitive (L2), while the another was resistant (L2) to ACV. The phylogenetic analysis of the sequences showed that conserved regions of ul30 gene of HSV-1 clinical isolates and L2 strain were homologous with the exception of point mutations and degenerated substitutions. Several new mutations in the HSV-1 DNA-polymerase and thymidine kinase functional domains were established and identified as the substitutions associated with the strain-resistance to ACV and other drugs.