N-substituted benzimidazole acrylonitriles as in vitro tubulin polymerization inhibitors: Synthesis, biological activity and computational analysis.

We present the design, synthesis and biological activity of novel N-substituted benzimidazole based acrylonitriles as potential tubulin polymerization inhibitors. Their synthesis was achieved using classical linear organic and microwave assisted techniques, starting from aromatic aldehydes and N-substituted-2-cyanomethylbenzimidazoles. All newly prepared compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activity in vitro on eight human cancer cell lines and one reference non-cancerous assay. N,N-dimethylamino substituted acrylonitriles 30 and 41, bearing N-isobutyl and cyano substituents placed on the benzimidazole nuclei, showed strong and selective antiproliferative activity in the submicromolar range of inhibitory concentrations (IC50 0.2-0.6 µM), while being significantly less toxic than reference systems docetaxel and staurosporine, thus promoting them as lead compounds. Mechanism of action studies demonstrated that two most active compounds inhibited tubulin polymerization. Computational analysis confirmed the suitability of the employed benzimidazole-acrylonitrile skeleton for the binding within the colchicine binding site in tubulin, thus rationalizing the observed antitumor activities, and demonstrated that E-isomers are active substances. It also provided structural determinants affecting both the binding position and the matching affinities, identifying the attached NMe2 group as the most dominant in promoting the binding, which allows ligands to optimize favourable cation∙∙∙π and hydrogen bonding interactions with Lys352.

Mouse adenovirus type 1 attachment is not mediated by the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor.

Common human adenovirus (Ad) vectors are derived from serotype 2 or 5, which use the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) as their primary cell receptor. We investigated the receptor usage of mouse adenovirus type 1 (MAV-1), which in vivo is characterized by a pronounced endothelial cell tropism. Alignment of the fiber knob sequences of MAV-1 and those of CAR-using adenoviruses, revealed that amino acid residues, critical for interaction with CAR, are not conserved in the MAV-1 fiber knob. Attachment of MAV-1 to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was not increased by stable transfection with mouse CAR, whereas the binding efficiency of Ad2 was 20-fold higher in the mouse CAR-transfectant compared to the wild type cells. Also, purified fiber knob of Ad5, which is interchangeable with the Ad2 fiber knob, did not compete with MAV-1 for receptor binding, indicating that MAV-1 binds to a receptor different from CAR. These results support further exploration of an MAV-1-derived vector as a potential vehicle for gene delivery to cell types which are not efficiently transduced by human adenovirus vectors.

A quantitative GFP-based bioassay for the detection of HIV-1 Tat transactivation inhibitors.

The Tat function of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represents an important target for the development of new anti-HIV drugs. A rapid, sensitive and simple bioassay was developed for the detection of HIV transactivation inhibitors. A reporter plasmid based on the expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) under control of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) was constructed. This reporter gene can be quantified by simply measuring the fluorescence irradiated by GFP-producing cells, without the need of extraction procedures or enzymatic assays. Cells, stably expressing HIV-1 Tat protein, were transfected with this plasmid and the inhibitory effect of anti-Tat drugs was assessed by measuring the inhibition of fluorescence. Using this assay system the anti-transactivation activity of several known compounds was confirmed. This is the first HIV transactivation assay using GFP reporter gene in microtiter plates. The assay can be used for the detection and quantification of HIV transactivation, and for the high throughput evaluation of anti-transactivation drugs in different cellular backgrounds.

A second target for the peptoid Tat/transactivation response element inhibitor CGP64222: inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus replication by blocking CXC-chemokine receptor 4-mediated virus entry.

The peptoid CGP64222 has been previously demonstrated to inhibit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat/transactivation response element complex formation. It has previously been shown that CGP64222 selectively inhibits HIV-1 long terminal repeat-driven gene expression and HIV-1(LAV) replication in lymphocytes. Here, we show that CGP64222 inhibits the replication of a wide range of laboratory strains of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in MT-4 cells. However, CGP64222 proved inactive in MT-4 cells against HIV-1 strains that are resistant to the bicyclams. The bicyclams are known to specifically interact with CXC-chemokine receptor 4, the main coreceptor used by T-tropic HIV strains to enter the cells. Mechanism of action studies revealed that CGP64222 can inhibit the HIV replicative cycle, also through a selective interaction with the CXC-chemokine receptor 4 coreceptor.

Human immunodeficiency virus gene regulation as a target for antiviral chemotherapy.

Inhibitors interfering with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gene regulation may have great potential in anti-HIV drug (combination) therapy. They act against different targets to currently used anti-HIV drugs, reduce virus production from acute and chronically infected cells and are anticipated to elicit less virus drug resistance. Several agents have already proven to inhibit HIV gene regulation in vitro. A first class of compounds interacts with cellular factors that bind to the long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter and that are needed for basal level transcription, such as NF-kappa B and Sp1 inhibitors. A second class of compounds specifically inhibits the transactivation of the HIV LTR promoter by the viral Tat protein, such as the peptoid CGP64222. A third class of compounds prevents the accumulation of single and unspliced mRNAs through inhibition of the viral regulator protein Rev, such as the aminoglycosidic antibiotics. Most of these compounds have been tested in specific transactivation assays. Whether they are active at the postulated target in virus replication assays has, for many of them, not been ascertained. Toxicity data are often lacking or insufficient. Yet these data are crucial in view of the toxicity that may be expected for compounds that primarily interact with cellular factors. Although a promising lead, considerable research is still required before gene regulation inhibitors may come of age as clinically useful agents.

Stereospecificity of 6'-C-neplanocin A analogues as inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase activity and human immunodeficiency virus replication.

The R- and S-isomers of 6'-C-neplanocin A analogues, which are all known as inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase, were studied for their inhibitory effects on Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and HIV-1 Tat-mediated transactivation. The R-isomers showed much greater activity against AdoHcy hydrolase than the S-isomers. The same differential activity was observed against the HIV-1 replication and the Tat transactivation.

Broad-spectrum antiviral activity and mechanism of antiviral action of the fluoroquinolone derivative K-12.

The fluoroquinolone derivatives have been shown to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication at the transcriptional level. We confirmed the anti-HIV activity of the most potent congener, 8-difluoromethoxy-1-ethyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-7-[4-(2- methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]-4-quinolone-3-carboxylic acid (K-12), in both acutely and chronically infected cells. K-12 was active against different strains of HIV-1 (including AZT- and ritonavir-resistant HIV-1 strains), HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus, in MT-4, CEM, C8166 and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In all of these antiviral assay systems, K-12 showed a similar activity (EC50 0.2-0.6 microM). K-12 inhibited Moloney murine sarcoma virus-induced transformation of C3H/3T3 cells with an EC50 of 6.9 microM. Also, K-12 proved inhibitory to herpesvirus saimiri, human cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (in order of decreasing sensitivity), but was not inhibitory (at subtoxic concentrations) to human herpesvirus type 8 (as evaluated in BCBL-1 cells), vaccinia virus, Sindbis virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, respiratory syncytial virus, Coxsackie virus, Punta Toro virus, parainfluenza virus or reovirus. Time-of-addition experiments and quantitative transactivation bioassays indicated that K-12 inhibits the Tat-mediated transactivation process in HIV-infected cells.

S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitors interfere with the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 through inhibition of the LTR transactivation.

Various analogues of adenosine have been described as inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase, and some of these AdoHcy hydrolase inhibitors (e.g., 3-deazaadenosine, 3-deazaaristeromycin, and 3-deazaneplanocin A) have also been reported to inhibit the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). When evaluated against HIV-1 replication in MT-4 cells, macrophages, or phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes infected acutely or chronically with HIV-1IIIB or HIVBaL strains, a wide range of adenosine analogues did not inhibit HIV-1IIIB replication for 50% at subtoxic concentrations. However, they inhibited HIV-1 replication in HeLa CD4+ LTR-LacZ cells at concentrations well below cytotoxicity threshold. A close correlation was found among the inhibitory effect of the compounds on AdoHcy hydrolase activity, their inhibition of HIV-1 replication in Hela CD4+ LTR-LacZ cells, and their inhibition of the HIV-1 Tat-dependent and -independent transactivation of the long terminal repeat, whereas no inhibitory effect was seen on HIV-1 reverse transcription or a Tat-independent cytomegalovirus promoter. Our results suggest that AdoHcy hydrolase and the associated S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation mechanism play a role in the process of long terminal repeat transactivation and, hence, HIV replication.

Cell type-dependent effect of sodium valproate on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in vitro.

Sodium valproate (VPA), a simple branched-chain fatty acid that has anticonvulsant activity and is used in the treatment of many forms of epilepsy, has been reported to stimulate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 replication in acutely infected CEM and chronically infected U1 cells (Chemico-Biological Interactions 1994;91:111-121). When attempting to reproduce and extend these findings, we confirmed that VPA is able to stimulate HIV-1(IIIB) replication in acutely infected CEM and C8166 T lymphocytic cell lines and chronically infected ACH-2 and U937/IIIB/LAI cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The stimulatory effect of VPA on HIV replication in CEM cells was not increased by pretreatment of the cells with VPA for 24 hr before infection. However, we could not detect any stimulatory effect of VPA on HIV-1(IIIB) replication in acutely infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), MT-4, MT-2, HUT-78, and MOLT-4 (clone 8) cells and in chronically infected HUT-78/IIIB/LAI cells. The stimulatory effect by VPA under certain conditions (see above) may be ascribed to an enhanced HIV transcription, as VPA was found to enhance the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed expression of beta-galactosidase in transiently transfected HLtat, P4, and COS7 cells. VPA did not enhance beta-galactoside expression mediated by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. VPA did not affect HIV-induced syncytium formation. Nor had VPA any direct inactivating effect on HIV.