Comparison of feline and human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase enzymes through chemical screening and computational analysis.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a common infection found in domesticated and wild cats worldwide. Despite the wealth of therapeutic understanding of the disease in humans, considerably less information exists regarding the treatment of the disease in felines. Current treatment relies on drugs developed for the related human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and includes compounds of the popular non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase (NNRTI) class. This is despite FIV-RT being only 67% similar to HIV-1 RT at the enzyme level, increasing to 88% for the allosteric pocket targeted by NNRTIs. The goal of this project was to try to quantify how well the more extensive pharmacological knowledge available for human disease translates to felines. To this end we screened known NNRTIs and 10 diverse pyrimidine analogs identified virtually. We use this chemo-centric probe approach to (a) assess the similarity between the two related RT targets based on the observed experimental inhibition values, (b) try to identify more potent inhibitors at FIV, and (c) gain a better appreciation of the structure-activity relationships (SAR). We found the correlation between IC50s at the two targets to be strong (r2 = 0.87) and identified compound 1 as the most potent inhibitor of FIV with IC50 of 0.030 µM ± 0.009. This compared to FIV IC50 values of 0.22 ± 0.17 µM, 0.040 ± 0.010 µM and >160 µM for known anti HIV-1 RT drugs Efavirenz, Rilpivirine, and Nevirapine, respectively. This knowledge, along with an understanding of the structural origin that give rise to any differences could improve the way HIV drugs are repurposed for FIV.

Discovery of Novel Aryl Triazolone Dihydropyridines (ATDPs) Targeting Highly Conserved Residue W229 as Promising HIV-1 NNRTIs.

NNRTI is an important component of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), but the rapid emergence of drug resistance and poor pharmacokinetics limited their clinical application. Herein, a series of novel aryl triazolone dihydropyridines (ATDPs) were designed by structure-guided design with the aim of improving drug resistance profiles and pharmacokinetic profiles. Compound 10n (EC50 = 0.009-17.7 µM) exhibited the most active potency, being superior to or comparable to that of doravirine (DOR) against the whole tested viral panel. Molecular docking was performed to clarify the reason for its higher resistance profiles. Moreover, 10n demonstrated excellent pharmacokinetic profile (T1/2 = 5.09 h, F = 108.96%) compared that of DOR (T1/2 = 4.4 h, F = 57%). Additionally, 10n was also verified to have no in vivo acute or subacute toxicity (LD50 > 2000 mg/kg), suggesting that 10n is worth further investigation as a novel oral NNRTIs for HIV-1 therapy.

Profiling the Interaction between Human Serum Albumin and Clinically Relevant HIV Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors.

Tenofovir (TFV) is the active form of the prodrugs tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), both clinically prescribed as HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The biophysical interactions between these compounds and human serum albumin (HSA), the primary carrier of exogenous compounds in the human bloodstream, have not yet been thoroughly characterized. Thus, the present study reports the interaction profile between HSA and TFV, TDF, and TAF via UV-Vis, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorescence techniques combined with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and in silico calculations. A spontaneous interaction in the ground state, which does not perturb the microenvironment close to the Trp-214 residue, is classified as weak. In the case of HSA/TFV and HSA/TDF, the binding is both enthalpically and entropically driven, while for HSA/TAF, the binding is only entropically dominated. The binding constant (Ka) and thermodynamic parameters obtained via ITC assays agree with those obtained using steady-state fluorescence quenching measurements, reinforcing the reliability of the data. The small internal cavity known as site I is probably the main binding pocket for TFV due to the low steric volume of the drug. In contrast, most external sites (II and III) can better accommodate TAF due to the high steric volume of this prodrug. The cross-docking approach corroborated experimental drug-displacement assays, indicating that the binding affinity of TFV and TAF might be impacted by the presence of different compounds bound to albumin. Overall, the weak binding capacity of albumin to TFV, TDF, and TAF is one of the main factors for the low residence time of these antiretrovirals in the human bloodstream; however, positive cooperativity for TAF and TDF was detected in the presence of some drugs, which might improve their residence time (pharmacokinetic profile).

Design and synthesis of Fsp3-enriched spirocyclic-substituted diarylpyrimidine derivatives as novel HIV-1 NNRTIs.

In this study, a novel series of diarylpyrimidine derivatives with Fsp3-enriched spirocycles were designed and synthesized to further explore the chemical space of the hydrophobic channel of the NNRTI-binding pocket. The biological evaluation results showed that most of the compounds displayed effective inhibitory potency against the HIV-1 wild-type strain, with EC50 values ranging from micromolar to submicromolar levels. Among them, TT6 turned out to be the most effective inhibitor with an EC50 value of 0.17 µM, demonstrating up to 47 times more active than that of reference drug 3TC (EC50 = 8.01 µM). More encouragingly, TT6 was found to potently inhibit the HIV-1 mutant strain K103N with an EC50 value of 0.69 µM, being about 6-fold more potent than 3TC (EC50 = 3.68 µM) and NVP (EC50 = 4.62 µM). Furthermore, TT6 exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity toward HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with an IC50 value of 0.33 µM. Additionally, molecular simulation studies were conducted to investigate the binding modes between TT6 and NNRTI-binding pocket, which may provide valuable clues for the follow-up structural optimizations.

Proposal of pharmacophore model for HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors: Combined mutational effect analysis, molecular dynamics, molecular docking and pharmacophore modeling study.

OBJECTIVES: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) efficacy is jeopardized by the emergence of drug resistance mutations in HIV, compromising treatment effectiveness. This study aims to propose novel analogs of Effavirenz (EFV) as potential direct inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase, employing computer-aided drug design methodologies. METHODS: Three key approaches were applied: a mutational profile study, molecular dynamics simulations, and pharmacophore development. The impact of mutations on the stability, flexibility, function, and affinity of target proteins, especially those associated with NRTI, was assessed. Molecular dynamics analysis identified G190E as a mutation significantly altering protein properties, potentially leading to therapeutic failure. Comparative analysis revealed that among six first-line antiretroviral drugs, EFV exhibited notably low affinity with viral reverse transcriptase, further reduced by the G190E mutation. Subsequently, a search for EFV-similar inhibitors yielded 12 promising molecules based on their affinity, forming the basis for generating a pharmacophore model. RESULTS: Mutational analysis pinpointed G190E as a crucial mutation impacting protein properties, potentially undermining therapeutic efficacy. EFV demonstrated diminished affinity with viral reverse transcriptase, exacerbated by the G190E mutation. The search for EFV analogs identified 12 high-affinity molecules, culminating in a pharmacophore model elucidating key structural features crucial for potent inhibition. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the significance of EFV analogs as potential inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase. The findings highlight the impact of mutations on drug efficacy, particularly the detrimental effect of G190E. The generated pharmacophore model serves as a pivotal reference for future drug development efforts targeting HIV, providing essential structural insights for the design of potent inhibitors based on EFV analogs identified in vitro.

In situ click chemistry-based discovery of 1,2,3-triazole-derived diarylpyrimidines as novel HIV-1 NNRTIs by exploiting the tolerant region I in binding pocket.

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) is considered as one of the most significant targets for the anti-HIV-1 drug design due to their determined mechanism and well-decoded crystal structure. As a part of our continuous efforts towards the development of potent HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) by exploiting the tolerant region I of NNRTIs binding pocket (NNIBP), the miniaturized parallel synthesis via CuAAC click chemistry reaction followed by in situ biological screening have been performed in this work. The in situ enzyme inhibition screening results showed that 14 compounds exhibited higher or equivalent inhibitory activity compared to the lead K-5a2 and ETR. Anti-HIV-1 activity results indicated that C1N51 displayed the most potent activity (EC50 = 0.01-0.26 µM) against wild-type and a panel of NNRTIs-resistant strains. Moreover, the molecular simulation demonstrated that the newly introduced triazole ring could develop new hydrogen bonds with Lys103 and Pro236, which explained the feasibility of introducing triazole in the tolerant region I of the RT binding pocket.

Biochemical and structural comparisons of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors against feline and human immunodeficiency viruses.

BACKGROUND: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) causes an acquired immunodeficiency-like syndrome in cats. FIV is latent. No effective treatment has been developed for treatment the infected cats. The first and second generations non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) for HIV treatment, nevirapine (NVP) and efavirenz (EFV), and rilpivirine (RPV), were used to investigate the potential of NNRTIs for treatment of FIV infection. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to use experimental and in silico approaches to investigate the potential of NNRTIs, NVP, EFV, and RPV, for inhibition of FIV reverse transcriptase (FIV-RT). METHODS: The FIV-RT and human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT) were expressed and purified using chromatography approaches. The purified proteins were used to determine the IC50 values with NVP, EFV, and RPV. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis was used to calculate the binding affinities of NNRTIs to HIV-RT and FIV-RT. The molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations were used to demonstrate the mechanism of FIV-RT and HIV-RT with first and second generation NNRTI complexes. RESULTS: The IC50 values of NNRTIs NVP, EFV, and RPV against FIV-RT were in comparable ranges to HIV-RT. The SPR analysis showed that NVP, EFV, and RPV could bind to both enzymes. Computational calculation also supports that these NNRTIs can bind with both FIV-RT and HIV-RT. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the first and second generation NNRTIs (NVP, EFV, and RPV) could inhibit both FIV-RT and HIV-RT.

Revolutionizing antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS: A computational approach using molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore building to address therapeutic failure and propose highly effective candidates.

OBJECTIVES: In the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, the emergence of therapeutic failures with existing antiretroviral drugs presents a significant challenge. This study aims to employ advanced molecular modeling techniques to identify potential alternatives to current antiretroviral agents. METHODS: The study focuses on three essential classes of antiretroviral drugs: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs). Computational analyses were performed on a database of 3,343,652 chemical molecules to evaluate their binding affinities, pharmacokinetic properties, and interactions with viral reverse transcriptase and protease enzymes. Molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore modeling were utilized to identify promising candidates. RESULTS: Molecular docking revealed compounds with high binding energies and strong interactions at the active sites of target enzymes. Virtual screening narrowed down potential candidates with favorable pharmacological profiles. 3D pharmacophore modeling identified crucial structural features for effective binding. Overall, two molecules for class 1, 7 molecules for class 2, and 2 molecules for class 3 were selected. These compounds exhibited robust binding affinities, interactions with target enzymes, and improved pharmacokinetic properties, showing promise for more effective HIV treatments in cases of therapeutic failures. CONCLUSION: The combination of molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore modeling yielded lead compounds that hold potential for addressing HIV therapeutic failures. Further experimental investigations are essential to validate the efficacy and safety of these compounds, with the ultimate goal of advancing toward clinical applications in HIV management.

Covalent and noncovalent strategies for targeting Lys102 in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Reverse transcriptase (RT) is one of three key proteins responsible for the replication cycle of HIV-1 in the host. Several classes of inhibitors have been developed to target the enzyme, with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors forming first-line treatment. Previously, covalent RT inhibitors have been identified and found to bind irreversibly to commonly mutated residues such as Y181C. In this work we aim to circumvent the issue of NNRTI resistance through targeting K102, which has not yet been identified to confer drug resistance. As reported here, 34 compounds were synthesized and characterized biochemically and structurally with wild-type (WT) HIV-1 RT. Two of these inhibitors demonstrate covalent inhibition as evidenced by protein crystallography, enzyme kinetics, mass spectrometry, and antiviral potency in HIV-1 infected human T-cell assays.

4-Phenylcoumarin derivatives as new HIV-1 NNRTIs: Design, synthesis, biological activities, and computational studies.

A series of 4-phenylcoumarin derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their cellular anti-HIV-1 and HIV-2 activities as well as their inhibitory effects against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). The hydrazone compound 8b and the ethylthiosemicarbazide derivative 4c showed the best inhibition activity against wild-type (WT) HIV-1. The promising compounds were further evaluated against HIV-1 RT and exhibited significant inhibitory activity with compound 8b showing comparable effect to the reference NNRTI Efavirenz (IC50 = 9.01 nM). Structure activity relationship study revealed the importance of 6-chloro and 4-phenyl substituents for optimum activity, as well as the 5-atoms linker (=N-NH-CO-CH2-O-) at position 7 of coumarin scaffold that can support the rotation and flexibility of compound 8b to fit well in the binding pocket. The molecular docking of compound 8b demonstrated a typical seahorse binding mode with better binding interactions that covered more residues when compared to Efavirenz.

Exploring novel HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors with drug-resistant mutants: A double mutant surprise.

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) remains a key target for HIV drug development. As successful management of the disease requires lifelong treatment, the emergence of resistance mutations is inevitable, making development of new RT inhibitors, which remain effective against resistant variants crucial. To this end, previous computationally guided drug design efforts have resulted in catechol diether compounds, which inhibit wildtype RT with picomolar affinities and appear to be promising preclinical candidates. To confirm that these compounds remain potent against Y181C, a widespread mutation conferring resistance to first generation inhibitors, they were screened against the HIV-1 N119 clinical isolate, reported as a Y181C single mutant. In comparison to a molecular clone with the same mutation, N119 appears less susceptible to inhibition by our preclinical candidate compounds. A more detailed sequencing effort determined that N119 was misidentified and carries V106A in combination with Y181C. While both indolizine and naphthalene substituted catechol diethers are potent against the classical Y181C single mutant, the addition of V106A confers more resistance against the indolizine derivatives than the naphthalene derivatives. Crystal structures presented in this study highlight key features of the naphthyl group, which allow these compounds to remain potent in the double mutant, including stronger interactions with F227 and less reliance on V106 for stabilization of the ethoxy-uracil ring, which makes critical hydrogen bonds with other residues in the binding pocket.

Sticklac-Derived Natural Compounds Inhibiting RNase H Activity of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase.

The emergence of drug-resistant viruses is a serious concern in current chemotherapy for human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infectious diseases. Hence, antiviral drugs aiming at targets that are different from those of approved drugs are still required, and the RNase H activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase is a suitable target. In this study, a search of a series of natural compounds was performed to identify the RNase H inhibitors. Three compounds were found to block the RNase H enzymatic activity. A laccaic acid skeleton was observed in all three natural compounds. A hydroxy phenyl group is connected to an anthraquinone backbone in the skeleton. An acetamido-ethyl, amino-carboxy-ethyl, and amino-ethyl are bound to the phenyl in laccaic acids A, C, and E, respectively. Laccaic acid C showed a 50% inhibitory concentration at 8.1 µM. Laccaic acid C also showed inhibitory activity in a cell-based viral proliferation assay. Binding structures of these three laccaic acids were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis using a recombinant protein composed of the HIV-1 RNase H domain. Two divalent metal ions were located at the catalytic center in which one carbonyl and two hydroxy groups on the anthraquinone backbone chelated two metal ions. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to examine the stabilities of the binding structures. Laccaic acid C showed the strongest binding to the catalytic site. These findings will be helpful for the design of potent inhibitors with modification of laccaic acids to enhance the binding affinity.

5-Cyano substituted diarylpyridines as potent HIV-1 NNRTIs: Rational design, synthesis, and activity evaluation.

To develop more potent HIV-1 inhibitors against a variety of NNRTIs-resistant strains, a series of 5-cyano substituted diarylpyridines was designed based on the cocrystal structural analysis. Among them, I-5b showed the greatest potency (EC50 = 5.62-171 nM) against the wild-type (WT) and mutant HIV-1 strains. Especially for K103 N, I-5b exhibited outstanding activity with EC50 values of 9.37 nM, being much superior to that of NVP (EC50 = 5128 nM) and EFV (EC50 = 114 nM) and comparable to that of ETR (EC50 = 3.45 nM). In addition, the target of all compounds was turned out to be HIV-1 RT with moderate RT enzyme inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.094-12.0 µM). Moreover, the binding mode of representative compounds with RT was elaborated via molecular docking.

Discovery of novel diarypyrimidine derivatives bearing six-membered non-aromatic heterocycles as potent HIV-1 NNRTIs with improved anti-resistance and drug-like profiles.

Taking our previously reported HIV-1 NNRTIs BH-11c and XJ-10c as lead compounds, series of novel diarypyrimidine derivatives bearing six-membered non-aromatic heterocycles were designed to improve anti-resistance and drug-like profiles. According to the three rounds of in vitro antiviral activity screening, compound 12g was the most active inhibitor against wild-type and five prevalent NNRTI-resistant HIV-1 strains with EC50 values ranging from 0.024 to 0.0010 µM. This is obviously better than the lead compound BH-11c and the approved drug ETR. Detailed structure-activity relationship was investigated to provide valuable guidance for further optimization. The MD simulation study indicated that 12g could form additional interactions with residues around the binding site in HIV-1 RT, which provided reasonable explanations for its improved anti-resistance profile compared to ETR. Furthermore, 12g showed significant improvement in water solubility and other drug-like properties compared to ETR. The CYP enzymatic inhibitory assay indicated that 12g was unlikely to induce CYP-mediated drug-drug interactions. 12g pharmacokinetics parameters were investigated and it displayed a long half-life of 6.59 h in vivo. The properties of compound 12g make it a promising lead compound for the development of new generation of antiretroviral drugs.

5-Nitro-3-(2-(4-phenylthiazol-2-yl)hydrazineylidene)indolin-2-one derivatives inhibit HIV-1 replication by a multitarget mechanism of action.

In the effort to identify and develop new HIV-1 inhibitors endowed with innovative mechanisms, we focused our attention on the possibility to target more than one viral encoded enzymatic function with a single molecule. In this respect, we have previously identified by virtual screening a new indolinone-based scaffold for dual allosteric inhibitors targeting both reverse transcriptase-associated functions: polymerase and RNase H. Pursuing with the structural optimization of these dual inhibitors, we synthesized a series of 35 new 3-[2-(4-aryl-1,3-thiazol-2-ylidene)hydrazin-1-ylidene]1-indol-2-one and 3-[3-methyl-4-arylthiazol-2-ylidene)hydrazine-1-ylidene)indolin-2-one derivatives, which maintain their dual inhibitory activity in the low micromolar range. Interestingly, compounds 1a, 3a, 10a, and 9b are able to block HIV-1 replication with EC50 < 20 µM. Mechanism of action studies showed that such compounds could block HIV-1 integrase. In particular, compound 10a is the most promising for further multitarget compound development.

Identification of a Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor against Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1.

The HIV-1 infection epidemic remains a global health problem. Current antiretroviral treatments are effective in controlling the progression of a severe infection. However, the emergence of drug resistance requires an urgent identification of new treatment regimes. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RTs) has been a successful therapeutic target owing to its high specificity and potent antiviral properties; therefore, it has become an essential component of current HIV-1 standard treatments. This study identified a new HIV-1 RTs inhibitor (Compound #8) that is structurally unique and greatly effective against HIV-1 through chemical library screening and a medicinal chemistry program by analyzing the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Further analysis of molecular docking and mechanisms of action demonstrated that Compound #8 is a novel type of HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) with a flexible binding mode. Therefore, it exhibits great therapeutic potential when combined with other existing HIV-1 drugs. Our current studies suggest that Compound #8 is a promising novel scaffold for the development of new HIV-1 treatments.

Escaping from Flatland: Multiparameter Optimization Leads to the Discovery of Novel Tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors with Superior Antiviral Activities against Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor-Resistant Variants and Favorable Drug-like Profiles.

In the current landscape of antiretroviral options, there remains an urgent need for novel non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) with improved resistance profiles and safety properties. Herein, a series of novel tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives were discovered utilizing the "escape from flatland" strategy. The most potent inhibitor 10c was endowed with broad-spectrum antiviral activity and improved resistance profiles against NNRTI-resistant variants compared to efavirenz and etravirine. Molecular simulations were investigated to furnish insights into the biological results. Drug-likeness assessment showed that 10c exhibited desirable physicochemical properties and in vitro metabolic stability. Notably, lower cytochrome P450 inhibition and human ether-à-go-go-related gene blockade liability were observed for 10c than those for etravirine and rilpivirine. Besides, 10c was characterized by excellent in vivo safety properties without acute/subacute toxicity and organ pathological damage. Overall, our multiparameter optimization campaign led to the identification of 10c with excellent antiviral activities and favorable drug-like profiles that could serve as an ideal drug candidate for further development.

Targeting HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Using a Fragment-Based Approach.

Human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the host's immune system leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and potentially death. Although treatments are available to prevent its progression, HIV-1 remains a major burden on health resources worldwide. Continued emergence of drug-resistance mutations drives the need for novel drugs that can inhibit HIV-1 replication through new pathways. The viral protein reverse transcriptase (RT) plays a fundamental role in the HIV-1 replication cycle, and multiple approved medications target this enzyme. In this study, fragment-based drug discovery was used to optimize a previously identified hit fragment (compound B-1), which bound RT at a novel site. Three series of compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their HIV-1 RT binding and inhibition. These series were designed to investigate different vectors around the initial hit in an attempt to improve inhibitory activity against RT. Our results show that the 4-position of the core scaffold is important for binding of the fragment to RT, and a lead compound with a cyclopropyl substitution was selected and further investigated. Requirements for binding to the NNRTI-binding pocket (NNIBP) and a novel adjacent site were investigated, with lead compound 27-a minimal but efficient NNRTI-offering a starting site for the development of novel dual NNIBP-Adjacent site inhibitors.

Structure-directed linker optimization of novel HEPTs as non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

1-[(2-Hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(phenylthio)thymines (HEPTs) have been previously described as an important class of HIV-1 nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). In our continuously pursuing HEPT optimization efforts, a series of novel HEPTs, featuring -C(OH)CH2R, -CC, or -CHCH2R linker at the benzylic α-methylene unit, were developed as NNRTIs. Among these new HEPTs, the compound C20 with -CHCH3 group at the benzylic α-methylene unit conferred the highest potency toward WT HIV-1 and selectivity (EC50 = 0.23 µM, SI = 150.20), which was better than the lead compound HEPT (EC50 = 7 µM, SI = 106). Also, C20 was endowed with high efficacy against clinically relevant mutant strains (EC50(L100I) = 1.07 µM; EC50(K103N) = 4.33 µM; EC50(Y181C) = 5.57 µM; EC50(E138K) = 1.06 µM; EC50(F227L+V106A) = 5.45 µM) and wild-type HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) with an IC50 value of 0.55 µM. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, as well as preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of these new compounds, provided a deeper insight into the key structural features of the interactions between HEPT analogs and HIV-1 RT and laid the foundation for further modification on HEPT scaffold.

Synthesis and anti-HIV activity of non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor DB02 phosphate derivatives based on water-soluble optimization.

To improve the water solubility of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) agent DB02, an excellent non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) obtained in our previous efforts, we designed and synthesized four phosphate derivatives of DB02 based on the molecular model of DB02 with RT. Here, the antiviral activity of these four derivatives was detected, leading to the discovery of compound P-2, which possessed a superior potency to the lead compound DB02 against wild-type HIV-1 and a variety of HIV-resistant mutant viruses significantly. Furthermore, the water solubility of P-2 was nearly 17 times higher than that of DB02, and the pharmacokinetic test in rats showed that P-2 demonstrate significantly improved oral bioavailablity of 14.6%. Our study showed that the introduction of a phosphate ester group at the end of the C-2 side chain of DB02 was beneficial to the improvement of its antiviral activity and pharmacokinetic properties, which provided a promising lead for the further development of S-DACOs type of NNRTIs.