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Structure-Based Lead Optimization of Enterovirus D68 2A Protease Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023 Nov 09;66(21):14544-14563

Date

10/20/2023

Pubmed ID

37857371

DOI

10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00995

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85176509223 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) virus is a nonpolio enterovirus that typically causes respiratory illness and, in severe cases, can lead to paralysis and death in children. There is currently no vaccine or antiviral for EV-D68. We previously discovered the viral 2A protease (2Apro) as a viable antiviral drug target and identified telaprevir as a 2Apro inhibitor. 2Apro is a viral cysteine protease that cleaves the viral VP1-2A polyprotein junction. In this study, we report the X-ray crystal structures of EV-D68 2Apro, wild-type, and the C107A mutant and the structure-based lead optimization of telaprevir. Guided by the X-ray crystal structure, we predicted the binding pose of telaprevir in 2Apro using molecular dynamics simulations. We then utilized this model to inform structure-based optimization of the telaprevir's reactive warhead and P1-P4 substitutions. These efforts led to the discovery of 2Apro inhibitors with improved antiviral activity than telaprevir. These compounds represent promising lead compounds for further development as EV-D68 antivirals.

Author List

Tan B, Liu C, Li K, Jadhav P, Lambrinidis G, Zhu L, Olson L, Tan H, Wen Y, Kolocouris A, Liu W, Wang J

Author

Wei Liu PhD Associate Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Antiviral Agents
Child
Enterovirus
Enterovirus D, Human
Enterovirus Infections
Humans
Protease Inhibitors