Substituted Bis-THF Protease Inhibitors with Improved Potency against Highly Resistant Mature HIV-1 Protease PR20

J Med Chem. 2015 Jun 25;58(12):5088-95. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00474. Epub 2015 Jun 4.

Abstract

An extremely drug resistant mutant of HIV-1 protease (PR) bearing 20 mutations (PR20) has been studied with two potent antiviral investigational inhibitors. GRL-5010A and GRL-4410A were designed to introduce hydrogen bond interactions with the flexible flaps of the PR by incorporating gem-difluorines and alkoxy, respectively, at the C4 position of the bis-THF of darunavir. PR20 provides an excellent model for high level resistance, since clinical inhibitors are >1000-fold less active on PR20 than on wild-type enzyme. GRL-5010A and GRL-4410A show inhibition constants of 4.3 ± 7.0 and 1.7 ± 1.8 nM, respectively, for PR20, compared to the binding affinity of 41 ± 1 nM measured for darunavir. Crystal structures of PR20 in complexes with the two inhibitors confirmed the new hydrogen bond interactions with Gly 48 in the flap of the enzyme. The two new compounds are more effective than darunavir in inhibiting mature PR20 and show promise for further development of antiviral agents targeting highly resistant PR mutants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Carbamates / chemistry
  • Carbamates / pharmacology
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Darunavir
  • Drug Resistance, Viral
  • Furans / chemistry*
  • Furans / pharmacology
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV Protease / chemistry
  • HIV Protease / genetics
  • HIV Protease / metabolism*
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • HIV-1 / chemistry
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / chemistry*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology

Substances

  • Carbamates
  • Furans
  • GRL-05010
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • Sulfonamides
  • tetrahydrofuran
  • HIV Protease
  • p16 protease, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • Darunavir

Associated data

  • PDB/4YE3
  • PDB/4YHQ