Benzenesulfonamide Derivatives as Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibitors and Antiviral Agents against Dengue and Zika Virus Infections

J Med Chem. 2020 Feb 13;63(3):1313-1327. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01779. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Abstract

Emerging and resurging mosquito-borne flaviviruses are an important public health challenge. The increased prevalence of dengue virus (DENV) infection has had a significant socioeconomic impact on epidemic countries. The recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) has created an international public health emergency because ZIKV infection has been linked to congenital defects and Guillain-Barré syndrome. To develop potentially prophylactic antiviral drugs for combating these acute infectious diseases, we have targeted the host calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) for inhibition. By using CaMKII structure-guided inhibitor design, we generated four families of benzenesulfonamide (BSA) derivatives for SAR analysis. Among these substances, N-(4-cycloheptyl-4-oxobutyl)-4-methoxy-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide (9) showed superior properties as a lead CaMKII inhibitor and antiviral agent. BSA 9 inhibited CaMKII activity with an IC50 value of 0.79 μM and displayed EC50 values of 1.52 μM and 1.91 μM against DENV and ZIKV infections of human neuronal BE(2)C cells, respectively. Notably, 9 significantly reduced the viremia level and increased animal survival time in mouse-challenge models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Dengue / drug therapy*
  • Dengue Virus / drug effects
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / chemical synthesis
  • Sulfonamides / metabolism
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use
  • Zika Virus / drug effects
  • Zika Virus Infection / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • CAMK2N1 protein, human
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proteins
  • Sulfonamides