Indolylarylsulfones carrying a heterocyclic tail as very potent and broad spectrum HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

J Med Chem. 2014 Dec 11;57(23):9945-57. doi: 10.1021/jm5011622. Epub 2014 Nov 24.

Abstract

We synthesized new indolylarylsulfone (IAS) derivatives carrying a heterocyclic tail at the indole-2-carboxamide nitrogen as potential anti-HIV/AIDS agents. Several new IASs yielded EC50 values <1.0 nM against HIV-1 WT and mutant strains in MT-4 cells. The (R)-11 enantiomer proved to be exceptionally potent against the whole viral panel; in the reverse transcriptase (RT) screening assay, it was remarkably superior to NVP and EFV and comparable to ETV. The binding poses were consistent with the one previously described for the IAS non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Docking studies showed that the methyl group of (R)-11 points toward the cleft created by the K103N mutation, different from the corresponding group of (S)-11. By calculating the solvent-accessible surface, we observed that the exposed area of RT in complex with (S)-11 was larger than the area of the (R)-11 complex. Compounds 6 and 16 and enantiomer (R)-11 represent novel robust lead compounds of the IAS class.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • Indoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Indoles / pharmacology
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfones / chemical synthesis*
  • Sulfones / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Indoles
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Sulfones