Novel HIV PR inhibitors with C4-substituted bis-THF and bis-fluoro-benzyl target the two active site mutations of highly drug resistant mutant PR < sup > S17 < /sup >

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Jun 7;566:30-35. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.05.094. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) HIV strains severely reduces the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy. Clinical inhibitor darunavir (1) has picomolar binding affinity for HIV-1 protease (PR), however, drug resistant variants like PRS17 show poor inhibition by 1, despite the presence of only two mutated residues in the inhibitor-binding site. Antiviral inhibitors that target MDR proteases like PRS17 would be valuable as therapeutic agents. Inhibitors 2 and 3 derived from 1 through substitutions at P1, P2 and P2' positions exhibit 3.4- to 500-fold better inhibition than clinical inhibitors for PRS17 with the exception of amprenavir. Crystal structures of PRS17/2 and PRS17/3 reveal how these inhibitors target the two active site mutations of PRS17. The substituted methoxy P2 group of 2 forms new interactions with G48V mutation, while the modified bis-fluoro-benzyl P1 group of 3 forms a halogen interaction with V82S mutation, contributing to improved inhibition of PRS17.PMID:34111669 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.05.094
Source: Biochemical and Biophysical Research communications - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Source Type: research