PUBLICATION

A Novel Class of Norovirus Inhibitors Targeting the Viral Protease with Potent Antiviral Activity In Vitro and In Vivo

Authors
Van Dycke, J., Dai, W., Stylianidou, Z., Li, J., Cuvry, A., Roux, E., Li, B., Rymenants, J., Bervoets, L., de Witte, P., Liu, H., Neyts, J., Rocha-Pereira, J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210929-23
Date
2021
Source
Viruses   13(9): (Journal)
Registered Authors
de Witte, Peter
Keywords
Caliciviridae, antivirals, danio rerio, infection, small molecule
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Caliciviridae Infections/drug therapy*
  • Caliciviridae Infections/virology
  • Cell Line
  • Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral/drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Viral
  • Isoxazoles/pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Mutation
  • Norovirus/drug effects*
  • Norovirus/enzymology
  • Norovirus/genetics
  • Norovirus/physiology
  • Peptide Hydrolases/genetics
  • Peptide Hydrolases/metabolism
  • Phenylalanine/analogs & derivatives
  • Phenylalanine/pharmacology
  • Pyrrolidinones/pharmacology
  • RNA, Viral/metabolism
  • Replicon
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Valine/analogs & derivatives
  • Valine/pharmacology
  • Viral Protease Inhibitors/chemistry
  • Viral Protease Inhibitors/pharmacokinetics
  • Viral Protease Inhibitors/pharmacology*
  • Virus Replication/drug effects
  • Zebrafish/virology
PubMed
34578432 Full text @ Viruses
Abstract
Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis resulting annually in ~219,000 deaths and a societal cost of ~USD 60 billion, and no antivirals or vaccines are available. Here, we assess the anti-norovirus activity of new peptidomimetic aldehydes related to the protease inhibitor rupintrivir. The early hit compound 4 inhibited the replication of murine norovirus (MNV) and the HuNoV GI.1 replicon in vitro (EC50 ~1 µM) and swiftly cleared the HuNoV GI.1 replicon from the cells. Compound 4 still inhibits the proteolytic activity. We selected a resistant GI.1 replicon, with a mutation (I109V) in a highly conserved region of the viral protease, conferring a low yield of resistance against compound 4 and rupintrivir. After testing new derivatives, compound 10d was the most potent (EC50 nanomolar range). Molecular docking indicated that the aldehyde group of compounds 4 and 10d bind with Cys139 in the HuNoV 3CL protease by a covalent linkage. Finally, compound 10d inhibited the replication of HuNoV GII.4 in infected zebrafish larvae, and PK studies in mice showed an adequate profile.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping