Macrocyclic Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors: An Overview of Medicinal Chemistry

Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(29):3404-3447. doi: 10.2174/0929867323666160510122525.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a causative agent of hepatitis C infectious disease that primarily affects the liver, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a lifelong illness. The 9.6 kb RNA genome of HCV encodes approximately 3000 amino acid polyprotein that must be processed by host and viral proteases into both structural (S) and non-structural (NS) proteins, respectively. Targeting the serine protease NS3 with an activating factor NS4A, i.e., NS3/4A has been considered as one of the most attractive targets for the development of anti-HCV therapy. Although there is no vaccine available, antiviral medicines cure approximately 90% of the persons with hepatitis C infection. On the other hand, efficacy of these medications can be hampered due to the rapid drug and cross resistances. To date, all developed HCV NS3/4A inhibitors are mainly peptide-based compounds derived from the cleavage products of substrate. Specifically macrocyclic peptidomimetics have rapidly emerged as a classical NS3/4A protease inhibitors for treating the HCV infection. This review highlights the development of macrocyclic anti-HCV NS3/4A protease, as well as clinically important inhibitors developed from linear peptides, discovered during the last 12 years (2003-2015) from all sources, including laboratory synthetic methods, virtual screening and structure-based molecular docking studies. We emphasize the rationale behind the design, study of structure-activity relationships, and mechanism of inhibitions and cellular effect of the macrocyclic inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry*
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carrier Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical*
  • Hepacivirus / drug effects
  • Hepacivirus / enzymology*
  • Hepatitis C / drug therapy
  • Hepatitis C / virology
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Macrocyclic Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Macrocyclic Compounds / chemistry*
  • Macrocyclic Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Peptidomimetics / chemistry
  • Peptidomimetics / therapeutic use
  • Protease Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protease Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protease Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Macrocyclic Compounds
  • NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • NS4A cofactor peptide, Hepatitis C virus
  • Peptidomimetics
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins