A "Two-Birds-One-Stone" Approach toward the Design of Bifunctional Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Entry Inhibitors Targeting the CCR5 Coreceptor and gp41 N-Terminal Heptad Repeat Region

J Med Chem. 2021 Aug 12;64(15):11460-11471. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00781. Epub 2021 Jul 15.

Abstract

Previous studies have reported the stepwise nature of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry and the pivotal role of coreceptor CCR5 and the gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) region in this event. With this in mind, we herein report a dual-targeted drug compound featuring bifunctional entry inhibitors, consisting of a piperidine-4-carboxamide-based CCR5 antagonist, TAK-220, and a gp41 NHR-targeting fusion-inhibitory peptide, C34. The resultant chimeras were constructed by linking both pharmacophores with a polyethylene glycol spacer. One chimera, CP12TAK, exhibited exceptionally potent antiviral activity, about 40- and 306-fold over that of its parent inhibitors, C34 and TAK-220, respectively. In addition to R5-tropic viruses, CP12TAK also strongly inhibited infection of X4-tropic HIV-1 strains. These data are promising for the further development of CP12TAK as a new anti-HIV-1 drug. Results show that this strategy could be extended to the design of therapies against infection of other enveloped viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology*
  • CCR5 Receptor Antagonists / chemical synthesis
  • CCR5 Receptor Antagonists / chemistry
  • CCR5 Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / metabolism
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Receptors, CCR5 / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Virus Internalization / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • CCR5 Receptor Antagonists
  • CCR5 protein, human
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41
  • Receptors, CCR5