The synthesis of α-fluorinated methyl ketones has always been challenging. New methods based on the homologation chemistry via nucleophilic halocarbenoid transfer, carried out recently in our labs, allowed us to design and synthesize a target-directed dipeptidyl α,α-difluoromethyl ketone (DFMK) 8 as a potential antiviral agent with activity against human coronaviruses. The abil-ity of the newly synthesized compound to inhibit viral replication was evaluated by a viral cyto-pathic effect (CPE)-based assay performed on MCR5 cells infected with one of the four human coro-naviruses associated with respiratory distress, i.e., hCoV-229E, showing antiproliferative activity in the micromolar range (EC50 = 12.9 ± 1.22 µM), with a very low cytotoxicity profile (CC50 = 170 ± 3.79 µM, 307 ± 11.63 µM, and 174 ± 7.6 µM for A549, human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs), and MRC5 cells, respectively). Docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies indicated that 8 efficaciously binds to the intended target hCoV-229E main protease (Mpro). Moreover, due to the high similarity between hCoV-229E Mpro and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, we also performed the in silico analysis towards the second target, which showed results comparable to those obtained for hCoV-229E Mpro and promising in terms of energy of binding and docking pose.

Pseudo-dipeptide bearing α,α-difluoromethyl ketone moiety as electrophilic warhead with activity against coronaviruses / A. Citarella, D. Gentile, A. Rescifina, A. Piperno, B. Mognetti, G. Gribaudo, M.T. Sciortino, W. Holzer, V. Pace, N. Micale. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. - ISSN 1661-6596. - 22:3(2021 Jan 30), pp. 1398.1-1398.17. [10.3390/ijms22031398]

Pseudo-dipeptide bearing α,α-difluoromethyl ketone moiety as electrophilic warhead with activity against coronaviruses

A. Citarella
Primo
;
2021

Abstract

The synthesis of α-fluorinated methyl ketones has always been challenging. New methods based on the homologation chemistry via nucleophilic halocarbenoid transfer, carried out recently in our labs, allowed us to design and synthesize a target-directed dipeptidyl α,α-difluoromethyl ketone (DFMK) 8 as a potential antiviral agent with activity against human coronaviruses. The abil-ity of the newly synthesized compound to inhibit viral replication was evaluated by a viral cyto-pathic effect (CPE)-based assay performed on MCR5 cells infected with one of the four human coro-naviruses associated with respiratory distress, i.e., hCoV-229E, showing antiproliferative activity in the micromolar range (EC50 = 12.9 ± 1.22 µM), with a very low cytotoxicity profile (CC50 = 170 ± 3.79 µM, 307 ± 11.63 µM, and 174 ± 7.6 µM for A549, human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs), and MRC5 cells, respectively). Docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies indicated that 8 efficaciously binds to the intended target hCoV-229E main protease (Mpro). Moreover, due to the high similarity between hCoV-229E Mpro and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, we also performed the in silico analysis towards the second target, which showed results comparable to those obtained for hCoV-229E Mpro and promising in terms of energy of binding and docking pose.
Coronavirus; Cysteine proteases; Difluoromethyl ketone; HCoV-229E; SARS-CoV-2 M; pro
Settore CHIM/06 - Chimica Organica
Settore CHIM/08 - Chimica Farmaceutica
30-gen-2021
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/951689
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