tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Chem
. 2023 Feb 9.
doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01627. Online ahead of print.
Alkyne Derivatives of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Including Nirmatrelvir Inhibit by Reacting Covalently with the Nucleophilic Cysteine
Lennart Brewitz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leo Dumjahn[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yilin Zhao[SUP] 1 [/SUP], C David Owen[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Stephen M Laidlaw[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tika R Malla[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dung Nguyen[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Petra Lukacik[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Eidarus Salah[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Adam D Crawshaw[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Anna J Warren[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jose Trincao[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Claire Strain-Damerell[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Miles W Carroll[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Martin A Walsh[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Christopher J Schofield[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332) is a nitrile-bearing small-molecule inhibitor that, in combination with ritonavir, is used to treat infections by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nirmatrelvir interrupts the viral life cycle by inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M[SUP]pro[/SUP]), which is essential for processing viral polyproteins into functional nonstructural proteins. We report studies which reveal that derivatives of nirmatrelvir and other M[SUP]pro[/SUP] inhibitors with a nonactivated terminal alkyne group positioned similarly to the electrophilic nitrile of nirmatrelvir can efficiently inhibit isolated M[SUP]pro[/SUP] and SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells. Mass spectrometric and crystallographic evidence shows that the alkyne derivatives inhibit M[SUP]pro[/SUP] by apparent irreversible covalent reactions with the active site cysteine (Cys145), while the analogous nitriles react reversibly. The results highlight the potential for irreversible covalent inhibition of M[SUP]pro[/SUP] and other nucleophilic cysteine proteases by alkynes, which, in contrast to nitriles, can be functionalized at their terminal position to optimize inhibition and selectivity, as well as pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties.
. 2023 Feb 9.
doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01627. Online ahead of print.
Alkyne Derivatives of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors Including Nirmatrelvir Inhibit by Reacting Covalently with the Nucleophilic Cysteine
Lennart Brewitz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leo Dumjahn[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yilin Zhao[SUP] 1 [/SUP], C David Owen[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Stephen M Laidlaw[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tika R Malla[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dung Nguyen[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Petra Lukacik[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Eidarus Salah[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Adam D Crawshaw[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Anna J Warren[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jose Trincao[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Claire Strain-Damerell[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Miles W Carroll[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Martin A Walsh[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Christopher J Schofield[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36757959
- DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01627
Abstract
Nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332) is a nitrile-bearing small-molecule inhibitor that, in combination with ritonavir, is used to treat infections by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nirmatrelvir interrupts the viral life cycle by inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M[SUP]pro[/SUP]), which is essential for processing viral polyproteins into functional nonstructural proteins. We report studies which reveal that derivatives of nirmatrelvir and other M[SUP]pro[/SUP] inhibitors with a nonactivated terminal alkyne group positioned similarly to the electrophilic nitrile of nirmatrelvir can efficiently inhibit isolated M[SUP]pro[/SUP] and SARS-CoV-2 replication in cells. Mass spectrometric and crystallographic evidence shows that the alkyne derivatives inhibit M[SUP]pro[/SUP] by apparent irreversible covalent reactions with the active site cysteine (Cys145), while the analogous nitriles react reversibly. The results highlight the potential for irreversible covalent inhibition of M[SUP]pro[/SUP] and other nucleophilic cysteine proteases by alkynes, which, in contrast to nitriles, can be functionalized at their terminal position to optimize inhibition and selectivity, as well as pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties.