Publication Date
2-9-2024
Journal
ACS Infectious Diseases Journal
DOI
10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00565
PMID
38192109
PMCID
PMC10922772
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
2-9-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Humans, Crystallography, X-Ray, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Epoxy Compounds, Acetamides, Coronavirus 3C Proteases, Main Protease, Enzyme inhibitors, Antiviral agents, X-ray crystallography
Abstract
Highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has infected billions of people worldwide with flu-like symptoms since its emergence in 2019. It has caused deaths of several million people. The viral main protease (Mpro) is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and therefore a drug target. Several series of covalent inhibitors of Mpro were designed and synthesized. Structure-activity relationship studies show that 1) several chloroacetamide- and epoxide-based compounds targeting Cys145 are potent inhibitors with IC50 values as low as 0.49 μM, and 2) Cys44 of Mpro is not nucleophilic for covalent inhibitor design. High resolution X-ray studies revealed the protein-inhibitor interactions and mechanisms of inhibition. It is of interest that Cys145 preferably attacks the more hindered Cα atom of several epoxide inhibitors. Chloroacetamide inhibitor 13 and epoxide inhibitor 30 were found to inhibit cellular SARS-CoV-2 replication with an EC68 (half-log reduction of virus titer) of 3 and 5 μM. These compounds represent new pharmacological leads for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug development.
Graphical Abstract
Included in
Clinical Epidemiology Commons, COVID-19 Commons, Diseases Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Infectious Disease Commons, Medical Sciences Commons, Pediatrics Commons
