文摘
The design, synthesis, thermodynamic and crystallographic characterization of a potent, broad spectrum, second-generation HIV-1 entry inhibitor that engages conserved carbonyl hydrogen bonds within gp120 has been achieved. The optimized antagonist exhibits a submicromolar binding affinity (110 nM) and inhibits viral entry of clade B and C viruses (IC50 geometric mean titer of 1.7 and 14.0 渭M, respectively), without promoting CD4-independent viral entry. The thermodynamic signatures indicate a binding preference for the (R,R)- over the (S,S)-enantiomer. The crystal structure of the small-molecule/gp120 complex reveals the displacement of crystallographic water and the formation of a hydrogen bond with a backbone carbonyl of the bridging sheet. Thus, structure-based design and synthesis targeting the highly conserved and structurally characterized CD4鈥揼p120 interface is an effective tactic to enhance the neutralization potency of small-molecule HIV-1 entry inhibitors.
Keywords:
HIV; gp120; CD4; entry inhibitor; structure-based drug design; thermodynamics; X-ray crystallography; viral inhibition; protein鈭抪rotein interactions