Huan-Ming Chen

Characterization of Imidazo[4,5-d]Pyridazine Nucleosides as Modulators of Unwinding Reaction Mediated by West Nile Virus Nucleoside Triphosphatase/Helicase: Evidence for Activity on the Level of Substrate and/or Enzyme

ABSTRACT Compounds that interact with DNA or RNA generally act as inhibitors of enzymes that unwind DNA or RNA. In the present study we describe the synthesis and properties of some nucleoside analogues that interact with double-stranded DNA but that, in contrast, facilitate the unwinding reaction mediated by West Nile (WN) virus nucleoside triphosphatase (NTPase)/helicase. The nucleoside analogues described, 1-(2′-O-methyl-β-d-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)-dione (HMC-HO4), 1-(β-d-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)-dione, and 1-(2′-deoxy-α-d-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)dione, all contain the imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine ring system. The extent of the enhancing effect on helicase activity was found to be dependent on the time of exposure of the DNA substrate to the compounds and their concentrations. The nucleoside analogues were nevertheless found to be capable of uncoupling the ATPase and helicase activities of the enzyme by a mechanism operating on the level of the enzyme. Thus, in the case of HMC-HO4, the direct interaction with the enzyme caused inhibition of its helicase activity, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 30 μM. The similar potency of the compound against replication of WN virus in cell culture suggests that inhibition of the helicase activity of the viral enzyme is responsible for the observed antiviral activity of HMC-HO4 and may indeed represent an important mode of action of antiviral drugs in general. Comparative studies performed with the related NTPase/helicase from hepatitis C virus revealed that the extent of the effects mediated by imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine nucleosides is enzyme specific. The substances described may represent a starting point for the development of a new class of helicase-specific antivirals.

Application of real-time PCR for testing antiviral compounds against Lassa virus, SARS coronavirus and Ebola virus in vitro

Abstract This report describes the application of real-time PCR for testing antivirals against highly pathogenic viruses such as Lassa virus, SARS coronavirus and Ebola virus. The test combines classical cell culture with a quantitative real-time PCR read-out. The assay for Lassa virus was validated with ribavirin, which showed an IC50 of 9μg/ml. Small-scale screening identified a class of imidazole nucleoside/nucleotide analogues with antiviral activity against Lassa virus. The analogues contained either dinitrile or diester groups at the imidazole 4,5-positions, and many of which possessed an acyclic sugar or sugar phosphonate moiety at the imidazole 1-position. The IC50 values of the most active compounds ranged from 5 to 21μg/ml. The compounds also inhibited replication of SARS coronavirus and Ebola virus in analogous assays, although to a lesser extent than Lassa virus.

Novel ring-expanded nucleoside analogs exhibit potent and selective inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication in cultured human hepatoblastoma cells

Novel ring-expanded nucleoside (REN) analogs (1-3) containing 5:7 fused ring systems as the heterocyclic base were found to be potent and selective inhibitors of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in cultured human hepatoblastoma 2.2.15 cells. The most active compound, 6-amino-4,5-dihydro-8H-1-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine-4,8-dione (1), inhibited the synthesis of intracellular HBV replication intermediates and extracellular virion release in 2.2.15 cells with 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.604 and 0.131 microM, respectively. All three compounds had no effect on the synthesis of viral ribonucleic acids (RNA) in 2.2.15 cells. These compounds also exhibited low cellular toxicity in stationary and rapidly growing cell systems.

ACYCLIC NUCLEOSIDE/NUCLEOTIDE ANALOGUES WITH AN IMIDAZOLE RING SKELETON

Syntheses of a few acyclic nucleoside and acyclic nucleoside phosphonate analogues containing an imidazole ring have been reported. These analogues include methyl 1-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)imidazole-4,5-dicarbo-xylate (1), 4,5-dicarbamoyl-1-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)imidazole (2), 4,5-dicya-no-1-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)imidazole (4), Methyl 1-(2-bromoethoxymethyl)- imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylate (7), 4,5-dicyano-(2-bromoethoxymethyl)imidazole (8), and Methyl 1-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)imidazole (10). Also reported are a few potential prodrugs of the above compounds, including the acetyl derivatives 5 and 6 (of 1 and 4, respectively), and the diethyl phosphonate ester 9 (of 10). In addition, the corresponding benzyl-protected precursors 11 and 12 (of 1 and 4, respectively), along with their common hydrolysis product, 1-(2-benzyloxy-ethoxymethyl)-4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid (3), are reported. Another potential prodrug included in the list is 1-(2-acetoxyethyl)-4,5-dicyanoimidazole (15). The compounds were screened for in vitro antiviral activity against a wide variety of herpes and respiratory viruses. The most active compound was the phosphonate analogue 9 which exhibited an anti-measles virus activity with an EC50 of <2.5 μg/mL and an SI value of > 176.

Synthesis of 1-(2'-Deoxy-ß-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-d]-pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)-dione: A Potential Building Block for Antisense Applications

ψψHuan-Ming Chen and Ramachandra S. Hosmane*Laboratory for Drug Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University ofMaryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250, USATel.: +1-410-455-2520, Fax: +1-410-455-1148, URL: http://research.umbc.edu/~hosmane*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: hosmane@research.umbc.edu

6-Amino-2-phenylimidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine-4,8(1H, 5H)-dione

The starting imidazole diester (1) was prepared by esterification of the corresponding dicarboxylic acid acccording to the literature procedure [1,2].[...]

6-Amino-1-(2’-deoxy-b-D-ribofuranosyl)-4,5-dihydro-8H-imidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine-4,8-dione

The starting methyl 1-(2’-deoxy-b-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylate (1) was prepared by deoxygenation of the corresponding riboside, employing the literature procedure [1].[...]