Novel Nucleoside Analogues as Effective Antiviral Agents for Zika Virus Infections. 2020

Marcella Bassetto, and Cecilia M Cima, and Mattia Basso, and Martina Salerno, and Frank Schwarze, and Daniela Friese, and Joachim J Bugert, and Andrea Brancale
Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.

Previously considered a neglected flavivirus, Zika virus has recently emerged as a public health concern due to its ability to spread rapidly and cause severe neurological disorders, such as microcephaly in newborn babies from infected mothers, and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Despite extensive efforts towards the identification of effective therapies, specific antivirals are still not available. As part of ongoing medicinal chemistry studies to identify new antiviral agents, we screened against Zika virus replication in vitro in a targeted internal library of small-molecule agents, comprising both nucleoside and non-nucleoside agents. Among the compounds evaluated, novel aryloxyphosphoramidate prodrugs of the nucleosides 2'-C-methyl-adenosine, 2-CMA, and 7-deaza-2'C-methyl-adenosine, 7-DMA, were found to significantly inhibit the virus-induced cytopathic effect in multiple relevant cell lines. In addition, one of these prodrugs exhibits a synergistic antiviral effect against Zika virus when applied in combination with an indirect antiviral agent, a l-dideoxy bicyclic pyrimidine nucleoside analogue, which potently inhibits vaccinia and measles viruses in vitro by targeting a host pathway. Our findings provide a solid basis for further development of an antiviral therapy for Zika virus infections, possibly exploiting a dual approach combining two different agents, one targeting the viral polymerase (direct-acting antiviral), the second targeting a host-directed autophagy mechanism.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009705 Nucleosides Purine or pyrimidine bases attached to a ribose or deoxyribose. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Nucleoside,Nucleoside Analog,Nucleoside Analogs,Analog, Nucleoside,Analogs, Nucleoside
D002448 Cell Adhesion Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells. Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000071243 Zika Virus Infection A viral disease transmitted by the bite of AEDES mosquitoes infected with ZIKA VIRUS. Its mild DENGUE-like symptoms include fever, rash, headaches and ARTHRALGIA. The viral infection during pregnancy, in rare cases, is associated with congenital brain and ocular abnormalities, called Congenital Zika Syndrome, including MICROCEPHALY and may also lead to GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME. Congenital Zika Syndrome,Congenital Zika Virus Infection,Fever, Zika,ZikV Infection,Zika Fever,Zika Virus Disease,Disease, Zika Virus,Infection, ZikV,Infection, Zika Virus,Virus Disease, Zika,Virus Infection, Zika
D000071244 Zika Virus An arbovirus in the FLAVIVIRUS genus of the family FLAVIVIRIDAE. Originally isolated in the Zika Forest of UGANDA it has been introduced to Asia and the Americas. Virus, Zika,ZikV
D000241 Adenosine A nucleoside that is composed of ADENINE and D-RIBOSE. Adenosine or adenosine derivatives play many important biological roles in addition to being components of DNA and RNA. Adenosine itself is a neurotransmitter. Adenocard,Adenoscan
D000998 Antiviral Agents Agents used in the prophylaxis or therapy of VIRUS DISEASES. Some of the ways they may act include preventing viral replication by inhibiting viral DNA polymerase; binding to specific cell-surface receptors and inhibiting viral penetration or uncoating; inhibiting viral protein synthesis; or blocking late stages of virus assembly. Antiviral,Antiviral Agent,Antiviral Drug,Antivirals,Antiviral Drugs,Agent, Antiviral,Agents, Antiviral,Drug, Antiviral,Drugs, Antiviral
D001343 Autophagy The segregation and degradation of various cytoplasmic constituents via engulfment by MULTIVESICULAR BODIES; VACUOLES; or AUTOPHAGOSOMES and their digestion by LYSOSOMES. It plays an important role in BIOLOGICAL METAMORPHOSIS and in the removal of bone by OSTEOCLASTS. Defective autophagy is associated with various diseases, including NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES and cancer. Autophagocytosis,ER-Phagy,Lipophagy,Nucleophagy,Reticulophagy,Ribophagy,Autophagy, Cellular,Cellular Autophagy,ER Phagy
D014372 Tubercidin An antibiotic purine ribonucleoside that readily substitutes for adenosine in the biological system, but its incorporation into DNA and RNA has an inhibitory effect on the metabolism of these nucleic acids. 7-Deazaadenosine,4-Amino-7 beta-D-ribofuranosyl-7H-pyrrolo(2,3-d)pyrimidine,Deazaadenosine,7 Deazaadenosine
D014779 Virus Replication The process of intracellular viral multiplication, consisting of the synthesis of PROTEINS; NUCLEIC ACIDS; and sometimes LIPIDS, and their assembly into a new infectious particle. Viral Replication,Replication, Viral,Replication, Virus,Replications, Viral,Replications, Virus,Viral Replications,Virus Replications

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