sb-223412 and Disease-Models--Animal

When Zika virus emerged as a public health emergency there were no drugs or vaccines approved for its prevention or treatment. We used a high-throughput screen for Zika virus protease inhibitors to identify several inhibitors of Zika virus infection. We expressed the NS2B-NS3 Zika virus protease and conducted a biochemical screen for small-molecule inhibitors. A quantitative structure-activity relationship model was employed to virtually screen ∼138,000 compounds, which increased the identification of active compounds, while decreasing screening time and resources. Candidate inhibitors were validated in several viral infection assays. Small molecules with favorable clinical profiles, especially the five-lipoxygenase-activating protein inhibitor, MK-591, inhibited the Zika virus protease and infection in neural stem cells. Members of the tetracycline family of antibiotics were more potent inhibitors of Zika virus infection than the protease, suggesting they may have multiple mechanisms of action. The most potent tetracycline, methacycline, reduced the amount of Zika virus present in the brain and the severity of Zika virus-induced motor deficits in an immunocompetent mouse model. As Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, the tetracyclines could be quickly translated to the clinic. The compounds identified through our screening paradigm have the potential to be used as prophylactics for patients traveling to endemic regions or for the treatment of the neurological complications of Zika virus infection.

Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Artificial Intelligence; Chlorocebus aethiops; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; High-Throughput Screening Assays; Immunocompetence; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Methacycline; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Protease Inhibitors; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; Small Molecule Libraries; Vero Cells; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection

To determine whether bronchoconstriction can be mediated via the tachykinin NK₃ receptors, isolated guinea pig lungs were challenged with the exogenous tachykinin NK₃-receptor agonists [MePhe⁷]-neurokinin B ([MePhe⁷]-NKB) and senktide. [MePhe⁷]-NKB induced bronchoconstriction (EC50 = 11.8 ± 1.7 µM) that was significantly inhibited by the tachykinin NK₃-receptor antagonist SB 223412 at 10 µM (EC50 = 24.4 ± 4.5 µM). Senktide also induced bronchoconstriction (EC50 = 96.2 ± 20.3 µM) and the bronchoconstriction was significantly reduced by SB 223412 at 1 and 10 µM (EC50 = 270.8 ± 78.9 µM and 388.3 ± 105.5 µM, respectively). Although the authors demonstrated that SB 223412, [MePhe⁷]-NKB, and senktide are potent and selective for the tachykinin NK3 receptors in binding and functional (Ca(2+) mobilization) assays, the tachykinin NK₁-receptor antagonist CP 99,994 at 1 µM (EC50 = 32.7 ± 8.5 µM) produced inhibition of [MePhe⁷]-NKB-induced bronchoconstriction, whereas the tachykinin NK₂-receptor antagonist SR 48968 at 0.1 µM (EC50 = 213.2 ± 42.9 µM) blocked senktide-induced bronchoconstriction. These data suggest that [MePhe⁷]-NKB and senktide caused bronchoconstriction in guinea pig through activation of the tachykinin NK₃-receptors but the tachykinin NK₁- and/or NK₂-receptors are also involved in the response.

Topics: Animals; Bronchoconstriction; Bronchoconstrictor Agents; CHO Cells; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; Disease Models, Animal; Guinea Pigs; In Vitro Techniques; Lung; Male; Peptide Fragments; Piperidines; Quinolines; Receptors, Neurokinin-3; Substance P