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Drug Delivery and Translational Research Feb 2016Local delivery of anti-HIV drugs to the colorectal mucosa, a major site of HIV replication, and their retention within mucosal tissue would allow for a reduction in dose...
Local delivery of anti-HIV drugs to the colorectal mucosa, a major site of HIV replication, and their retention within mucosal tissue would allow for a reduction in dose administered, reduced dosing frequency and minimal systemic exposure. The current report describes a mucosal pre-exposure prophylaxis (mPrEP) strategy that utilizes nanocarrier conjugates (NC) consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), amprenavir (APV), and a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP; namely Bac7, a fragment derived from bactenecin 7). APV-PEG NCs with linear PEGs (2, 5, 10, and 30 kDa) exhibited reduced (52-21%) anti-HIV-1 protease (PR) activity as compared to free APV in an enzyme-based FRET assay. In MT-2 T cells, APV-PEG3.4 kDa-FITC (APF) anti-HIV-1 activity was significantly reduced (160-fold, IC50 = 8064 nM) due to poor cell uptake, whereas it was restored (IC50 = 78.29 nM) and similar to APV (IC50 = 50.29 nM) with the addition of Bac7 to the NC (i.e., APV-PEG3.4 kDa-Bac7, APB). Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy demonstrated Bac7-PEG3.4 kDa-FITC (BPF) uptake was two- and fourfold higher than APF in MT-2 T cells and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells, respectively. There was no detectable punctate fluorescence in either cell line suggesting that BPF directly enters the cytosol thus avoiding endosomal entrapment. After colorectal administration in mice, BPF mucosal concentrations were 21-fold higher than APF concentrations. BPF concentrations also remained constant for the 5 days of the study suggesting that (1) the NC's structural characteristics (i.e., the size of the PEG carrier and the presence of a CPP) significantly influenced tissue persistence, and (2) the NCs were probably lodged in the lamina propria since the average rodent colon mucosal cell turnover time is 2-3 days. These encouraging results suggest that Bac7 functionalized NCs delivered locally to the colorectal mucosa may form drug delivery depots that are capable of sustaining colorectal drug concentrations. Although the exact mechanisms for tissue persistence are unclear and will require further study, these results provide proof-of-concept feasibility for mPrEP.
Topics: Administration, Rectal; Animals; Caco-2 Cells; Carbamates; Cell-Penetrating Peptides; Furans; HIV Infections; HIV Protease; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Nanoconjugates; Peptides, Cyclic; Polyethylene Glycols; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis; Sulfonamides
PubMed: 26712122
DOI: 10.1007/s13346-015-0269-4 -
Viruses Nov 2015Retroviral protease inhibitors (PIs) are fundamental pillars in the treatment of HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Currently used PIs are...
Retroviral protease inhibitors (PIs) are fundamental pillars in the treatment of HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Currently used PIs are designed against HIV-1, and their effect on HIV-2 is understudied. Using a modular HIV-2 protease cassette system, inhibition profiling assays were carried out for protease inhibitors both in enzymatic and cell culture assays. Moreover, the treatment-associated resistance mutations (I54M, L90M) were introduced into the modular system, and comparative inhibition assays were performed to determine their effect on the susceptibility of the protease. Our results indicate that darunavir, saquinavir, indinavir and lopinavir were very effective HIV-2 protease inhibitors, while tipranavir, nelfinavir and amprenavir showed a decreased efficacy. I54M, L90M double mutation resulted in a significant reduction in the susceptibility to most of the inhibitors with the exception of tipranavir. To our knowledge, this modular system constitutes a novel approach in the field of HIV-2 protease characterization and susceptibility testing.
Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Cell Line; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-2; Humans
PubMed: 26633459
DOI: 10.3390/v7122931 -
Journal of Virology Jan 2016Protease is essential for retroviral replication, and protease inhibitors (PI) are important for treating HIV infection. HIV-2 exhibits intrinsic resistance to most...
UNLABELLED
Protease is essential for retroviral replication, and protease inhibitors (PI) are important for treating HIV infection. HIV-2 exhibits intrinsic resistance to most FDA-approved HIV-1 PI, retaining clinically useful susceptibility only to lopinavir, darunavir, and saquinavir. The mechanisms for this resistance are unclear; although HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases share just 38 to 49% sequence identity, all critical structural features of proteases are conserved. Structural studies have implicated four amino acids in the ligand-binding pocket (positions 32, 47, 76, and 82). We constructed HIV-2ROD9 molecular clones encoding the corresponding wild-type HIV-1 amino acids (I32V, V47I, M76L, and I82V) either individually or together (clone PRΔ4) and compared the phenotypic sensitivities (50% effective concentration [EC50]) of mutant and wild-type viruses to nine FDA-approved PI. Single amino acid replacements I32V, V47I, and M76L increased the susceptibility of HIV-2 to multiple PI, but no single change conferred class-wide sensitivity. In contrast, clone PRΔ4 showed PI susceptibility equivalent to or greater than that of HIV-1 for all PI. We also compared crystallographic structures of wild-type HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases complexed with amprenavir and darunavir to models of the PRΔ4 enzyme. These models suggest that the amprenavir sensitivity of PRΔ4 is attributable to stabilizing enzyme-inhibitor interactions in the P2 and P2' pockets of the protease dimer. Together, our results show that the combination of four amino acid changes in HIV-2 protease confer a pattern of PI susceptibility comparable to that of HIV-1, providing a structural rationale for intrinsic HIV-2 PI resistance and resolving long-standing questions regarding the determinants of differential PI susceptibility in HIV-1 and HIV-2.
IMPORTANCE
Proteases are essential for retroviral replication, and HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases share a great deal of structural similarity. However, only three of nine FDA-approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PI) are active against HIV-2. The underlying reasons for intrinsic PI resistance in HIV-2 are not known. We examined the contributions of four amino acids in the ligand-binding pocket of the enzyme that differ between HIV-1 and HIV-2 by constructing HIV-2 clones encoding the corresponding HIV-1 amino acids and testing the PI susceptibilities of the resulting viruses. We found that the HIV-2 clone containing all four changes (PRΔ4) was as susceptible as HIV-1 to all nine PI. We also modeled the PRΔ4 enzyme structure and compared it to existing crystallographic structures of HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases complexed with amprenavir and darunavir. Our findings demonstrate that four positions in the ligand-binding cleft of protease are the primary cause of HIV-2 PI resistance.
Topics: Amino Acid Substitution; Amino Acids; Binding Sites; Cell Line; Drug Resistance, Viral; HIV Protease; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Models, Molecular; Mutation, Missense; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation
PubMed: 26559830
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01772-15 -
AIDS (London, England) Feb 2016The neurotoxic actions of the HIV protease inhibitors, amprenavir (APV) and lopinavir (LPV) were investigated.
OBJECTIVE
The neurotoxic actions of the HIV protease inhibitors, amprenavir (APV) and lopinavir (LPV) were investigated.
DESIGN
With combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-infected persons exhibit neurocognitive impairments, raising the possibility that cART might exert adverse central nervous system (CNS) effects. We examined the effects of LPV and APV using in-vitro and in-vivo assays of CNS function.
METHODS
Gene expression, cell viability and amino-acid levels were measured in human astrocytes, following exposure to APV or LPV. Neurobehavioral performance, amino-acid levels and neuropathology were examined in HIV-1 Vpr transgenic mice after treatment with APV or LPV.
RESULTS
Excitatory amino-acid transporter-2 (EAAT2) expression was reduced in astrocytes treated with LPV or APV, especially LPV (P < 0.05), which was accompanied by reduced intracellular L-glutamate levels in LPV-treated cells (P < 0.05). Treatment of astrocytes with APV or LPV reduced the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 (P < 0.05) although cell survival was unaffected. Exposure of LPV to astrocytes augmented glutamate-evoked transient rises in [Cai] (P < 0.05). Vpr mice treated with LPV showed lower concentrations of L-glutamate, L-aspartate and L-serine in cortex compared with vehicle-treated mice (P < 0.05). Total errors in T-maze assessment were increased in LPV and APV-treated animals (P < 0.05). EAAT2 expression was reduced in the brains of protease inhibitor-treated animals, which was associated with gliosis (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
These results indicated that contemporary protease inhibitors disrupt astrocyte functions at therapeutic concentrations with enhanced sensitivity to glutamate, which can lead to neurobehavioral impairments. ART neurotoxicity should be considered in future therapeutic regimens for HIV/AIDS.
Topics: Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; Animals; Astrocytes; Brain Chemistry; Carbamates; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Female; Furans; Gene Expression Profiling; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Lopinavir; Male; Mice, Transgenic; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Examination; Sulfonamides
PubMed: 26558720
DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000000955 -
Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical... 2015Human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease pertained to the human immune system. Given its crucial role in...
Human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease pertained to the human immune system. Given its crucial role in viral replication, HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) is a prime therapeutic target in AIDS therapy. In this regard, the dynamic aspects of ligand-enzyme interactions may indicate an important role of conformational variability in HIV-1 PR inhibitor/drug design. In the present contribution, the effect of HIV-1 PR flexibility (within multiple crystallographic structures of HIV-1 PR) on binding to the Amprenavir was elucidated via an ensemble docking approach. Molecular docking studies were performed via advanced AutoDock4.2 software. Ensemble docking of Amprenavir into the active site of various conformations of HIV-1 PR predicted different interaction modes/energies. Analysis of binding factors in terms of docking false negatives/positives revealed a determinant role of enzyme conformational variation in prediction of optimum induced fit (PDB ID: 1HPV). The outcomes of this study demonstrated that conformation of receptor may significantly affect the accuracy of docking/binding results in structure-based rational design of anti HIV-1 PR agents. Furthermore; some strategies to re-score the docking results in HIV-1 PR targeted docking studies were proposed.
PubMed: 26330867
DOI: No ID Found -
Scientific Reports Aug 2015A fluorogenic substrate for HIV-1 protease was designed and used as the basis for a hypersensitive assay. The substrate exhibits a kcat of 7.4 s(-1), KM of 15 μM,...
A fluorogenic substrate for HIV-1 protease was designed and used as the basis for a hypersensitive assay. The substrate exhibits a kcat of 7.4 s(-1), KM of 15 μM, and an increase in fluorescence intensity of 104-fold upon cleavage, thus providing sensitivity that is unmatched in a continuous assay of HIV-1 protease. These properties enabled the enzyme concentration in an activity assay to be reduced to 25 pM, which is close to the Kd value of the protease dimer. By fitting inhibition data to Morrison's equation, Ki values of amprenavir, darunavir, and tipranavir were determined to be 135, 10, and 82 pM, respectively. This assay, which is capable of measuring Ki values as low as 0.25 pM, is well-suited for characterizing the next generation of HIV-1 protease inhibitors.
Topics: Carbamates; Darunavir; Fluorescence; Fluorescent Dyes; Furans; HIV Infections; HIV Protease; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Kinetics; Pyridines; Pyrones; Sulfonamides
PubMed: 26261098
DOI: 10.1038/srep11286 -
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency... Dec 2015This secondary analysis explored changes in protein-unbound concentrations of lopinavir and amprenavir when coadministered in HIV-infected subjects. Total and unbound...
This secondary analysis explored changes in protein-unbound concentrations of lopinavir and amprenavir when coadministered in HIV-infected subjects. Total and unbound pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and compared between subjects receiving each agent alone and coadministration. When coadministered, unbound and total concentrations decrease. Coadministration significantly increased lopinavir unbound clearance, while significant changes in fraction unbound (fu) were not detected. For amprenavir, significant increases in fu and unbound clearance occurred with coadministration. This demonstrates the complex nature of drug-drug interactions between highly protein-bound, CYP-metabolized drugs, and the need to measure unbound concentrations in disease states such as hepatitis C, where such agents are coadministered.
Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Area Under Curve; Carbamates; Drug Interactions; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Furans; HIV Infections; Humans; Lopinavir; Male; Middle Aged; Sulfonamides; Viral Load
PubMed: 26230332
DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000777 -
Scientific Reports May 2015Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the dynamic properties of wild-type HIV-1 protease and its two multi-drug-resistant variants...
Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the dynamic properties of wild-type HIV-1 protease and its two multi-drug-resistant variants (Flap + (L10I/G48V/I54V/V82A) and Act (V82T/I84V)) as well as their binding with APV and DRV inhibitors. The hydrophobic interactions between flap and 80 s (80's) loop residues (mainly I50-I84' and I50'-I84) play an important role in maintaining the closed conformation of HIV-1 protease. The double mutation in Act variant weakens the hydrophobic interactions, leading to the transition from closed to semi-open conformation of apo Act. APV or DRV binds with HIV-1 protease via both hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. The hydrophobic interactions from the inhibitor is aimed to the residues of I50 (I50'), I84 (I84'), and V82 (V82') which create hydrophobic core clusters to further stabilize the closed conformation of flaps, and the hydrogen bonding interactions are mainly focused with the active site of HIV-1 protease. The combined change in the two kinds of protease-inhibitor interactions is correlated with the observed resistance mutations. The present study sheds light on the microscopic mechanism underlying the mutation effects on the dynamics of HIV-1 protease and the inhibition by APV and DRV, providing useful information to the design of more potent and effective HIV-1 protease inhibitors.
Topics: Binding Sites; Carbamates; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Viral; Furans; HIV Protease; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Hydrogen Bonding; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Mutation; Protein Binding; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Sulfonamides; Thermodynamics
PubMed: 26012849
DOI: 10.1038/srep10517 -
Virology Journal Apr 2015In South Korea, about 20 types of antiretroviral drugs are used in the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Since...
Drug susceptibility to etravirine and darunavir among Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-derived pseudoviruses in treatment-experienced patients with HIV/AIDS in South Korea.
BACKGROUND
In South Korea, about 20 types of antiretroviral drugs are used in the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Since 2010, raltegravir, etravirine, and darunavir have been spotlighted as new drugs for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-experienced adults with resistant HIV-1 in South Korea. In this study, we investigated potential susceptibility of pseudoviruses derived from treatment-experienced Korean patients to etravirine vs efavirenz and to darunavir vs amprenavir and indinavir using a modified single-round assay.
METHODS
Pseudoviruses derived from nine treatment-experienced patients infected with HIV-1 were investigated by comparison with the wild-type strain pNL4-3. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were calculated and drug susceptibility was compared. The intensity of genotypic drug resistance was classified based on the 'SIR' interpretation of the Stanford data base.
RESULTS
Drug susceptibility was generally higher for etravirine and darunavir compared with efavirenz, amprenavir, and indinavir in pseudoviruses derived from treatment-experienced patients. Pseudoviruses derived from patients KRB4025 and KRB8014, who exhibited long-term use of protease inhibitors, showed an outside of tested drug concentration, especially for amprenavir and indinavir. However, they exhibited a lower fold-change in resistance to darunavir.
CONCLUSIONS
Etravirine and darunavir have been used in HAART since 2010 in South Korea. Therefore, these antiretroviral drugs together with other newly introduced antiretroviral drugs are interesting for the optimal treatment of patients with treatment failure. This study may help to find a more effective HAART in the case of HIV-1 infected patients that have difficulty being treated.
Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Viral; Genotype; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mutation; Nitriles; Phenotype; Protein Precursors; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Recombination, Genetic; Republic of Korea; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
PubMed: 25879840
DOI: 10.1186/s12985-015-0283-7 -
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy May 2015We report here that GRL-0739, a novel nonpeptidic HIV-1 protease inhibitor containing a tricycle (cyclohexyl-bis-tetrahydrofuranylurethane [THF]) and a sulfonamide...
A novel tricyclic ligand-containing nonpeptidic HIV-1 protease inhibitor, GRL-0739, effectively inhibits the replication of multidrug-resistant HIV-1 variants and has a desirable central nervous system penetration property in vitro.
We report here that GRL-0739, a novel nonpeptidic HIV-1 protease inhibitor containing a tricycle (cyclohexyl-bis-tetrahydrofuranylurethane [THF]) and a sulfonamide isostere, is highly active against laboratory HIV-1 strains and primary clinical isolates (50% effective concentration [EC50], 0.0019 to 0.0036 μM), with minimal cytotoxicity (50% cytotoxic concentration [CC50], 21.0 μM). GRL-0739 blocked the infectivity and replication of HIV-1NL4-3 variants selected by concentrations of up to 5 μM ritonavir or atazanavir (EC50, 0.035 to 0.058 μM). GRL-0739 was also highly active against multidrug-resistant clinical HIV-1 variants isolated from patients who no longer responded to existing antiviral regimens after long-term antiretroviral therapy, as well as against the HIV-2ROD variant. The development of resistance against GRL-0739 was substantially delayed compared to that of amprenavir (APV). The effects of the nonspecific binding of human serum proteins on the anti-HIV-1 activity of GRL-0739 were insignificant. In addition, GRL-0739 showed a desirable central nervous system (CNS) penetration property, as assessed using a novel in vitro blood-brain barrier model. Molecular modeling demonstrated that the tricyclic ring and methoxybenzene of GRL-0739 have a larger surface and make greater van der Waals contacts with protease than in the case of darunavir. The present data demonstrate that GRL-0739 has desirable features as a compound with good CNS-penetrating capability for treating patients infected with wild-type and/or multidrug-resistant HIV-1 variants and that the newly generated cyclohexyl-bis-THF moiety with methoxybenzene confers highly desirable anti-HIV-1 potency in the design of novel protease inhibitors with greater CNS penetration profiles.
Topics: Blood-Brain Barrier; Carbamates; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Drug Resistance, Viral; Furans; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Sulfonamides; Virus Replication
PubMed: 25691652
DOI: 10.1128/AAC.04757-14