Searching for a new anti-HCV therapy: synthesis and properties of tropolone derivatives

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Mar 10;341(2):641-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.01.015. Epub 2006 Jan 17.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered one of the most dangerous pathogens since about 3% of the world population is HCV-infected and the virus is a major cause of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver carcinoma. A need for a more efficient therapy prompted us to investigate new class of compounds, such as tropolone derivatives that possess antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. To synthesize bromo- and morpholinomethyl-analogues of tropolone, the previously reported methods were modified. The influence of new derivatives on the activity of the helicase and NTP-ase of HCV was investigated. The most potent inhibitory effect in the fluorometric helicase assay was exerted by 3,7-dibromo-5-morpholinomethyltropolone, for which the IC50 value was at low micromolar range. All the morpholino-derivatives had inhibitory activities higher than those of the non-modified analogues. Low toxicity in a yeast-based toxicity assay indicates that these compounds could be further modified to develop potent inhibitors of the HCV helicase and of viral replication.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / chemistry
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • DNA / chemistry
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fluorometry / methods
  • Hepacivirus / metabolism*
  • Hepatitis C / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Models, Chemical
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods
  • Temperature
  • Tropolone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Tropolone / chemical synthesis
  • Tropolone / pharmacology
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • 3,7-dibromo-5-morpholinomethyltropolone
  • Antiviral Agents
  • NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • Tropolone
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • DNA
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases