Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol.519, No.1, 61-66, 2019
Potent antiviral HIV-1 protease inhibitor combats highly drug resistant mutant PR20
Drug-resistance threatens effective treatment of HIV/AIDS. Clinical inhibitors, including darunavir (1), are ineffective for highly resistant protease mutant PR20, however, antiviral compound 2 derived from 1 with fused tricyclic group at P2, extended amino-benzothiazole P2' ligand and two fluorine atoms on P1 shows 16-fold better inhibition of PR20 enzyme activity. Crystal structures of PR20 and wild-type PR complexes reveal how the extra groups of 2 counteract the expanded ligand-binding pocket, dynamic flaps, and faster dimer dissociation of PR20. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Drug resistance;HIV protease;Antiretroviral inhibitor;Structure-based design;X-ray crystallography