A new direction for influenza virus sialidase inhibitor development was identified using a sulfonate congener of 2-deoxy-2-β-H N-acetylneuraminic acid. Sialosyl sulfonates can be synthesised efficiently in four steps from N-acetylneuraminic acid via a microwave assisted decarboxylation. The presence of the sulfonate group significantly increases inhibition of influenza virus sialidase and viral infection when compared to the carboxylate congener, and also to the benchmark sialidase inhibitor 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, Neu5Ac2en.
Influenza virus infection continues to cause significant, often severe, respiratory illness worldwide. A validated target for the development of anti-influenza agents is the virus surface protein sialidase. In the current study, we have discovered a highly potent inhibitor of influenza virus sialidase, based on a novel sialosyl sulfonate template. The synthesised 3-guanidino sialosyl α-sulfonate, a sulfonozanamivir analogue, inhibits viral replication in vitro at the nanomolar level, comparable to that of the anti-influenza drug zanamivir. Using protein X-ray crystallography we show that the sialosyl α-sulfonate template binds within the sialidase active site in a C chair conformation. The C1-sulfonate moiety forms crucial and strong-binding interactions with the active site's triarginyl cluster, while the 3-guanidino moiety interacts significantly with conserved active site residues. This sulfonozanamivir analogue provides a new direction in anti-influenza virus drug development.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.