The prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) and mutidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been increasing, leading to serious infections, high mortality, and a global health threat. Here, we report the identification of a novel class of dideoxy nucleosides as potent and selective inhibitors of Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A series of 5-acetylenic derivatives of 2',3'-dideoxyuridine (3-8) and 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyuridine (22-27) were synthesized and tested for their antimycobacterial activity against M. bovis, M. tuberculosis, and M. avium. 2',3'-Dideoxyuridine possessing 5-decynyl, 5-dodecynyl, 5-tridecynyl, and 5-tetradecynyl substituents (4-7) exhibited the highest antimycobacterial activity against all three mycobacteria. In contrast, in the 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyuridine series, a 5-tetradecynyl analogue (26) displayed the most potent activity against these mycobacteria. Among other derivatives, 5-bromo-2',3'-dideoxycytidine (11), 5-methyl-2',3'-dideoxycytidine (12), and 5-chloro-4-thio-2',3'-dideoxyuridine (19) exhibited modest inhibition of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. In the series of dideoxy derivatives of adenosine, guanosine, and purines, 2-amino-6-mercaptoethyl-9-(2,3-dideoxy-beta-d-glyceropentofuranosyl)purine (32) and 2-amino-4-fluoro-7-(2,3-dideoxy-beta-d-glyceropentofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (35) were the most efficacious against M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, and M. avium, respectively.

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Tuberculosis (TB) has become an increasing problem since the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus and increasing appearance of drug-resistant strains. There is an urgent need to advance our knowledge and discover a new class of agents that are distinct than current therapies. Antimycobacterial activities of several 5-alkyl, 5-alkynyl, furanopyrimidines and related 2'-deoxynucleosides were investigated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Compounds with 5-arylalkynyl substituents (23-26, 33, 35) displayed potent in vitro antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The in vivo activity of 5-(2-pyridylethynyl)-uracil (26) and its 2'-deoxycytidine analogue, 5-(2-pyridylethynyl)-2'-deoxycytidine (35), was assessed in BALB/c mice infected with M. tuberculosis (H37Ra). Both compounds 26 and 35 given at a dose of 50 mg/kg for 5 weeks showed promising in vivo efficacy in a mouse model, with the 2'-deoxycytidine derivative being more effective than the uracil analogue and a reference drug d-cycloserine. These data indicated that there is a significant potential in this class of compounds.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem worldwide. We herein report a new class of pyrimidine nucleosides as potent inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Various 2'- or 3'-halogeno derivatives of pyrimidine nucleosides containing uracil, 5-fluorouracil, and thymine bases were synthesized and evaluated for antimycobacterial activities. Among the compounds tested, 3'-bromo-3'-deoxy-arabinofuranosylthymine (33) was the most effective antituberculosis agent in the in vitro assays against wild-type M. tuberculosis strain (H37Ra) (MIC(50) = 1 microg/mL) as well as drug-resistant (H37Rv) (rifampicin-resistant and isoniazid-resistant) strains of M. tuberculosis (MIC(50) = 1-2 microg/mL). Compound 33 also inhibited intracellular M. tuberculosis in a human monocytic cell line infected with H37Ra, demonstrating higher activity against intramacrophagic mycobacteria (80% reduction at 10 microg/mL concentration) than extracellular mycobacteria (75% reduction at 10 microg/mL concentration). In contrast, pyrimidine nucleosides possessing 5-fluorouracil base were weak inhibitors of M. tuberculosis. No cytotoxicity was found up to the highest concentration of compounds tested (CC(50) > 100-200 microg/mL) against a human cell line. Overall, these encouraging results substantiate the potential of this new class of compounds as promising antituberculosis agents.

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