Targeting papain-like protease for broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibition.
10.1007/s13238-022-00909-3
- Author:
Shuofeng YUAN
1
;
Xiaopan GAO
2
;
Kaiming TANG
3
;
Jian-Piao CAI
3
;
Menglong HU
4
;
Peng LUO
3
;
Lei WEN
3
;
Zi-Wei YE
3
;
Cuiting LUO
3
;
Jessica Oi-Ling TSANG
3
;
Chris Chun-Yiu CHAN
3
;
Yaoqiang HUANG
3
;
Jianli CAO
3
;
Ronghui LIANG
3
;
Zhenzhi QIN
3
;
Bo QIN
2
;
Feifei YIN
5
;
Hin CHU
6
;
Dong-Yan JIN
4
;
Ren SUN
4
;
Jasper Fuk-Woo CHAN
7
;
Sheng CUI
8
;
Kwok-Yung YUEN
9
Author Information
1. State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. yuansf@hku.hk.
2. NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
3. Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
4. School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
5. Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China.
6. State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
7. State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. jfwchan@hku.hk.
8. NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. cui.sheng@ipb.pumc.edu.cn.
9. State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. kyyuen@hku.hk.
- Publication Type:Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Nsp3;
antiviral;
coronavirus;
inhibitor;
protease
- MeSH:
Animals;
Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases/antagonists & inhibitors*;
Cricetinae;
Humans;
Mice;
Pandemics;
SARS-CoV-2/enzymology*;
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
- From:
Protein & Cell
2022;13(12):940-953
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and repeated outbreaks of coronavirus epidemics in the past two decades emphasize the need for next-generation pan-coronaviral therapeutics. Drugging the multi-functional papain-like protease (PLpro) domain of the viral nsp3 holds promise. However, none of the known coronavirus PLpro inhibitors has been shown to be in vivo active. Herein, we screened a structurally diverse library of 50,080 compounds for potential coronavirus PLpro inhibitors and identified a noncovalent lead inhibitor F0213 that has broad-spectrum anti-coronaviral activity, including against the Sarbecoviruses (SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2), Merbecovirus (MERS-CoV), as well as the Alphacoronavirus (hCoV-229E and hCoV-OC43). Importantly, F0213 confers protection in both SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters and MERS-CoV-infected human DPP4-knockin mice. F0213 possesses a dual therapeutic functionality that suppresses coronavirus replication via blocking viral polyprotein cleavage, as well as promoting antiviral immunity by antagonizing the PLpro deubiquitinase activity. Despite the significant difference of substrate recognition, mode of inhibition studies suggest that F0213 is a competitive inhibitor against SARS2-PLpro via binding with the 157K amino acid residue, whereas an allosteric inhibitor of MERS-PLpro interacting with its 271E position. Our proof-of-concept findings demonstrated that PLpro is a valid target for the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus agents. The orally administered F0213 may serve as a promising lead compound for combating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future coronavirus outbreaks.
