Small dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitors containing the hydroxymethylcarbonyl isostere as an ideal transition-state mimic

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) codes for an aspartic protease known to be essential for retroviral maturation and replication. HIV protease is formed from two identical 99 amino acid peptides. We synthesized [(NHCH2CH2-S-CH2CO)51-52, Ala67,95]HIV-1 protease using the thioether chemical ligation method, and then prepared the [(NHCH2CH2-S-CH2CO)51-52, Ala67,95, Cys98]HIV-1 protease dimer analogue covalently linked by a disulfide bridge. These HIV-1 protease analogues effectively cleaved the Tyr-Phe-type substrate, but had weak affinity to the Tyr-Pro-type substrate. Consequently, the molecular recognition of the protease analogues differs from that of the wild-type enzyme. Based on the substrate transition state, we designed and synthesized a novel class of HIV protease inhibitors containing an unnatural amino acid, (2S, 3S)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid, named allophenylnorstatine, with a hydroxymethylcarbonyl (HMC) isostere. The stereochemistry of the hydroxyl group was significant for the enzyme inhibition and the HMC group interacted excellently with the aspartic acid carboxyl groups of HIV protease active site in the essentially same hydrogen-bonding mode as the transition state. Small dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitors containing the HMC isostere were studied as advantageous compounds. Among them, a dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitor, KNI-577, exhibited potent antiviral activities, low cytotoxicity, and good pharmacokinetic properties.