{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Development of novel antivrial agents that induce the degradation of the main protease of human-infecting coronaviruses.
{Author}: Cheng S;Feng Y;Li W;Liu T;Lv X;Tong X;Xi G;Ye X;Li X;
{Journal}: Eur J Med Chem
{Volume}: 275
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 Sep 5
{Factor}: 7.088
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116629
{Abstract}: The family of human-infecting coronaviruses (HCoVs) poses a serious threat to global health and includes several highly pathogenic strains that cause severe respiratory illnesses. It is essential that we develop effective broad-spectrum anti-HCoV agents to prepare for future outbreaks. In this study, we used PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology focused on degradation of the HCoV main protease (Mpro), a conserved enzyme essential for viral replication and pathogenicity. By adapting the Mpro inhibitor GC376, we produced two novel PROTACs, P2 and P3, which showed relatively broad-spectrum activity against the human-infecting CoVs HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2. The concentrations of these PROTACs that reduced virus replication by 50 % ranged from 0.71 to 4.6 μM, and neither showed cytotoxicity at 100 μM. Furthermore, mechanistic binding studies demonstrated that P2 and P3 effectively targeted HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2 by degrading Mpro within cells in vitro. This study highlights the potential of PROTAC technology in the development of broad-spectrum anti-HCoVs agents, presenting a novel approach for dealing with future viral outbreaks, particularly those stemming from CoVs.