Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis, with challenges arising from the ongoing evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the emergence of new strains, and the long-term effects of COVID-19. Aiming to overcome the development of viral resistance, our study here focused on develo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu-Qian Mao, Shahrzad Jahanshahi, Ramy Malty, David A. J. Van Ommen, Yimei Wan, Trevor M. Morey, Stephanie H. W. Chuang, Veronika Pavlova, Choudhary Ahmed, Subha Dahal, Funing Lin, Maria Mangos, Jocelyn Nurtanto, Yuetong Song, Terek Been, Natasha Christie-Holmes, Scott D. Gray-Owen, Mohan Babu, Amy P. Wong, Robert A. Batey, Liliana Attisano, Alan Cochrane, Walid A. Houry
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07143-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846171656410628096
author Yu-Qian Mao
Shahrzad Jahanshahi
Ramy Malty
David A. J. Van Ommen
Yimei Wan
Trevor M. Morey
Stephanie H. W. Chuang
Veronika Pavlova
Choudhary Ahmed
Subha Dahal
Funing Lin
Maria Mangos
Jocelyn Nurtanto
Yuetong Song
Terek Been
Natasha Christie-Holmes
Scott D. Gray-Owen
Mohan Babu
Amy P. Wong
Robert A. Batey
Liliana Attisano
Alan Cochrane
Walid A. Houry
author_facet Yu-Qian Mao
Shahrzad Jahanshahi
Ramy Malty
David A. J. Van Ommen
Yimei Wan
Trevor M. Morey
Stephanie H. W. Chuang
Veronika Pavlova
Choudhary Ahmed
Subha Dahal
Funing Lin
Maria Mangos
Jocelyn Nurtanto
Yuetong Song
Terek Been
Natasha Christie-Holmes
Scott D. Gray-Owen
Mohan Babu
Amy P. Wong
Robert A. Batey
Liliana Attisano
Alan Cochrane
Walid A. Houry
author_sort Yu-Qian Mao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis, with challenges arising from the ongoing evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the emergence of new strains, and the long-term effects of COVID-19. Aiming to overcome the development of viral resistance, our study here focused on developing broad-spectrum pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies by targeting host protein quality control mechanisms essential for viral replication. Screening an in-house compound library led to the discovery of three candidate compounds targeting cellular proteostasis. The three compounds are (1) the nucleotide analog cordycepin, (2) a benzothiozole analog, and (3) an acyldepsipeptide analog initially developed as part of a campaign to target the mitochondrial ClpP protease. These compounds demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy against multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, effectively inhibiting viral replication in vitro as well as in lung organoids. Notably, the compounds also showed efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron strains. As part of this work, we developed a BSL2-level cell-integrated SARS-CoV-2 replicon, which could serve as a valuable tool for high-throughput screening and studying intracellular viral replication. Our study should aid in the advancement of antiviral drug development efforts.
format Article
id doaj-art-34c783c190b4473fa3becce3ef2a2d68
institution Kabale University
issn 2399-3642
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Biology
spelling doaj-art-34c783c190b4473fa3becce3ef2a2d682024-11-10T12:39:09ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422024-11-017111910.1038/s42003-024-07143-zTargeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapiesYu-Qian Mao0Shahrzad Jahanshahi1Ramy Malty2David A. J. Van Ommen3Yimei Wan4Trevor M. Morey5Stephanie H. W. Chuang6Veronika Pavlova7Choudhary Ahmed8Subha Dahal9Funing Lin10Maria Mangos11Jocelyn Nurtanto12Yuetong Song13Terek Been14Natasha Christie-Holmes15Scott D. Gray-Owen16Mohan Babu17Amy P. Wong18Robert A. Batey19Liliana Attisano20Alan Cochrane21Walid A. Houry22Department of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoDepartment of Chemistry, University of TorontoDonnelly Centre, University of TorontoDonnelly Centre, University of TorontoProgram in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick ChildrenDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoToronto High Containment Facility, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of ReginaProgram in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick ChildrenDepartment of Chemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of TorontoAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis, with challenges arising from the ongoing evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the emergence of new strains, and the long-term effects of COVID-19. Aiming to overcome the development of viral resistance, our study here focused on developing broad-spectrum pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies by targeting host protein quality control mechanisms essential for viral replication. Screening an in-house compound library led to the discovery of three candidate compounds targeting cellular proteostasis. The three compounds are (1) the nucleotide analog cordycepin, (2) a benzothiozole analog, and (3) an acyldepsipeptide analog initially developed as part of a campaign to target the mitochondrial ClpP protease. These compounds demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy against multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, effectively inhibiting viral replication in vitro as well as in lung organoids. Notably, the compounds also showed efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron strains. As part of this work, we developed a BSL2-level cell-integrated SARS-CoV-2 replicon, which could serve as a valuable tool for high-throughput screening and studying intracellular viral replication. Our study should aid in the advancement of antiviral drug development efforts.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07143-z
spellingShingle Yu-Qian Mao
Shahrzad Jahanshahi
Ramy Malty
David A. J. Van Ommen
Yimei Wan
Trevor M. Morey
Stephanie H. W. Chuang
Veronika Pavlova
Choudhary Ahmed
Subha Dahal
Funing Lin
Maria Mangos
Jocelyn Nurtanto
Yuetong Song
Terek Been
Natasha Christie-Holmes
Scott D. Gray-Owen
Mohan Babu
Amy P. Wong
Robert A. Batey
Liliana Attisano
Alan Cochrane
Walid A. Houry
Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
Communications Biology
title Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
title_full Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
title_fullStr Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
title_full_unstemmed Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
title_short Targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan-coronavirus antiviral therapies
title_sort targeting protein homeostasis with small molecules as a strategy for the development of pan coronavirus antiviral therapies
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07143-z
work_keys_str_mv AT yuqianmao targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT shahrzadjahanshahi targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT ramymalty targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT davidajvanommen targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT yimeiwan targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT trevormmorey targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT stephaniehwchuang targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT veronikapavlova targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT choudharyahmed targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT subhadahal targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT funinglin targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT mariamangos targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT jocelynnurtanto targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT yuetongsong targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT terekbeen targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT natashachristieholmes targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT scottdgrayowen targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT mohanbabu targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT amypwong targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT robertabatey targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT lilianaattisano targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT alancochrane targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies
AT walidahoury targetingproteinhomeostasiswithsmallmoleculesasastrategyforthedevelopmentofpancoronavirusantiviraltherapies