title: Synthesis and antiviral activity of three pyrazole analogues of distamycin A.
abstract: The synthesis of three new monopyrazole analogues of the antiviral compound distamycin A is reported. Suitably protected 4-amino-1-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and 3-amino-1-methylpyrazole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives were chosen as starting materials. The construction of the trimeric polyamide framework was accomplished by assembly of the monomeric precursors under condensing conditions by analogy with our previous methodology, although with significant improvements in some pivotal steps. After chromatographic purification and spectroscopic characterisation, the analogues were assayed for antiviral activity. Compounds 7a-c inhibited vaccinia virus at a concentration similar to or lower than distamycin A and the related antibiotic netropsin. Analogues 7b and 7c exhibited an antiviral effect comparable to those of distamycin A and netropsin against HSV-1 and HSV-2, whereas their antiviral activity against several other viruses including HIV-1 and HIV-2 was somewhat lower. The cellular toxicity of 7a-c toward different host cell types proved to be of similar magnitude or lower than those of distamycin A and netropsin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Uppsala University, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grehn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andrei
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Snoeck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fransson
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ragnarsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D004214:Distamycins / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009429:Netropsin / Q000633:toxicity; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000633:toxicity; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000187:drug effects; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004214:Distamycins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007364:Intercalating Agents; D011720:Pyrazoles; D009429:Netropsin; C030000:stallimycin