title: Preclinical characterization of GLS4, an inhibitor of hepatitis B virus core particle assembly.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated chronic liver diseases are treated with nucleoside analogs that target the virus polymerase. While these analogs are potent, drugs are needed to target other virus-encoded gene products to better block the virus replication cycle and chronic liver disease. This work further characterized GLS4 and compared it to the related BAY 41-4109, both of which trigger aberrant HBV core particle assembly, where the virus replication cycle occurs. This was done in HepAD38 cells, which replicate HBV to high levels. In vitro, GLS4 was significantly less toxic for primary human hepatocytes (P < 0.01 up to 100 μM), inhibited virus accumulation in the supernantant of HepAD38 cells (P < 0.02 up to 100 nM), inhibited HBV replicative forms in the liver with a significantly lower 50% effective concentration (EC50) (P < 0.02), and more strongly inhibited core gene expression (P < 0.001 at 100 to 200 nM) compared to BAY 41-4109. In vivo characterization was performed in nude mice inoculated with HepAD38 cells, which grew out as tumors, resulting in viremia. Treatment of mice with GLS4 and BAY 41-4109 showed strong and sustained suppression of virus DNA to about the same extents both during and after treatment. Both drugs reduced the levels of intracellular core antigen in the tumors. Alanine aminotransferase levels were normal. Tumor and total body weights were not affected by treatment. Thus, GLS4 was as potent as the prototype, BAY 41-4109, and was superior to lamivudine, in that there was little virus relapse after the end of treatment and no indication of toxicity.
authors: Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors: Guoyi
authors: G
authors: Wu
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Liu
authors: Yingjun
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Alla
authors: A
authors: Arzumanyan
authors: Marcia M
authors: MM
authors: Clayton
authors: Raymond F
authors: RF
authors: Schinazi
authors: Zhaohe
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Siegfried
authors: S
authors: Goldmann
authors: Qingyun
authors: Q
authors: Ren
authors: Faxhou
authors: F
authors: Zhang
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Feitelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D014771:Virion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C464059:BAY 41-4109; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011725:Pyridines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013844:Thiazoles; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C588160:ethyl 4-(2-bromo-4-fluorophenyl)-6-(morpholinomethyl)-2-(2-thiazolyl)-1,4-dihydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate; D019259:Lamivudine
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