Enzyme Assay: An on-bead solid phase homogeneous assay was used in a 384-well format to assess NS5B inhibitors (WangY-K, Rigat K, Roberts S, and Gao M (2006) Anal Biochem, 359: 106-111). The biotinylated oligo dT12 primer was captured on streptavidin-coupled imaging beads (GE, RPNQ0261) by mixing primer and beads in 1X buffer and incubating at room temperature for three hours. Unbound primer was removed after centrifugation. The primer-bound beads were resuspended in 3X reaction mix (20 mM Hepes buffer, pH 7.5, dT primer coupled beads, poly A template, 3H-UTP, and RNAse inhibitor (Promega N2515)). Compounds were serially diluted 1:3 in DMSO and aliquoted into assay plates. Equal volumes (10 uL) of water, 3X reaction mix, and enzyme in 3X assay buffer (60 mM Hepes buffer, pH 7.5, 7.5 mM MgCl2, 7.5 mM KCl, 3 mM DTT, 0.03 mg/mL BSA, 6% glycerol) were added to the diluted compound on the assay plate. Final concentration of components in 384-well assay: 0.36 nM template, 15 nM primer.
Protease Assay: The HCV protease assay herein was applied to investigate the HCV-protease inhibitory activity of the prepared compounds as described above. The method of the HCV protease assay was described in D. T. Phuong, C. M. Ma, M. Hattori and J. S. J in: Inhibitory Effects of Antrodins A-E from Antrodia cinnamomea and Their Metabolites on Hepatitis C Virus Protease. Phytotherapy Research, 23, 582-584, 2009. Two micro liters of a compound solution (using DMSO as solvent) was placed in 384 well micro plate, then 8 ul of HCV NS3/4A protease (0.5 g/mL) was added to the well containing a sample and the plate was agitated. Finally, 10 uL of freshly prepared substrate (Ac-Asp-Glu-Dap(QXL 520)-Glu-Glu-Abu-COO-Ala-Ser-Cys(5-FAMsp)-NH2) (100 dilution of a DMSO stock solution) was added with sequential rotational shaking. The reaction mixture was incubated for 30 min at 37 C. The fluorimetric analyses were performed on an automated TECAN GENios plate reader with excitation wavelength at 485 nm.
Inhibition Assay: In addition, the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPPIV) assay herein was applied to investigate the DPPIV inhibitory activity of the prepared compounds as described above. The method of the DPPIV assay was described in Lin et al., 1998. Inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV by fluoroolefin-containing N-peptidyl-O-hydroxylamine peptidomimetics. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 95, pp. 14020-14024.
Radiolabeled Nucleotide Incorporation Assay: To measure inhibition of the enzymatic activity of the HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase by the nucleoside triphosphate compounds of the present invention, a radiolabeled nucleotide incorporation assay was used. This assay is a modified version of the assay described in International Publication No. WO2002/057287. Briefly, 50 uL reactions containing 20 mM HEPES (pH 7.3); 7.5 mM DTT; 20 units/ml RNasIN; 1 uM each of ATP, GTP, UTP and CTP; 20 uCi/mL [33P]-CTP; 10 mM MgCl; 60 mM NaCl; 100 ug/ml BSA; 0.021 uM DCoH heteropolymer RNA template; and 5 nM NS5B (1b-BKDelta55) enzyme are incubated at room temperature for 1 hour. The assay is then terminated by the addition of 500 mM EDTA (50 uL). The reaction mixture is transferred to a Millipore DE81 filter plate and the incorporation of labeled CTP is determined using Packard TopCount. Compound IC50 values can then be calculated from experiments with 10 serial 3-fold dilutions of the inhibitor in duplicate.
FRET-Based Assay: The HCV NS3 protease functions have been extensively studied and are considered as potential targets for antiviral therapy: see for example the many references listed in the introductory section of this application. Therefore, the activity of the compounds of the invention as anti-HCV agents was assessed using a full length HCV NS3 protease.The protease activity of the full length NS3/4a was measured using a FRET-based assay utilizing a peptide substrate derived from the NS4A/B cleavage site (Anaspec) and labelled at one end with a quencher (QXL520) and at the other with a fluorophore (5-FAMsp). NS3/4a (produced in-house by literature methods) was incubated with test compounds and peptide substrate in 50 mM Tris pH8, 20 mM DTT, 1% CHAPS, 10% glycerol and 5% DMSO. The reaction was followed by monitoring the change in fluorescence on a Molecular Devices Gemini plate reader for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Inhibition Assay: The inhibitory effects of the compounds of the invention on HCV replication can be determined by measuring activity of the luciferase reporter gene. For example, replicon-containing cells can be seeded into 96 well plates at a density of 5000 cells per well in 100 μl DMEM containing 5% FBS. The following day compounds can be diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to generate a 200× stock in a series of eight half-log dilutions. The dilution series can then be further diluted 100-fold in the medium containing 5% FBS. Medium with the inhibitor is added to the overnight cell culture plates already containing 100 μl of DMEM with 5% FBS. In assays measuring inhibitory activity in the presence of human plasma, the medium from the overnight cell culture plates can be replaced with DMEM containing 40% human plasma and 5% FBS. The cells can be incubated for three days in the tissue culture incubators and are then lysed for RNA extraction.
Protease Assay: The inhibitory activity of certain compounds of Table A against HCV NS3-4A serine protease is determined in a homogenous assay using the full-length NS3-4A protein (genotype 1a, strain HCV-1) and a commercially available internally-quenched fluorogenic peptide substrate as described by Taliani, M., et al. 1996 Anal. Biochem. 240:60-67, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Inhbition Assay: To initiate an assay, replicon cells were plated in the presence of a dilution series of test compound in the absence of G418. Typically, the assays were performed in a 96-well plate formate for manual operation, or a 384-well plate format for automated assay. Replicon cells and compound were incubated for 96 hours. At the end of the assay, cells were washed free of media and compound, and the cells were then lysed. RNA was quantified indirectly through detection of replicon-encoded NS3/4A protein levels, through an ELISA-based assay with an antibody specific for NS3/4A.
Inhibition Assay: To initiate an assay, replicon cells were plated in the presence of a dilution series of test compound in the absence of G418. Typically, the assays were performed in a 96-well plate formate for manual operation, or a 384-well plate format for automated assay. Replicon cells and compound were incubated for 96 hours. At the end of the assay, cells were washed free of media and compound, and the cells were then lysed. RNA was quantified indirectly through detection of replicon-encoded NS3/4A protein levels, through an ELISA-based assay with an antibody specific for NS3/4A.
ELISA-Based Assay: Measurement of inhibition by compounds was performed using the HCV replicon system. Several different replicons encoding different HCV genotypes or mutations were used. In addition, potency measurements were made using different formats of the replicon assay, including different ways of measurements and different plating formats. See Jan M. Vrolijk et al., A replicons-based bioassay for the measurement of interferons in patients with chronic hepatitis C, 110 J. VIROLOGICAL METHODS 201 (2003); Steven S. Carroll et al., Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication by 2'-Modified Nucleoside Analogs, 278(14) J. BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 11979 (2003). However, the underlying principles are common to all of these determinations, and are outlined below.Stable neomycin phosphotransferase encoding replicons-harboring cell lines were used, so all cell lines were maintained under G418 selection prior to the assay. Potency was determined using a cell ELISA assay with an antibody to the replicons encoded NS3/4a protease. See Caterina Trozzi et al., In Vitro Selection and Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Serine Protease Variants Resistant to an Active-Site Peptide Inhibitor, 77(6) J. Virol. 3669 (2003).