Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel quinoline derivatives as HIV-1 Tat-TAR interaction inhibitors.

Thirty-two quinoline derivatives were designed and synthesized as HIV-1 Tat-TAR interaction inhibitors. All the compounds showed high antiviral activities in inhibiting the formation of SIV-induced syncytium in CEM174 cells. Nine of them with low cytotoxicities were evaluated by Tat dependent HIV-1 LTR-driven CAT gene expression colorimetric enzyme assay in human 293T cells, indicating effective inhibitory activities of blocking the Tat-TAR interaction. Molecular modeling experiments indicated that these compounds may inhibit Tat-TAR interaction by binding to Tat protein instead of TAR RNA.