Potency comparison of peptidomimetic inhibitors against HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteinases: design of equipotent lead compounds.

HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteinases (PR) are responsible for the processing of viral polyproteins, a step that is crucial for the formation of infectious virus particles. PR represents one of the most important targets for antiviral chemotherapy. Inhibitors of HIV-1 PR usually exhibit a 10- to 100-fold weaker affinity for HIV-2 PR. In order to design subnanomolar inhibitors for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 PRs, we prepared a series of compounds varying in the type of scissile bond replacement as well as in the P1, P1', and P2' side chains. While inhibitors containing reduced amide, hydroxyethylamine and statine isosteres had Ki values in the range of 10(-10)-10(-9) M against HIV-1 PR; their activities against HIV-2 PR were several orders of magnitude lower. Glutamic acid was identified to be the optimal P2' residue for both PRs. HIV-2 PR was shown to be more sensitive to P2' Glu-->Gln replacement. Using this data set we were able to design and prepare hydroxyethylene isostere containing inhibitors that were equipotent against both PRs.