Biomedical subjects

Robert A Domaoal

Publications and source records attributed to Robert A Domaoal.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

FEP-guided selection of bicyclic heterocycles in lead optimization for non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Monte Carlo simulations using free energy perturbation theory have been used to guide the selection of bicyclic heterocycles in the lead optimization of non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (NNRTIs). Good correlation is found between predicted and observed activities. Six compounds are reported with EC50 values below 20 nM for protection of human MT-2 cells against the cytopathogenicity of HIV-1. Striking variation in activity is found and analyzed for an isomeric pyrrolopyrimidine and pyrrolopyrazine pair.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

PubMed2006

Optimization of pyrimidinyl- and triazinyl-amines as non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase are being pursued through synthesis and assaying for anti-viral activity. Following computational analyses, the focus has been on the motif Het-NH-Ph-U, where Het is an aromatic heterocycle and U is an unsaturated, hydrophobic group. Previous investigations with Het=2-thiazoyl and 2-pyrimidinyl are extended here to triazinyl derivatives. The result is several NNRTIs in the 2-20 nM range with negligible cytotoxicity and auspicious predicted pharmacological properties.

Amines↗

PubMed2006

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutants resistant to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors do not adversely affect DNA synthesis: pre-steady-state and steady-state kinetic studies.

We have previously demonstrated that nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-resistant mutants have different levels of replication fitness relative to wild type; those with greater reductions in fitness are less likely to develop during therapy in patients. We have also found that reductions in rates of RNase H cleavage by mutant RTs correlate with reductions in fitness and that NNRTI-resistant RTs catalyze polymerization with a processivity similar to wild type. In this study, we evaluated the polymerase function of 3 clinically occurring NNRTI-resistant RTs (K103N, P236L, and V106A) in greater detail, under both pre-steady-state and steady-state conditions. The overall pathway of single-nucleotide incorporation was unchanged for the mutant RTs compared with wild type. In addition, the NNRTI-resistant mutants were each similar to wild type in rate of nucleotide incorporation (kpol), affinity for dGTP (Kd), and steady-state rate of polymerization (kss and kcat), using either RNA or DNA templates. These findings suggest that the close proximity of the NNRTI-resistance mutations to the polymerase active site does not affect the interactions of the enzyme with the incoming nucleotide or the primer-template sufficiently to affect polymerization and support the hypothesis that these reductions in RNase H activity contribute to reductions in replication fitness.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Structural and biochemical effects of human immunodeficiency virus mutants resistant to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are potent, highly specific, noncompetitive inhibitors of the Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase. They are used commonly as part of potent antiretroviral regimens for the treatment of HIV-1 infection, either in combination with nucleoside analogs, protease inhibitors, or both. A major limitation to the success of non-nucleoside inhibitors is the rapid emergence of HIV-1 variants resistant to these drugs. These drug-resistant variants contain one or more mutations in the non-nucleoside inhibitor binding pocket of reverse transcriptase. This review summarizes the effects that these mutations have on non-nucleoside inhibitor binding, reverse transcriptase structure, HIV-1 replication, and the ability of reverse transcriptase to catalyze DNA polymerization and RNase H cleavage. In addition, studies are summarized evaluating important interactions between mutations conferring resistance to non-nucleoside inhibitors and those conferring resistance to nucleoside analogs. The studies summarized in this review provide important insights into potentially useful approaches to minimize the development of HIV-1 resistant to non-nucleoside inhibitors.

Codon↗

PubMed2002

L12 enhances gonococcal transcytosis of polarized Hec1B cells via the lutropin receptor.

We previously reported that gonococci convert to a more invasive phenotype (Inv(+)GC) following contact with cells expressing the lutropin receptor (LHr) and that Inv(+)GC express a novel adhesin that interacts with LHr. We propose that this adhesion allows Inv(+)GC to activate LHr and induce gonococcal transcytosis, usurping normal LHr function in fallopian and endometrial epithelium, which is to transport fetal chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) into the mother. Infected polarized Hec1B monolayers, grown on collagen-coated transwells, showed that the passage of GC across the monolayer occurred rapidly, within 30 min, and proceeded at a constant rate with Inv(+)GC passage three-fold faster than GC grown in tissue culture media alone (Inv(-)GC). Electron microscopy found that Inv(+)GC triggered pseudopod formation around the bacterium, with GC found throughout the Hec1B targets within 30 min, while Inv(-)GC did neither. Pre-treatment of Inv(-)GC with recombinant ribosomal protein L12, a gonococcal "hCG-like" protein previously shown to increase invasion, also increased Inv(-)GC transcytosis to the rate of Inv(+)GC. This enhancement was completely abolished by addition of luteinizing hormone, a cognate ligand of LHr. This is convincing evidence that surface expressed L12 mediates gonococcal invasion and transcytosis via LHr, a mechanism that could be important in the development of invasive gonococcal disease in women.

Bacterial Proteins↗