Novel Pyrrole-Imidazole Polyamide Hoechst Conjugate Suppresses Epstein-Barr Virus Replication and Virus-Positive Tumor Growth

J Med Chem. 2018 Aug 9;61(15):6674-6684. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00496. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes latent infection and is associated with several types of lymphomas and carcinomas. EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is expressed in all EBV-positive tumor cells. EBNA1 binds to the origin of virus plasmid replication (OriP) on the EBV episome to initiate virus DNA replication and regulates virus gene expression as a transcriptional activator. In this study, we designed and synthesized a pyrrole-imidazole polyamide-Hoechst 33258 conjugate named EIP-2 (2), which specifically binds to the OriP region with high affinity, to interrupt EBNA1-OriP binding in vitro and in vivo. By eradicating the EBV episome in EBV-positive cells, compound 2 selectively inhibited EBV-positive cell proliferation. Moreover, the injection of 2 significantly suppressed tumor growth in the mice xenograft tumor model. These findings demonstrate that compound 2 is a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of EBV-associated tumors.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Nylons / chemistry*
  • Nylons / pharmacology*
  • Pyrroles / chemistry*
  • Virus Replication / drug effects*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • Nylons
  • Pyrroles