Novel antiviral agent tetraglycylated nordihydroguaiaretic acid hydrochloride as a host-dependent viral inhibitor

Abstract

A water soluble derivative of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), G4N (2), synthesized by reaction of NDGA (1) with N,N-dimethylglycine in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and dimethylaminopyridine and then with HCl(g) (Scheme 1), competes effectively with the DNA binding domain of recombinant Sp1 protein for binding to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) LTR as demonstrated by an electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA). By blocking Sp1 binding to the HIV LTR, G4N suppresses Sp1-regulated HIV Tat transactivation and replication in cultured cells with an IC50 of 12μM similar to that of 3′-O-methyl-NDGA as we have previously reported. In addition simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication was completely inhibited by G4N at 5.0μM. G4N showed no toxic effect to 174×CEM cells and H9 cells at 100μM. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.