HIV-1 RT-associated RNase H function inhibitors: Recent advances in drug development

Curr Med Chem. 2010;17(26):2837-53. doi: 10.2174/092986710792065045.

Abstract

The HIV-1 genomic RNA reverse transcription is an essential step in the virus cycle carried out by the viral-coded reverse transcriptase (RT), which has two associated functions: the RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RDDP and DDDP) function and the ribonuclease H (RNase H) function. The RNase H function catalyzes the selective hydrolysis of the RNA strand of the RNA:DNA heteroduplex replication intermediate. The RT associated activities are both essential for HIV-1 replication and validated targets for drug development, but only the polymerase function has been widely investigated as drug target. In fact, either nucleoside or non-nucleoside RT inhibitors currently used in therapy act on the polymerase associated activity. In this review, we describe the compounds, reported up to today, which inhibit the HIV-1 RNase H function, their chemical structures, the structure-activity relationships and the mechanism of action.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-HIV Agents* / pharmacology
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / trends*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Ribonuclease H / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase
  • Ribonuclease H