Structure-activity relationships (SAR) research of thiourea derivatives as dual inhibitors targeting both HIV-1 capsid and human cyclophilin A

HIV-1 capsid (CA) and human cyclophilin A (CypA) play important roles in HIV-1 assembly and disassembly processes, which are critical in HIV-1 replication. Based on the discovery of thiourea derivatives targeting both of the two proteins and indicating effective inhibitory activities in our group, we designed and synthesized a new class of thiourea derivatives. Their abilities to bind to capsid and cyclophilin A were determined by ultraviolet spectroscopic analysis, fluorescence binding affinity, and PPIase inhibition assay. Furthermore, the newly synthesized compounds were tested for their antiviral activities and cytotoxicities using CEM cells. According to the biological evaluation and subsequent molecular docking analyses, we studied the structure-activity relationships of thiourea derivatives. Three optimal compounds (K17, K24, K25) based on the achieved structure-activity relationships would be the basis for future optimization.