ANTI-HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS (HIV) ACTIVITIES OF HALOGENATED GOMISIN-J DERIVATIVES, NEW NONNUCLEOSIDE INHIBITORS OF HIV TYPE-1 REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE

Halogenated gomisin J (a derivative of lignan compound), represented b y the bromine derivative 1506 {(6R, 7S, etramethoxy-6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7 ,8-tetrahydrodibenzo [a,c] cyclooctene}, was found to be a potent inhi bitor of the cytopathic effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) on MT-4 human T cells (50% effective dose, 0.1 to 0.5 mu M). Gomisin J derivatives were active in preventing p24 production from ac utely HIV-1-infected H9 cells. The selective indices (toxic dose/effec tive dose) of these compounds were as high-as >300 in some systems. 15 06 was active against 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine-resistant HIV-1 and a cted synergistically with AZT and 2',3'-ddC. 1506 inhibited HIV-1 reve rse transcriptase (RT) in vitro but not HIV-1 protease. From the time- of-addition experiment, 1506 was found to inhibit the early phase of t he HIV life cycle. A 1506-resistant HIV mutant was selected and shown to possess a mutation within the RT-coding region (at position 188 [Ty r to Leu]). The mutant RT expressed in Escherichia coil was resistant to 1506 in the in vitro RT assay. Some of the HIV strains resistant to other nonnucleoside HIV-1 RT inhibitors were also resistant to 1506. Comparison of various gomisin J derivatives with gomisin J showed that iodine, bromine, and chlorine in the fourth and ninth positions incre ased RT inhibitory activity as well as cytoprotective activity.