AUTHOR=Xiong Jiacheng , Xiang Yusen , Huang Ziming , Liu Xiaohong , Wang Mengge , Ge Guangbo , Chen Hongzhuan , Xu Jianrong , Zheng Mingyue , Chen Lili TITLE=Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Identification of Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD and ACE2 Interaction JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=9 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2021.740702 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2021.740702 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=

The emergence and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 have caused a worldwide public health crisis. Designing small molecule inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD/ACE2 interaction is considered as a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2. But to date, only a few compounds have been reported as SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD/ACE2 interaction inhibitors. In this study, we described the virtual screening and experimental validation of two novel inhibitors (DC-RA016 and DC-RA052) against SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD/ACE2 interaction. The NanoBiT assays and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays demonstrated their capabilities of blocking SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD/ACE2 interaction and directly binding to both S-RBD and ACE2. Moreover, the pseudovirus assay revealed that these two compounds possessed significant antiviral activity (about 50% inhibition rate at maximum non-cytotoxic concentration). These results indicate that the compounds DC-RA016 and DC-RA052 are promising inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD/ACE2 interaction and deserve to be further developed.