5-(Dimethoxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine: a novel gem diether nucleoside with anti-orthopoxvirus activity.

Abstract

To provide potential new leads for the treatment of orthopoxvirus infections, the 5-position of the pyrimidine nucleosides have been modified with a gem diether moiety to yield the following new nucleosides: 5-(dimethoxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (2b), 5-(diethoxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (3b), 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine ethylene acetal (4b), and 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine propylene acetal (5b). These were evaluated in human foreskin fibroblast cells challenged with the vaccinia virus or cowpox virus. Of the four gem diether nucleosides, only the dimethyl gem diether congener showed significant antiviral activity against both viruses. This antiviral activity did not appear to be related to the decomposition to the 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine, which was itself devoid of anti-orthopoxvirus activity in these assays. Moreover, at the pH of the in vitro assays, 2b was very stable with a decomposition (to aldehyde) half-life of >15 d. The anti-orthopoxvirus activity of pyrimidine may be favored by the introduction of hydrophilic moieties to the 5-position side chain.

• Authors: Xuesen Fan, Xinying Zhang, Longhu Zhou, Kathy A Keith, Earl R Kern, Paul F Torrence
• Journal: Journal of medicinal chemistry (J Med Chem) Vol. 49 Issue 11 Pg. 3377-82 (Jun 01 2006) ISSN: 0022-2623 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16722657 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• 5-(dimethoxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine
• Antiviral Agents
• Ethers
• Water
• Esterases
• Deoxyuridine

Topics

• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Cowpox virus (drug effects)
• Deoxyuridine (analogs & derivatives, chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Drug Stability
• Esterases (chemistry)
• Ethers (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Fibroblasts (drug effects, virology)
• Humans
• In Vitro Techniques
• Liver (enzymology)
• Orthopoxvirus (drug effects)
• Skin (cytology)
• Swine
• Vaccinia virus (drug effects)
• Water (chemistry)