Understanding COVID-19 Pathogenesis: A Drug-Repurposing Effort to Disrupt Nsp-1 Binding to Export Machinery Receptor Complex

Non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) is a virulence factor found in all beta coronaviruses (b-CoVs). Recent studies have shown that Nsp1 of SARS-CoV-2 virus interacts with the nuclear export receptor complex, which includes nuclear RNA export factor 1 (NXF1) and nuclear transport factor 2-like export fac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pathogens (Basel) 2021-12, Vol.10 (12), p.1634
Main Authors: Vasudevan, Sona, Baraniuk, James N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptor proteins
Amino acids
Antiviral agents
Binding
Cell cycle
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Crystal structure
Crystallography
Docking
Drug delivery
Drugs
Gene expression
Gonadotropins
Localization
nonstructural protein 1
Nsp1
nuclear export
Nuclear transport
NXF1
NXT1
Pathogenesis
Pituitary
Pituitary (anterior)
Proteins
Receptors
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA transport
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Software
Structural analysis
Viral diseases
Virulence
Virulence factors
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Summary:Non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) is a virulence factor found in all beta coronaviruses (b-CoVs). Recent studies have shown that Nsp1 of SARS-CoV-2 virus interacts with the nuclear export receptor complex, which includes nuclear RNA export factor 1 (NXF1) and nuclear transport factor 2-like export factor 1 (NXT1). The NXF1-NXT1 complex plays a crucial role in the transport of host messenger RNA (mRNA). Nsp1 interferes with the proper binding of NXF1 to mRNA export adaptors and its docking to the nuclear pore complex. We propose that drugs targeting the binding surface between Nsp1 and NXF1-NXT1 may be a useful strategy to restore host antiviral gene expression. Exploring this strategy forms the main goals of this paper. Crystal structures of Nsp1 and the heterodimer of NXF1-NXT1 have been determined. We modeled the docking of Nsp1 to the NXF1-NXT1 complex, and discovered repurposed drugs that may interfere with this binding. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt at drug-repurposing of this complex. We used structural analysis to screen 1993 FDA-approved drugs for docking to the NXF1-NXT1 complex. The top hit was ganirelix, with a docking score of -14.49. Ganirelix competitively antagonizes the gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GNRHR) on pituitary gonadotrophs, and induces rapid, reversible suppression of gonadotropin secretion. The conformations of Nsp1 and GNRHR make it unlikely that they interact with each other. Additional drug leads were inferred from the structural analysis of this complex, which are discussed in the paper. These drugs offer several options for therapeutically blocking Nsp1 binding to NFX1-NXT1, which may normalize nuclear export in COVID-19 infection.
ISSN:2076-0817
2076-0817
DOI:10.3390/pathogens10121634