Structure-based identification of an inducer of the low-pH conformational change in the influenza virus hemagglutinin: irreversible inhibition of infectivity

Past efforts to employ a structure-based approach to design an inhibitor of the fusion-inducing conformational change in the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) yielded a family of small benzoquinones and hydroquinones. The most potent of these, tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), inhibits both the conformational change in HA from strain X:31 influenza virus and viral infectivity in tissue culture cells with 50% inhibitory concentrations in the micromolar range (D. L. Bodian, R. B. Yamasaki, R. L. Buswell, J. F. Stearns, J. M. White, and I. D. Kuntz, Biochemistry 32:2967-2978, 1993). A new structure-based inhibitor design search was begun which involved (i) the recently refined crystal structure (2.1-A resolution) of the HA ectodomain, (ii) new insights into the conformational change, and (iii) improvements in the molecular docking program, DOCK. As a result, we identified new inhibitors of HA-mediated membrane fusion. Like TBHQ, most of these molecules inhibit the conformational change. One of the new compounds, however, facilitates rather than inhibits the HA conformational change. Nonetheless, the facilitator, diiodofluorescein, inhibits HA-mediated membrane fusion and, irreversibly, infectivity. We further characterized the effects of inhibitors from both searches on the conformational change and membrane fusion activity of HA as well as on viral infectivity. We also isolated and characterized several mutants resistant to each class of inhibitor. The implications of our results for HA-mediated membrane fusion, anti-influenza virus therapy, and structure-based inhibitor design are discussed.