New 4‑Acyl-1-phenylaminocarbonyl-2-phenylpiperazine Derivatives as Potential Inhibitors of Adenovirus Infection. Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Structure−activity Relationships

Abstract

The study focuses on developing antiviral compounds targeting human adenovirus (HAdV), a significant concern for immunocompromised patients due to the lack of effective treatments. The researchers designed and synthesized a library of small molecules and tested them for antiviral activity. From this collection, they identified six phenylpiperazine‑based compounds that strongly inhibited HAdV infection. Beyond their effect on adenovirus, these molecules were also effective against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), suppressing viral replication at low micromolar concentrations while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity in host cells. Further biological analyses revealed that the compounds interfere with different stages of the viral life cycles of both HAdV and HCMV. Overall, the findings highlight these phenylpiperazine derivatives as promising candidates for developing a new class of antiviral drugs with activity against multiple DNA viruses, especially relevant for treating infections in vulnerable patient populations.

Es la versión aceptada del documento. Se puede consultar la versión final en https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00300