Inhibitors of HIV-1 Integrase-Human LEDGF/p75 Interaction Identified from Natural Products via Virtual Screening

HIV-1 integrase (IN)-mediated integration of viral DNA into the host chromosome is an essential step in the virus life cycle. Human lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF/p75) has been found to function as a cellular cofactor in this process. The LEDGF/p75-IN interaction hence represents an attractive target for anti-HIV therapy. In this study, natural products were virtually screened against the LEDGF/p75 binding pocket of HIV-1 IN. 24 compounds were selected and obtained from the National Compound Resource Center of China. AlphaScreen assays characterized 8 of these 24 natural products as potent LEDGF/p75-IN interaction inhibitors. The active compounds whose IC50 values ranged from 0.56 to 14.55 µmol/L could be used as lead compounds for further investigation. This work confirmed that natural products are valuable resources for antiviral drug discovery.