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In vivo tests were performed to assess the influence of the protease inhibitor TL-3 on feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-induced central nervous system (CNS) deficits. Twenty cats were divided into four groups of five animals each. Group 1 received no treatment, group 2 received TL-3 only, group 3 received FIV strain PPR (FIV-PPR) only, and group 4 received FIV-PPR and TL-3. Animals were monitored for immunological and virological status, along with measurements of brain stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) changes. Groups 1 and 2 remained FIV negative, and groups 3 and 4 became virus positive and seroconverted by 3 to 5 weeks postinoculation. No adverse effects were noted with TL-3 only. The average peak viral load for the virus-only group 3 animals was 1.32 x 10(6) RNA copies/ml, compared to 6.9 x 10(4) copies/ml for TL-3-treated group 4 cats. Group 3 (virus-only) cats exhibited marked progressive delays in BAEPs starting at 2 weeks post virus exposure, which is typical of infection with FIV-PPR. In contrast, TL-3-treated cats of group 4 exhibited BAEPs similar to those of control and drug-only cats. At 97 days postinfection, treatments were switched; i.e., group 4 animals were taken off TL-3 and group 3 animals were treated with TL-3. BAEPs in group 3 animals returned to control levels, while BAEPs in group 4 animals remained at control levels. After 70 days on TL-3, group 3 was removed from the drug treatment regimen. Delays in BAEPs immediately increased to levels observed prior to TL-3 treatment. The findings show that early TL-3 treatment can effectively eliminate FIV-induced changes in the CNS. Furthermore, TL-3 can counteract FIV effects on the CNS of infected cats, although continued treatment is required to maintain unimpaired CNS function.

Based on the substrate transition state and our strategy to tackle the problem of drug resistance, a series of HIV/FIV protease (HIV /FIV PR) monocyclic inhibitors incorporating a 15- or 17-membered macrocycle with an equivalent P3 or P3' group and a unique unnatural amino acid, (2R, 3S)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid, have been designed and synthesized. In addition, based on the structure of TL3 with small P3/P3' group, we have synthesized two conformationally restricted bicyclic inhibitors containing the macrocycle, which mimic the P1/P1'-P3/P3' tripeptide [Phe-Val-Ala] of TL3. We have found that the contribution of the macrocycle in our monocyclic inhibitors is important to the overall activity, but the ring size does not affect the activity to a significant extent. Several inhibitors that were developed in this work, exhibit low nanomolar inhibitory activity against the wild-type HIV/FIV PR and found to be highly effective against some drug-resistant as well as TL3-resistant mutants of HIV PRs. Compound 15, in particular, is the most effective cyclic inhibitor in hand to inhibit FIV replication in tissue culture at a concentration of 1.0 micro g/mL (1.2 microM).