Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2′,4′- and 3′,4′-bridged nucleoside analogues

Most nucleosides in solution typically exist in equilibrium between two major sugar pucker forms, N-type and S-type, but bridged nucleosides can be locked into one of these conformations depending on their specific structure. While many groups have researched these bridged nucleosides for the purpose of determining their binding affinity for antisense applications, we opted to look into the potential for biological activity within these conformationally-locked structures. A small library of 2′,4′- and 3′,4′-bridged nucleoside analogues was synthesized, including a novel 3′,4′- carbocyclic bridged system. The synthesized compounds were tested for antibacterial, antitumor, and antiviral activities, leading to the identification of nucleosides possessing such biological activities. To the best of our knowledge, these biologically active compounds represent the first example of 2′,4′-bridged nucleosides to demonstrate such properties. The most potent compound, nucleoside 33, exhibited significant antiviral activity against pseudoviruses SF162 (IC ₅₀ = 7.0 μM) and HxB2 (IC ₅₀ = 2.4 μM). These findings render bridged nucleosides as credible leads for drug discovery in the anti-HIV area of research.