Novel Opportunities to Study and Block Interactions between Viruses and Cell Surface Heparan Sulfates by using Dispirotripiperazines

Both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses from different families may use heparan sulfates (HS) to bind to and / or enter into their host cells. The interactions between viruses and HS can be inhibited by a novel class of antiviral compounds, the N,N'-bisheteryl derivatives of 3,12-diaza-6,9-diazoniadispiro(5,2,5,2) hexadecane which bind to specific structural moieties of HS. By this way these compounds block adsorption of viruses that use HS as their initial interaction site with the cell, e.g. herpes simplex viruses, cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and human immunodeficiency viruses.