Issue 50, 2023

Main and papain-like proteases as prospective targets for pharmacological treatment of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to a global crisis in the world healthcare system. Despite some progress in the creation of antiviral vaccines and mass vaccination of the population, the number of patients continues to grow because of the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations. There is an urgent need for direct-acting drugs capable of suppressing or stopping the main mechanisms of reproduction of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Several studies have shown that the successful replication of the virus in the cell requires proteolytic cleavage of the protein structures of the virus. Two proteases are crucial in replicating SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses: the main protease (Mpro) and the papain-like protease (PLpro). In this review, we summarize the essential viral proteins of SARS-CoV-2 required for its viral life cycle as targets for chemotherapy of coronavirus infection and provide a critical summary of the development of drugs against COVID-19 from the drug repurposing strategy up to the molecular design of novel covalent and non-covalent agents capable of inhibiting virus replication. We overview the main antiviral strategy and the choice of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro proteases as promising targets for pharmacological impact on the coronavirus life cycle.

Graphical abstract: Main and papain-like proteases as prospective targets for pharmacological treatment of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
22 Way 2023
Accepted
23 Xim 2023
First published
06 Kax 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2023,13, 35500-35524

Main and papain-like proteases as prospective targets for pharmacological treatment of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

L. V. Yevsieieva, K. O. Lohachova, A. Kyrychenko, S. M. Kovalenko, V. V. Ivanov and O. N. Kalugin, RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 35500 DOI: 10.1039/D3RA06479D

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