Progress and prospects on DENV protease inhibitors.

Area of Science:

• Virology and Drug Discovery
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Dengue fever cases are increasing globally, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
• The dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease is crucial for viral replication and a promising drug target.
• Protease inhibitors have shown success against viruses like HIV and HCV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide insights into the molecular mechanism of the dengue virus protease.
• To review current inhibitors targeting the dengue NS2B-NS3 protease from a medicinal chemistry perspective.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of published studies on dengue virus protease.
• Analysis of molecular mechanisms and inhibitor data.

Main Results:

• The NS2B-NS3 protease plays a vital role in polyprotein processing essential for viral genome replication.
• Various inhibitors targeting this protease have been reported, with potential for drug development.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the dengue protease mechanism and existing inhibitors is crucial for designing potent antiviral drugs.
• The NS2B-NS3 protease remains a high-priority target for novel dengue fever therapeutics.