In order to successfully develop drugs for viruses, we must first understand the life history of the virus at each stage after the virus enters the human body, and find the drug target at each stage to block its replication as the therapeutic goal. Professor Wu Hongyi took the coronavirus as an example to illustrate, and divided the development of therapeutic drugs into the following four categories according to the life history of the virus: Prevent viruses from entering cells: To be able to enter cells, viruses need to rely on their own specific proteins to bind to receptors in the target cells.
Scientists can use computers to help screen out drugs Photo Manipulation Service with structures that can bind to the protein by solving the structure of the virus protein, preventing the virus from entering cells. Prevent virus replication: When the virus successfully infects the cell, it will uncoat, and then induce the cell's replication machinery to help itself produce the virus's genetic material and make more viral proteins according to the instructions on the virus's nucleic acid. The virus needs the help of a specific protein throughout the process, so if a drug can inhibit the function of this protein, it can block the virus's replication process. Block viral assembly: After the virus abducts cells to help make nucleic acid and protein parts, they need to be assembled.
During this period, some protein helpers are also needed to assist in the assembly, and these "reverse in the nest" helpers have also become the targets of scientists when developing drugs. Prevent virus release from cells: After successfully replicating in a host cell, the virus will want to get out of the cell. What is the purpose? Of course infecting more cells! At this time, the protein that the virus needs will become another target that scientists hope to inhibit. It is very difficult to completely eliminate it. What we should think about is how to "coexist" with the virus In fact, viruses are not entirely without benefits to humans. Viruses, such as bacteriophages, can be genetically engineered into weapons that help humans fight specific bacteria.