Abstract

Attachment of a virus with a specific receptor on the cell surface is the first and foremost step in virus infection. In case of enveloped viruses, their interaction with the host cell receptor is mediated by viral encoded glycoproteins on its envelope, a host derived lipid bilayer. Since, virus entry is a multistep process, after receptor recognition, envelope proteins mediate internalisation of virus particles into the host cell. Envelope glycoproteins are the first proteins that the host immune system encounters upon infection. Thus, envelope proteins are important drug target with multiple strategies to inhibit entry of the virus into the host. Currently, there are very few drugs that function as envelope protein inhibitors which are approved for human use. Here, we reviewed different classes of envelope proteins of various viruses and emphasised the use of small molecules to inhibit fusion of envelope proteins. Based on the available information in the literature, envelope proteins can be important drug targets and small molecules inhibitors can serve as potential antiviral drugs to block viral infection at an initial stage.

摘要

病毒与细胞表面特定受体的附着是病毒感染的第一步，也是最重要的一步。在包膜病毒的情况下，它们与宿主细胞受体的相互作用由其包膜上的病毒编码糖蛋白介导，即宿主衍生的脂质双层。由于病毒进入是一个多步骤过程，在受体识别后，包膜蛋白介导病毒颗粒内化到宿主细胞中。包膜糖蛋白是宿主免疫系统在感染时遇到的第一种蛋白质。因此，包膜蛋白是重要的药物靶点，具有多种策略来抑制病毒进入宿主。目前，很少有药物可以用作被批准用于人类的包膜蛋白抑制剂。这里，我们回顾了各种病毒的不同类型的包膜蛋白，并强调了使用小分子来抑制包膜蛋白的融合。根据文献中的现有信息，包膜蛋白可以是重要的药物靶点，小分子抑制剂可以作为潜在的抗病毒药物，在初始阶段阻断病毒感染。