Toward the Identification of Natural Antiviral Drug Candidates against Merkel Cell Polyomavirus: Computational Drug Design Approaches.

ABSTRACT: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare form of aggressive skin cancer mainly caused by Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Most MCC tumors express MCPyV large T (LT) antigens and play an important role in the growth-promoting activities of oncoproteins. Truncated LT promotes tumorigenicity as well as host cell proliferation by activating the viral replication machinery, and inhibition of this protein in humans drastically lowers cellular growth linked to the corresponding cancer. Our study was designed with the aim of identifying small molecular-like natural antiviral candidates that are able to inhibit the proliferation of malignant tumors, especially those that are aggressive, by blocking the activity of viral LT protein. To identify potential compounds against the target protein, a computa

SUBMITTER: Asseri AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9146542 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature