The principle of protease inhibitors is mainly to reduce or even disappear the protease activity by binding to some groups on the active center of the protease molecule, but not to denature the enzyme protein.
Specifically, there are two main mechanisms of action for protease inhibitors:
Competitive inhibition: Protease inhibitors bind to proteases, competitively occupying active sites, hindering the binding of substrates to proteases, thereby inhibiting enzyme activity.
Non competitive inhibition: Protease inhibitors bind to other sites of the protease, altering the conformation of the enzyme, preventing substrate binding or causing significant changes in enzyme activity, thereby inhibiting enzyme activity.
Protease inhibitors can inhibit the activity of protease, mainly in the final stage of AIDS virus replication. Because the protease is inhibited, the DNA formed from the infected CD4 cell nucleus cannot be gathered and released, so as to achieve the purpose of treating AIDS.
In addition, protease inhibitors can also be used to treat other diseases, such as inflammatory diseases, tumors, etc., by blocking the process of protein degradation and processing, achieving the goal of treating diseases.
Please note that protease inhibitors may cause some side effects, such as abnormal distribution of fat, elevated triglycerides or blood sugar. Therefore, when using them, it is important to follow the guidance of a doctor and undergo regular medical examinations to monitor the condition and side effects.
