In Silico Drug Designing for the Treatment of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a significant global health issue, especially in developing countries where limited resources and access to health services pose challenges. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer and plays a crucial role in its development. Despite the availability of prophylactic vaccines, effective treatment options for patients with pre-existing HPV infections or HPV-induced carcinomas remain elusive. High-risk (HR) HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins serve as biomarkers in cervical cancer progression. Research has focused on these proteins as potential targets for novel therapeutics and to find a novel compound that can overcome the problem of drug ineffectiveness in cancerous cells as they become multi-drug resistant to the existing drugs and treatments. Computational-aided methods, including in silico approaches, have been valuable in discovering and developing small molecules that can block or inhibit the action of the E6 oncoproteins. This review discusses existing small molecules explored as HPV E6 protein blockers and outlines future perspectives in cervical cancer therapy. In molecular docking studies, it is identified that four compounds exhibit the properties of a lead molecule, possess more negative binding energy, and form a highly stable ligand-receptor complex. These four compounds will help in future research and development. Advancing these compounds through further studies will help develop potential and effective drugs for treating cervical cancer.