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Ullah A, Rehman NU, Islam WU, Khan F, Waqas M, Halim SA, Jan A, Muhsinah AB, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A. Identification of small molecular inhibitors of SIRT3 by computational and biochemical approaches a potential target of breast cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12475. [PMID: 38816444 PMCID: PMC11139978 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) belongs to the Sirtuin protein family, which consists of NAD+-dependent lysine deacylase, involved in the regulation of various cellular activities. Dysregulation of SIRT3 activity has been linked to several types of cancer, including breast cancer. Because of its ability to stimulate adaptive metabolic pathways, it can aid in the survival and proliferation of breast cancer cells. Finding new chemical compounds targeted towards SIRT3 was the primary goal of the current investigation. Virtual screening of ~ 800 compounds using molecular docking techniques yielded 8 active hits with favorable binding affinities and poses. Docking studies verified that the final eight compounds formed stable contacts with the catalytic domain of SIRT3. Those compounds have good pharmacokinetic/dynamic properties and gastrointestinal absorption. Based on excellent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, two compounds (MI-44 and MI-217) were subjected to MD simulation. Upon drug interaction, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate mild alterations in the structure of proteins and stability. Binding free energy calculations revealed that compounds MI-44 (- 45.61 ± 0.064 kcal/mol) and MI-217 (- 41.65 ± 0.089 kcal/mol) showed the maximum energy, suggesting an intense preference for the SIRT3 catalytic site for attachment. The in-vitro MTT assay on breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and an apoptotic assay for these potential compounds (MI-44/MI-217) was also performed, with flow cytometry to determine the compound's ability to cause apoptosis in breast cancer cells. The percentage of apoptotic cells (including early and late apoptotic cells) increased from 1.94% in control to 79.37% for MI-44 and 85.37% for MI-217 at 15 μM. Apoptotic cell death was effectively induced by these two compounds in a flow cytometry assay indicating them as a good inhibitor of human SIRT3. Based on our findings, MI-44 and MI-217 merit additional investigation as possible breast cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atta Ullah
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Najeeb Ur Rehman
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Waseem Ul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Faizullah Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Sobia Ahsan Halim
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman.
| | - Afnan Jan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullatif Bin Muhsinah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, 61441, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman.
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, 616 Birkat Al Mauz, PO Box 33, Nizwa, Oman.
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Ullah A, Ullah S, Halim SA, Waqas M, Ali B, Ataya FS, El-Sabbagh NM, Batiha GES, Avula SK, Csuk R, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A. Identification of new pharmacophore against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by multi-fold computational and biochemical techniques. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3590. [PMID: 38351259 PMCID: PMC10864406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53911-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 appeared as a highly contagious disease after its outbreak in December 2019 by the virus, named SARS-CoV-2. The threat, which originated in Wuhan, China, swiftly became an international emergency. Among different genomic products, spike protein of virus plays a crucial role in the initiation of the infection by binding to the human lung cells, therefore, SARS-CoV-2's spike protein is a promising therapeutic target. Using a combination of a structure-based virtual screening and biochemical assay, this study seeks possible therapeutic candidates that specifically target the viral spike protein. A database of ~ 850 naturally derived compounds was screened against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to find natural inhibitors. Using virtual screening and inhibitory experiments, we identified acetyl 11-keto-boswellic acid (AKBA) as a promising molecule for spike protein, which encouraged us to scan the rest of AKBA derivatives in our in-house database via 2D-similarity searching. Later 19 compounds with > 85% similarity with AKBA were selected and docked with receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein. Those hits declared significant interactions at the RBD interface, best possess and excellent drug-likeness and pharmacokinetics properties with high gastrointestinal absorption (GIA) without toxicity and allergenicity. Our in-silico observations were eventually validated by in vitro bioassay, interestingly, 10 compounds (A3, A4, C3, C6A, C6B, C6C, C6E, C6H, C6I, and C6J) displayed significant inhibitory ability with good percent inhibition (range: > 72-90). The compounds C3 (90.00%), C6E (91.00%), C6C (87.20%), and C6D (86.23%) demonstrated excellent anti-SARS CoV-2 spike protein activities. The docking interaction of high percent inhibition of inhibitor compounds C3 and C6E was confirmed by MD Simulation. In the molecular dynamics simulation, we observed the stable dynamics of spike protein inhibitor complexes and the influence of inhibitor binding on the protein's conformational arrangements. The binding free energy ΔGTOTAL of C3 (-38.0 ± 0.08 kcal/mol) and C6E (-41.98 ± 0.08 kcal/mol) respectively indicate a strong binding affinity to Spike protein active pocket. These findings demonstrate that these molecules particularly inhibit the function of spike protein and, therefore have the potential to be evaluated as drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atta Ullah
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Saeed Ullah
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Sobia Ahsan Halim
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Basharat Ali
- Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (SA-CIRBS), International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Farid S Ataya
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasser M El-Sabbagh
- Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Edfina, Egypt
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, AlBeheira, Egypt
| | - Satya Kumar Avula
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Rene Csuk
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman.
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat-Ul-Mouz, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman.
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3
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Jonniya NA, Poddar S, Mahapatra S, Kar P. Computer-aided Affinity Enhancement of a Cross-reactive Antibody against Dengue Virus Envelope Domain III. Cell Biochem Biophys 2023; 81:737-755. [PMID: 37735329 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The dengue virus (DENV), composed of four distinct but serologically related Flaviviruses, causes the most important emerging viral disease, with nearly 400 million infections yearly. Currently, there are no approved therapies. Although DENV infection induces lifelong immunity against the same serotype, the antibodies raised contribute to severe disease in heterotypic infections. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of DENV neutralization by antibodies is crucial in the design of vaccines against all serotypes. This study reports a comparative structural and energetic analysis of the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4E11 in complex with its target domain III of the envelope protein for all four DENV serotypes. We use extensive replica molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with the binding free energy calculations. Further single point and double mutations were designed through computational site-directed mutagenesis and observed that the re-engineered antibody exhibits high affinity to binding and broadly neutralizing activity against serotypes. Our results showed improved binding affinity by the gain of enthalpy, which could be attributed to the stabilization of salt-bridge and hydrogen bond interactions at the antigen-antibody interface. The findings provide valuable results in understanding the structural dynamics and energetic contributions that will be helpful to the design of high-affinity antibodies against dengue infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Sayan Poddar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Subhasmita Mahapatra
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India.
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Ullah A, Waqas M, Halim SA, Daud M, Jan A, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A. Sirtuin 1 inhibition: a promising avenue to suppress cancer progression through small inhibitors design. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-17. [PMID: 37661778 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2252898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
SIRT1 is a protein associated with vital cell functions such as gene regulation, metabolism, ageing, and cellular energy restoration. Its association with the tumor suppressor protein p53 is essential for controlling the growth of cells, apoptosis, and response to DNA damage. By raising p53 acetylation, encouraging apoptosis, and reducing cell proliferation, inhibiting SIRT1's catalytic domain, which interacts with p53, shows potential as a cancer treatment. The aim of the study is to find compounds that could inhibit SIRT1 and thus lower the proliferation of cancer cells. Employing molecular docking techniques, a virtual screening of ∼900 compounds (isolated from medicinal plants and derivatives) gave us 13 active compounds with good binding affinity. Additional evaluation of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties led to the selection of eight compounds with desirable properties. Docking analysis confirmed stable interactions between the final eight compounds (C1-C8) and the SIRT1 catalytic domain. Molecular dynamics simulations show overall stability and moderate changes in protein structure upon compound binding. The compactness of the protein indicated the protein's tight packing upon the inhibitors binding. Binding free energy calculations revealed that compounds C2 (-49.96 ± 0.073 kcal/mol and C1 (-44.79 ± 0.077 kcal/mol) exhibited the highest energy, indicating strong binding affinity to the SIRT1 catalytic domain. These compounds, along with C8, C5, C6, C3, C4 and C7, showed promising potential as SIRT1 inhibitors. Based on their ability to reduce SIRT1 activity and increase apoptosis, the eight chemicals discovered in this work may be useful in treating cancer.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atta Ullah
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Hazara University Mansehra, Dhodial, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Ahsan Halim
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Muhammad Daud
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Afnan Jan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
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5
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Sk MF, Kar P. Finding inhibitors and deciphering inhibitor-induced conformational plasticity in the Janus kinase via multiscale simulations. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 33:833-859. [PMID: 36398489 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2022.2145352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Janus kinase (JAK) is a master regulator of the JAK/STAT pathway. Dysregulation of this signalling cascade causes neuroinflammation and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, JAKs have been characterized as an attractive target for developing anti-inflammatory drugs. Nowadays, designing efficient, effective, and specific targeted therapeutics without being cytotoxic has gained interest. We performed the virtual screening of natural products in combination with pharmacological analyses. Subsequently, we performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the stability of the ligand-bound complexes and ligand-induced inactive conformations. Notably, inactive kinases display remarkable conformational plasticity; however, ligand-induced molecular mechanisms of these conformations are still poorly understood. Herein, we performed a free energy landscape analysis to explore the conformational plasticity of the JAK1 kinase. Leonurine, STOCK1N-68642, STOCK1N-82656, and STOCK1N-85809 bound JAK1 exhibited a smooth transition from an active (αC-in) to a completely inactive conformation (αC-out). Ligand binding induces disorders in the αC-helix. Molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) calculation suggested three phytochemicals, namely STOCK1N-68642, Epicatechin, and STOCK1N-98615, have higher binding affinity compared to other ligand molecules. The ligand-induced conformational plasticity revealed by our simulations differs significantly from the available crystal structures, which might help in designing allosteric drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Sk
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, India
| | - P Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, India
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He S, Nahhas AF, Habib AH, Alshehri MA, Alshamrani S, Asiri SA, Alnamshan MM, Helmi N, Al-Dhuayan I, Almulhim J, Alharbi AM, Su D, Kumari A, Rahaman A. Identification of compelling inhibitors of human norovirus 3CL protease to combat gastroenteritis: A structure-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics study. Front Chem 2022; 10:1034911. [PMID: 36247661 PMCID: PMC9561104 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1034911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human noroviruses (NV) are the most prevalent cause of sporadic and pandemic acute gastroenteritis. NV infections cause substantial morbidity and death globally, especially amongst the aged, immunocompromised individuals, and children. There are presently no authorized NV vaccines, small-molecule therapies, or prophylactics for humans. NV 3 C L protease (3CLP) has been identified as a promising therapeutic target for anti-NV drug development. Herein, we employed a structure-based virtual screening method to screen a library of 700 antiviral compounds against the active site residues of 3CLP. We report three compounds, Sorafenib, YM201636, and LDC4297, that were revealed to have a higher binding energy (BE) value with 3CLP than the control (Dipeptidyl inhibitor 7) following a sequential screening, in-depth molecular docking and visualization, physicochemical and pharmacological property analysis, and molecular dynamics (MD) study. Sorafenib, YM201636, and LDC4297 had BEs of -11.67, -10.34, and -9.78 kcal/mol with 3CLP, respectively, while control had a BE of -6.38 kcal/mol. Furthermore, MD simulations of the two best compounds and control were used to further optimize the interactions, and a 100 ns MD simulation revealed that they form stable complexes with 3CLP. The estimated physicochemical, drug-like, and ADMET properties of these hits suggest that they might be employed as 3CLP inhibitors in the management of gastroenteritis. However, wet lab tests are a prerequisite to optimize them as NV 3CLP inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute for Nano Scale and Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Suzhou Ultra-Water-Cleaning Tech, Pty, Ltd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Alaa F. Nahhas
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Hamed Habib
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ali Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh Alshamrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saeed A. Asiri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael M. Alnamshan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nawal Helmi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibtesam Al-Dhuayan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jawaher Almulhim
- Department of Biological Sciences, King Faisal University, Alahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M. Alharbi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dongxiao Su
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Dongxiao Su, ; Ankita Kumari, ; Abdul Rahaman,
| | - Ankita Kumari
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South china University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Dongxiao Su, ; Ankita Kumari, ; Abdul Rahaman,
| | - Abdul Rahaman
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South china University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Dongxiao Su, ; Ankita Kumari, ; Abdul Rahaman,
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7
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Xiu M, Li L, Li Y, Gao Y. An update regarding the role of WNK kinases in cancer. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:795. [PMID: 36123332 PMCID: PMC9485243 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05249-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian WNK kinases (WNKs) are serine/threonine kinases that contain four members, WNK1-4. They function to maintain ion homeostasis and regulate blood pressure in mammals. Recent studies have revealed that the dysregulation of WNKs contributes to tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis through complex mechanisms, especially through phosphorylating kinase substrates SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) and oxidative stress-responsive kinase 1 (OSR1). Here, we review and discuss the relationships between WNKs and several key factors/biological processes in cancer, including ion channels, cation chloride cotransporters, sodium bicarbonate cotransporters, signaling pathways, angiogenesis, autophagy, and non-coding RNAs. In addition, the potential drugs for targeting WNK-SPAK/OSR1 signaling have also been discussed. This review summarizes and discusses knowledge of the roles of WNKs in cancer, which provides a comprehensive reference for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Xiu
- grid.24516.340000000123704535Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200120 Shanghai, China
| | - Li Li
- grid.24516.340000000123704535Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200120 Shanghai, China
| | - Yandong Li
- grid.24516.340000000123704535Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200120 Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Gao
- grid.24516.340000000123704535Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200120 Shanghai, China
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Jonniya NA, Sk MF, Roy R, Kar P. Discovery of potential competitive inhibitors against With-No-Lysine kinase 1 for treating hypertension by virtual screening, inverse pharmacophore-based lead optimization, and molecular dynamics simulations. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 33:63-87. [PMID: 35078380 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2021.2023218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The With-No-Lysine (WNK) has received attention because of its involvement in hypertension. Genetic mutation in the genes of WNK, leading to its overexpression, has been reported in Familial Hyperkalaemic Hypertension, and thus WNK is considered a potential drug target. Herein, we have performed a high-throughput virtual screening of ~11,000 compounds, mainly the natural phytochemical compounds and kinase inhibitory libraries, to find potential competitive inhibitors against WNK1. Initially, candidates with a docking score of ~ -10.0 kcal/mol or less were selected to further screen their good pharmacological properties by applying absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET). Finally, six docked compounds bearing appreciable binding affinities and WNK1 selectivity were complimented with 500 ns long all-atom molecular dynamic simulations. Subsequently, the MMPBSA scheme (Molecular Mechanics Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area) suggested three phytochemical compounds, C00000947, C00020451, and C00005031, with favourable binding affinity against WNK1. Among them, C00000947 acts as the most potent competitive inhibitor of WNK1. Further, inverse pharmacophore-based lead optimization of the C00000947 leads to one potential compound, meciadanol, which shows better binding affinity and specificity than C00000947 towards WNK1, which may be further exploited to develop effective therapeutics against WNK1-associated hypertension after in vitro and in vivo validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, India
| | - M F Sk
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, India
| | - R Roy
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, India
| | - P Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, India
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Indari O, Sk MF, Jakhmola S, Jonniya NA, Jha HC, Kar P. Decoding the Host-Parasite Protein Interactions Involved in Cerebral Malaria Through Glares of Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:387-402. [PMID: 34989590 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c07850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Malaria causes millions of deaths every year. The malaria parasite spends a substantial part of its life cycle inside human erythrocytes. Inside erythrocytes, it synthesizes and displays various proteins onto the erythrocyte surface, such as Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic membrane protein-1 (PfEMP1). This protein contains cysteine-rich interdomain region (CIDR) domains which have many subtypes based on sequence diversity and can cross-talk with host molecules. The CIDRα1.4 subtype can attach host endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR). This interaction facilitates infected erythrocyte adherence to brain endothelium and subsequent development of cerebral malaria. Through molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) method, we explored the mechanism of interaction in the CIDRα1-EPCR complex. We examined the structural behavior of two CIDRα1 molecules (encoded by HB3-isolate var03-gene and IT4-isolate var07-gene) with EPCR unbound and bound (complex) forms. HB3var03CIDRα1 in apo and complexed with EPCR was comparatively more stable than IT4var07CIDRα1. Both of the complexes adopted two distinct conformational energy states. The hydrophobic residues played a crucial role in the binding of both complexes. For HB3var03CIDRα1-EPCR, the dominant energetic components were total polar interactions, while in IT4var07CIDRα1-EPCR, the primary interaction was van der Waals and nonpolar solvation energy. The study also revealed details such as correlated conformational motions and secondary structure evolution. Further, it elucidated various hotspot residues involved in protein-protein recognition. Overall, our study provides additional information on the structural behavior of CIDR molecules in unbound and receptor-bound states, which will help to design potent inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkar Indari
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
| | - Md Fulbabu Sk
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
| | - Shweta Jakhmola
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
| | - Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, MP 453552, India
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Identification of Potent Natural Resource Small Molecule Inhibitor to Control Vibrio cholera by Targeting Its Outer Membrane Protein U: An In Silico Approach. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26216517. [PMID: 34770925 PMCID: PMC8588037 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae causes the diarrheal disease cholera which affects millions of people globally. The outer membrane protein U (OmpU) is the outer membrane protein that is most prevalent in V. cholerae and has already been recognized as a critical component of pathogenicity involved in host cell contact and as being necessary for the survival of pathogenic V. cholerae in the host body. Computational approaches were used in this study to screen a total of 37,709 natural compounds from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) database against the active site of OmpU. Following a sequential screening of the TCM database, we report three lead compounds-ZINC06494587, ZINC85510056, and ZINC95910434-that bind strongly to OmpU, with binding affinity values of -8.92, -8.12, and -8.78 kcal/mol, which were higher than the control ligand (-7.0 kcal/mol). To optimize the interaction, several 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed, and the resulting complexes were shown to be stable in their vicinity. Additionally, these compounds were predicted to have good drug-like properties based on physicochemical properties and ADMET assessments. This study suggests that further research be conducted on these compounds to determine their potential use as cholera disease treatment.
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Jonniya NA, Zhang J, Kar P. Molecular Mechanism of Inhibiting WNK Binding to OSR1 by Targeting the Allosteric Pocket of the OSR1-CCT Domain with Potential Antihypertensive Inhibitors: An In Silico Study. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:9115-9129. [PMID: 34369793 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c04672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The oxidative-stress-responsive kinase 1 (OSR1) and the STE20/SPS1-related proline-alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) are physiological substrates of the with-no-lysine (WNK) kinase. They are the master regulators of cation Cl- cotransporters that could be targeted for discovering novel antihypertensive agents. Both kinases have a conserved carboxy-terminal (CCT) domain that recognizes a unique peptide motif (Arg-Phe-Xaa-Val) present in their upstream kinases and downstream substrates. Here, we have combined molecular docking with molecular dynamics simulations and free-energy calculations to identify potential inhibitors that can bind to the allosteric pocket of the OSR1-CCT domain and impede its interaction with the WNK peptide. Our study revealed that STOCK1S-14279 and Closantel bound strongly to the allosteric pocket of OSR1 and displaced the WNK peptide from the primary pocket of OSR1. We showed that primarily Arg1004 and Gln1006 of the WNK4-peptide motif were involved in strong H-bond interactions with Glu453 and Arg451 of OSR1. Besides, our study revealed that atoms of Arg1004 were solvent-exposed in cases of STOCK1S-14279 and Closantel, implying that the WNK4 peptide was moved out of the pocket. Overall, the predicted potential inhibitors altogether abolish the OSR1-WNK4-peptide interaction, suggesting their potency as a prospective allosteric inhibitor against OSR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, U.K
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
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Jakhmola S, Jonniya NA, Sk MF, Rani A, Kar P, Jha HC. Identification of Potential Inhibitors against Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1): An Insight from Docking and Molecular Dynamic Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3060-3072. [PMID: 34340305 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a known tumorigenic virus, is associated with various neuropathies, including multiple sclerosis (MS). However, there is no anti-EBV FDA-approved drug available in the market. Our study targeted EBV protein EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), crucial in virus replication and expressed in all the stages of viral latencies. This dimeric protein binds to an 18 bp palindromic DNA sequence and initiates the process of viral replication. We chose phytochemicals and FDA-approved MS drugs based on literature survey followed by their evaluation efficacies as anti-EBNA1 molecules. Molecular docking revealed FDA drugs ozanimod, siponimod, teriflunomide, and phytochemicals; emodin; protoapigenone; and EGCG bound to EBNA1 with high affinities. ADMET and Lipinski's rule analysis of the phytochemicals predicted favorable druggability. We supported our assessments of pocket druggability with molecular dynamics simulations and binding affinity predictions by the molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) method. Our results establish a stable binding for siponimod and ozanimod with EBNA1 mainly via van der Waals interactions. We identified hot spot residues like I481', K477', L582', and K586' in the binding of ligands. In particular, K477' at the amino terminal of EBNA1 is known to establish interaction with two bases at the major groove of the DNA. Siponimod bound to EBNA1 engaging K477', thus plausibly making it unavailable for DNA interaction. Computational alanine scanning further supported the significant roles of K477', I481', and K586' in the binding of ligands with EBNA1. Conclusively, the compounds showed promising results to be used against EBNA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Jakhmola
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Computational Biophysics Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Md Fulbabu Sk
- Computational Biophysics Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Annu Rani
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Computational Biophysics Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 453552, India
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