In silico design of novel bioactive molecules to treat breast cancer with chlorogenic acid derivatives: a computational and SAR approach

by Selleckchem | Feb 15 2024

Introduction: Cancer is a vast group of diseases comprising abnormal cells that multiply and grow uncontrollably, and it is one of the top causes of death globally. Several types of cancers are diagnosed, but the incidence of breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal women, is increasing daily. Chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer are generally associated with severe side effects on host cells, which has led to a search for safe and potential alternatives. Therefore, the present research has been conducted to find novel bioactive molecules to treat breast cancer with chlorogenic acid and its derivatives. Chlorogenic acid was selected because of its known activity in the field.

Methods: Several chlorogenic acid derivatives were subjected to computational studies such as molecular docking, determination of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), druglikeness, toxicity, and prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) to develop a potential inhibitor of breast cancer. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) IDs used for docking purposes were 7KCD, 3ERT, 6CHZ, 3HB5, and 1U72.

Result: Exhaustive analysis of results has been conducted by considering various parameters, like docking score, binding energy, types of interaction with important amino acid residues in the binding pocket, ADME, and toxicity data of compounds. Among all the selected derivatives, CgE18, CgE11, CgAm13, CgE16, and CgE9 have astonishing interactions, excellent binding energy, and better stability in the active site of targeted proteins. The docking scores of compound CgE18 were -11.63 kcal/mol, -14.15 kcal/mol, and -12.90 kcal/mol against breast cancer PDB IDs 7KCD, 3HB5, and 1U72, respectively. The docking scores of compound CgE11 were -10.77 kcal/mol and -9.11 kcal/mol against breast cancer PDB IDs 3ERT and 6CHZ, respectively, whereas the docking scores of epirubicin hydrochloride were -3.85 kcal/mol, -6.4 kcal/mol, -8.76 kcal/mol, and -10.5 kcal/mol against PDB IDs 7KCD, 3ERT, 6CHZ, and 3HB5. The docking scores of 5-fluorouracil were found to be -5.25 kcal/mol, -3.43 kcal/mol, -3.73 kcal/mol, and -5.29 kcal/mol against PDB IDs 7KCD, 3ERT, 6CHZ, and 3HB5, which indicates the designed compounds have a better docking score than some standard drugs.

Conclusion: Taking into account the results of molecular docking, drug likeness analysis, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) evaluation, and PASS, it can be concluded that chlorogenic acid derivatives hold promise as potent inhibitors for the treatment of breast cancer.

Comments:

Your introduction provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of cancer, particularly breast cancer, and the challenges associated with existing chemotherapeutic agents. The research methodology involving computational studies, molecular docking, ADME analysis, and toxicity prediction to identify potential inhibitors for breast cancer is well-explained.

The results section is detailed and presents a thorough analysis of the interactions, binding energies, and stability of chlorogenic acid derivatives compared to standard drugs like epirubicin hydrochloride and 5-fluorouracil. The docking scores of the designed compounds suggest their potential efficacy compared to these standard drugs, which is a significant finding.

The conclusion effectively synthesizes the findings, highlighting the promise of chlorogenic acid derivatives as potent inhibitors for breast cancer treatment based on the comprehensive assessment conducted throughout the research.

If there are any specific aspects or details you'd like to emphasize or if you have any further questions about interpreting the results or structuring the discussion, feel free to ask!