Discovery of a potent cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, S4, through docking-based pharmacophore screening, in vivo and in vitro estimations

Mol Biosyst. 2016 Jul 19;12(8):2541-51. doi: 10.1039/c6mb00229c.

Abstract

Cyclooxygenase (COX; EC: 1.14.99.1), the key enzyme in prostaglandin production in the human body, is a major pharmacological target for developing anti-inflammatory agents. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities when inhibiting COX-2 but cause gastrointestinal toxicity and other side effects because of concurrent inhibition of COX-1. Thus, potent and safe inhibitors against COX-2 are urgently required. We constructed a novel docking-based pharmacophore model for screening selective COX-2 inhibitors and discovered compounds S1, S2, S3, and S4, which apparently inhibit COX-2. Particularly, S4 inhibits COX-2 in vitro and shows a potent anti-inflammatory effect in vivo without cytotoxicity. Molecular docking analyses revealed that S4 interacted satisfactorily with the active site of COX-2 but not with that of COX-1. This reveals that S4 more specifically inhibits COX-2 and has potential for application in developing anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / chemistry
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacology
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / chemistry*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Drug Discovery* / methods
  • Female
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Mice
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Docking Simulation*
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Cyclooxygenase 2