Discovery of a new Bcl-2 inhibitor through synthesis, anticancer activity, docking and MD simulations

J Biomol Struct Dyn. 2024 May;42(8):4145-4154. doi: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2218934. Epub 2023 May 31.

Abstract

A database of 300 compounds was virtually screened and docked against Bcl-2 protein; the stability of the best-formed complex was evaluated through Molecular dynamics, the top ten compounds with the best in-silico complexation affinities were synthesized, and their In-vitro cytotoxic activity was examined. Thiazolidinone (4e) and isoxazoline (4a-d) were evaluated in-silico. For further evaluation and examination, we designed and synthesized from naturally occurring (R)-carvone and characterized it via spectroscopic analysis, as well as tested for their anticancer activities towards human cancer cell lines such as HT-1080 (fibrosarcome cancer), MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer) and A-549 (lung cancer) by using MTT method with Doxorubicin as standard drug. Among them, compound 4d showed the most promising anticancer activity against HT-1080, A-549, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC50 values of 15.59 ± 3.21 µM; 18.32 ± 2.73 µM; 17.28 ± 0.33 µM and 19.27 ± 2.73 µM respectively.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Keywords: Cancer; bcl-2 protein; cytotoxic activity; isoxazoline-thiazolidinone; molecular docking and dynamic; virtual screening.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Drug Discovery
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2* / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2* / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2