Identification and optimization of TDP1 inhibitors from anthraquinone and chalcone derivatives: consensus scoring virtual screening and molecular simulations

Virtual screening aims to identify and rank compounds with drug/lead-like properties based on their affinity for the protein target. We developed a methodology that integrates structure- and ligand-based screening approaches to enhance hit rates against the TDP1 protein within a database of anthraqu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moshawih, Said, Goh, Hui Poh, Kifli, Nurolaini, Darwesh, Mohammed Abd ElFattah, Ardianto, Chrismawan, Goh, Khang Wen, Long, Chiau Ming *
Format: Article
Published: Taylor and Francis Group 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2860/
https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2023.2256870
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Virtual screening aims to identify and rank compounds with drug/lead-like properties based on their affinity for the protein target. We developed a methodology that integrates structure- and ligand-based screening approaches to enhance hit rates against the TDP1 protein within a database of anthraquinone and chalcone derivatives, followed by evaluation of prioritized compounds through molecular simulations. This technique is particularly useful for training set imbalances. Four screening methods were used: QSAR, pharmacophore, shape similarity, and docking. Each method was individually trained to score compounds, and the scores were fused to create parallel Z-score fusion. The QSAR models exhibited satisfactory R2 values (0.84 to 0.75), whereas the pharmacophoric and shape similarity models demonstrated excellent performance (ROC:0.82–0.88). Docking enrichment analysis identified 6N0D as the optimal TDP1 crystal structure (ROC = 0.73). Remarkably, the consensus scoring method surpassed other screening methods, achieving the highest ROC value of 0.98. Docking screening prioritized compounds with binding modes resembling the co-crystallized ligands, whereas MMGBSA, consensus, and docking produced dynamic simulations that were as stable as the co-crystallized ligands. Additionally, the QSAR-selected compounds exhibited binding modes similar to those of commercially available TDP1 inhibitors. In this study, a strong correlation was found between the inhibitory concentrations and binding energy values of commercialized TDP1 inhibitors, indicating that the top-ranked compounds are expected to have potent inhibitory effects in the nano-/micromolar range. The results of this study establish that consensus scoring can be used as an adaptable mainstay virtual screening methodology, pending subsequent experimental validation for affirmation.