Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 www.ijcem.com /ISSN:1940-5901/IJCEM0015766 Original Article Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives on lung cancer: molecular docking, QSAR, ADME/T and In-Vitro analysis Zhi-Qiang Sun1, Rui-Fang Li2, Sheng-Yan Jin3 1Department of Pharmacy, The 1st Affiliated Hospital of He’nan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P. R. China; 2Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P. R. China; 3Department of Neurology, Luoyang Center Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Luoy- ang, Henan 471009, P. R. China Received September 7, 2015; Accepted January 7, 2016; Epub February 15, 2016; Published February 29, 2016 Abstract: In the present work, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model of glycyrrhetinic acid deriva- tive targeting lung cancer cell line (A549) were developed by multiple linear regression approaches. The r2 and rCV2 of the QSAR model were taken 0.90 and 0.80 respectively in terms of correlation. This QSAR study indicates that the Lambda Max Visible (nm), Dipole Moment (debye), nitro and amine functional groups are within lung cancer cytotoxicity profile. Exploration of drug likeness, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) and tox- icity analysis showed that one of the glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives (1c) may exhibit good anticancer activity and on comparison showed two times more potency then standard drug paclitaxel. The molecular docking analysis showed 1c compound binding affectively with lung cancer target epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR). The invitro study of the same compound showed results that were in collaboration with our Insilico results. Keywords: Glycyrrhetinic acid, QSAR, docking, ADME, human lung cancer (A-549) Introduction Plants have been an important and rich source for the novel drugs and more recent studies Cancer, a malady defined by the uncontrolled have further confirmed their continued impor- growth of abnormal cells is a major cause of tance in drug discovery [3]. At present more death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million than 60% FDA approved anticancer drugs are of deaths in 2008 which is around 13% of total plant origin [4]. Over the past few years triterpe- deaths developed as well as in developing noids from higher plants have shown a wide countries [1]. In 2014, it was estimated that range of biological activities such as anti-HIV 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed and activity, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti- 585,720 cancer deaths in the US alone and the viral activity [5]. The roots of licorice (Glycyrrhiza same agency reported that cancer remains the glabra and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer) are a second most common cause of death in the rich source of glycyrrhizin, which on acidic US, accounting for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths hydrolysis provides the triterpenoid, 18β-glycy- [2]. Lung cancer is the leading cause of mortali- rrhetinic acid (GA-1) as aglycone. GA-1 has ties than any other cancer in both men and shown many biological activities such as antitu- women. The American Cancer Society estimat- mor, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti- ed that in 2013 about 174,100 cancer deaths viral, and immunomodulatory activities [6-8]. It will be caused by tobacco use. On the other has been reported that glycyrrhizin and glycyr- hand the World Cancer Research Fund estimat- rhetinic acid possess moderate cytotoxicity and ed that about one quarter to one-third (approxi- apoptotic effects on the cancer cells [9] and a mately, 1,660,290) of the new lung cancer QSAR guided structural modification of glycyr- cases will be diagnosed in 2013. While great rhetinic acid may result in the development of efforts have been made to tackle the disease novel anticancer compounds [10]. over past few decades, it still continues to be a major health menace. Medicinal chemists are In the present study QSAR model was devel- tirelessly exploring for a better and more suit- oped to study glycyrrhetinic acid derivative, able cancer therapeutic. their cytotoxicity activity were tested and fur- Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Molecular docking simula- tions AutoDock 4 program [13] was used to explore the ligand- receptor interaction at the anticancer target protein EG- FR for human lung cancer PDB ID: 2GS7 binding site and to obtain an accurate binding model for the complexes. This program estimates the total interaction energy between a Figure 1. Graphical plot of multiple linear regression analysis which indicates ligand and a selected portion linear relationship between experimental and predicted log IC (µM). 50 of the protein containing the binding site using a genetic ther screening was done on basis of drug like- algorithm. The first step of the study was the ness and ADME properties. The top compound validation of the docking method performance generated from this analysis was tested using on the system to be modeled. The starting point molecular docking and simulation analysis, fur- was the 3D structure of a co-crystallized com- ther to validate our results the compound was plex EGFR (PDB code 2GS7). Docking scoring subjected to invitro analysis. function considers several factors involved in the ligand-receptor interaction, hydrophobicity, Materials and method polarity, repulsiveness, entropy and solvation. Docking parameters include ligand flexibility Structural modeling and energy minimization and rigid protein structure; all other parameters were assigned to their default values. The glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives and their “in -vitro” biological activity (IC values) were Development of QSAR model for lung cancer 50 taken for QSAR studies. The molecular struc- (A-549) tures of all of these compounds and their cor- responding IC values are displayed in Table To predict the cytotoxicity activity against lung 50 S1. ChemBioDraw Ultra v12.0 software provid- cancer cell line (A-549) a QSAR model was ed by Cambridge Soft Corporation, Washington developed, where multiple linear regression was used for designing structure of the mole- QSAR model was used for validation. It was cules. SPDBV viewer [11] was used for energy observed that training set cytotoxicity drugs/ minimization of the EGFR structure [12]. compounds fit well in this model and four molecular descriptors; Lambda Max Visible Chemical descriptors and QSAR modeling (nm), Dipole Moment (debye), nitro and amine, parameters functional groups counts strongly correlated well with cytotoxicity activity. 28 known anticancer drugs with activities were selected in the training data set for the devel- QSAR model equation - opment of QSAR model for activity prediction against human lung cancer cell line A-549 Predicted log IC (µM) = -0.012363 × Lambda using standard 50 chemical descriptors calcu- 50 Max Visible (nm) +0.782079 × Group Count lated for each compound (Table S2). A total of 4 (amine) +0.14071 × Dipole Moment (debye) known anticancer drugs with experimental -0.769541 × Group Count (nitro) -3.83299. activities were selected in the test data set. The anti-cancer activity was in IC (µM). Default The r2 = 0.9048, refers regression coefficient 50 parameters were set as selection criteria and which indicates 80% of correlation between highly correlated descriptors were excluded by activity and chemical descriptors of training using correlation matrix or co-variance analysis data set while rCV2 = 0.8040, refers cross vali- (Table S3). Finally, robust QSAR model was dation regression coefficient which indicates developed by using forward stepwise multiple 80% prediction accuracy of QSAR model (Figure linear regression (MLR) statistical method. 1). It is evident from the above equation that 3063 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Table 1. Predicted lung cancer (A-459) activ- logBB penetration and permeability studies. ity (IC µM) of glycyrrhetinic acid dervatives Process of excreting the compound from 50 human body depends on MW and logP. Higher S. No. Compound Name Pred. log IC (µM) 50 compound lipophilicity leads to increased 1. 1a 1.462 metabolism and poor absorption. The descrip- 2. 1b 1.112 tors values of 90% orally active compounds fol- 3. 1c 1.044 lows Lipinski’s rule. The bioavailability of com- pounds was evaluated by topological polar 4. 1d 1.354 surface area (TPSA) value. The number of rotat- 5. 1e 1.252 able bonds should be less than 10 for oral bio- 6. 1f 1.331 availability. Some researchers use the sum of 7. 1g 1.172 H-bond donors and acceptors may be ≤12 as a 8. 1h 1.110 secondary determinant of fractional absorp- tion. 9. 1i 1.254 10. 1j 1.132 Invitro assessment 11. 1k 1.254 All the experiments were carried out on A-549 12. 1l 1.154 NSCLC cells, which were obtained from the hos- 13. 1o 1.265 pitals cell Collection center. The obtained cells 14. 1m 1.235 were grown DMEM subjected with 10% fetal 15. 1n 1.026 bovine serum and were kept in humidified 95% 16. 1p 1.251 air, 5% CO at 37°C temperature. The cells used 2 for the experiment were tested for mycoplasma 17. 1q 1.251 and only mycoplasm free cells were used. The 18. 1r 1.087 culture of the cells was adjusted to exponential 19. 1s 1.254 growth before the experiments were per- 20. 1t 1.294 formed. Varying concentration of the top lead compounds was subjected to the cells and were incubated for 72 hr. MTT (3-(4,5-Dime- the molecular descriptors, dipole moment and thylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromi- amine group counts are showing positive cor- de) assay was performed . The experimental relation. On the other hand, Lambda Max culture was given 100 μl of MTT reagent and Visible and nitro group counts are showing neg- incubated for 45 min at 37°C, MTT solution ative correlation. was removed and the pallets were then incu- bated for 20 min at 37°C after addition of 180 Evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters μl of DMSO in each well. The absorbance was measured at 560 nm with reference of 690 nm Most of drugs failed during clinical trials due to using a Tecan Infinite F 200 micro-plate poor pharmacokinetics parameters due to mis- reader. match of standard pharmacokinetic properties, described as absorption, distribution, metabo- Results and discussion lism, excretion and toxicity [14]. These proper- ties are important in order to determine the A QSAR model was developed in this study to success of the compound for human therapeu- calculate the physico-chemical properties of known anticancer compounds having experi- tic use. Some important chemical descriptors mental anticancer activity against lung cancer correlate well with ADMET properties such as cell line (A-549) for the training set. QSAR polar surface area (PSA) as a primary determi- model validation used leave-one-out (LOO) nant of fraction absorption, low molecular approach and evaluated the model through weight (MW) for oral absorption. The distribu- test data set, which also showed significant tion of compound in human depends on factors accuracy of QSAR model. e.g., permeability (apparent Caco-2, blood- brain barrier (logBB), logKp for skin and MDCK High throughput virtual screening of glycyrrhe- permeability), the volume of distribution and tinic acid derivatives for cytotoxic activity plasma protein binding refer by logKhsa for serum protein binding. The octanol-water parti- We screened a virtually designed glycyrrhetinic tion coefficient (logP) has been implicated in acid derivatives after developing a QSAR model 3064 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Table 2. Comparison of docking score and binding site residues of studied compounds against the anticancer target EGFR S. Total Compound Biding pocket residue in (4Å) No energy 1. 1c 4.1953 VAL-726, ALA-743, CYS-775, MET-790, GLN-791, ASP-800, GLU-804, LEU-844, THR-854, 2. 1b 5.3674 VAL-726, GLU-762, MET-766, LEU-777, CYS-797, ASP-800, GLU-804, LEU-844, THR-854, PHE-856, ASP-855, 3. 1n 3.5291 VAL-726, ALA-743, LEU-745, MET-766, MET-790, GLY-796, CYS-797, ASP-800, GLU-804, LEU-844, THR-854, PHE-856, 4. Paclitaxel 2.5354 ALA-743, MET-790, ASP-800, GLU-804, PHE-856, ASP-855, PHE-856, Figure 2. A: Compound 1b was docked onto the anticancer binding site of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (PDB: 2GS7) conformation and total docking score of 5.3674. B: Compound 1c was docked onto the anticancer binding site of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (PDB: 2GS7) conformation and total docking score of 4.1367. C: Compound 1n was docked onto the anticancer binding site of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (PDB: 2GS7) conformation and total docking score of 4.3564. (Figure S1) and results summarized in the Table acid 1c, 1b and 1n were most active and pos- 1. QSAR results showed that out of 20 deriva- sessed almost equivalent cytotoxic activity as tives, glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives (1b, 1c, 1h, control compound. 1j, 1n, and 1r) were predicted more active than Molecular docking simulation against EGFR control compound paclitaxel. Further robust analysis of the most active derivatives showed As part of this study molecular docking studies that ethyl oxalyl derivatives of glycyrrhetinic were performed to simulate the coupling of a 3065 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Table 3. Compliance of pharmacokinetics (ADME) computational parameters of glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives Principal Descriptors: 1b 1c 1n Paclitaxel Stand. Range Apparent Caco-2 Permeability (nm/sec) 118 31 15 55 (<25 poor, >500 great) logBB for brain/blood 0.771 -1.716 2.06 -2.489 (-3.0/1.2) Log IC for HERG K+ Channel Blockage 1.774 -2.842 3.57 -6.021 (concern below -5) 50 Log Kp for skin permeability 3.865 -4.798 4.89 -3.302 (-8.0 to -1.0, Kp in cm/hr) Log S for aqueous solubility 6.333 -8.027 9.02 -5.797 (-6.5/0.5) Log Khsa Serum Protein Binding 1.040 1.311 1.74 0.799 (-1.5/1.5) Apparent MDCK Permeability (nm/sec) 62 14 7 21 (<25 poor, >500 great) Lipinski Rule of 5 Violations 1 2 2 3 maximum is 4 %Human Oral Absorption in GI (±20%) 81 61 61 49 (<25% is poor) Qual. Model for Human Oral Absorption low low low low (>80% is high) Foot Note: logS = Predicted aqueous solubility. logHERG = Predicted IC value for blockage of HERG K+ channels. PCaco = 50 Predicted apparent Caco-2 cell permeability in nm/sec. logBB = Predicted brain/blood partition coefficient. PMDCK = Predict- ed apparent MDCK cell permeability in nm/sec. logKp = Predicted skin permeability. logKhsa = Prediction of binding to human serum albumin. Human Oral Absorption = Predicted qualitative human oral absorption. %Human-Oral Absorption = Predicted human oral absorption on 0 to 100% scale. series of top three glycyrrhetinic acid deriva- dues within a radius of 4Å were basic residue tives (1b, 1c, and 1n) modulate the human lung ARG-110, THR-854, CYS-797, Phe-856, VAL- cancer target EGFR and to study their interac- 726, ASP-800, Glu-804, Ala-743, Gly-796, Leu- tion. Results of our molecular docking studies 745, Leu-844, Met-776 and Met-790; thus also showed the similar mechanism of action. bound compound showed strong hydrophobic These docking results suggest that studied interaction and lead to more stability and activ- compounds inhibit the activity of EGFR (Table ity (Figure 2C). 2). On the other hand, the molecular docking Compliance with pharmacokinetic parameters analysis results for 1b against target protein EGFR showed high binding affinity docking In this studies, considered many physiochemi- score indicated by total score of 5.3674. In cal properties related to pharmacokinetic, docking pose, the chemical nature of binding when screening for active glycyrrhetinic acid site residues within a radius of 4Å residue VAL- derivatives. All of the derivatives explore fol- 726; Thr-854, CYS-229, Asp-855, Glu-800, lowed by Lipinski’s rule of five. Similarly, the Glu-804, Leu-844, Met-766, Phe-856, there- ADME parameters were calculated for the fore bound compound showed strong hydro- active glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives viz., com- phobic interaction and lead to more stability pounds 1b, 1c and 1n. The values of these and activity (Figure 2A). Similarly, docking parameters also showed close resemblance results for 1c against anti-cancer target EGFR with these derivatives and lie within the stan- showed high binding affinity docking score indi- dard range of values exhibited by 95% of all cated by total score of 4.1367. In docking pose known available drugs, these values for the of the 1c, EGFR complex, the chemical nature predicted active glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives of binding site residues within a radius of 4Å lie within the standard range, generally were acidic residue Asp-800, Glu-804, Ala-743, observed for the drugs (Table 3). Most of the Gly-796, Leu-844, Met-790, Val-726, Thr-854, glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives have polarities CYS-229 and Gln-791 therefore bound com- that enabled better permeation and absorp- pound showed strong hydrophobic interaction tion, as revealed by the number of H-bond with EGFR, thus lead to more stability and donors and H-bond acceptors. activity in this compound (Figure 2B). Lastly, the molecular docking analysis results for 1n Compliance with toxicity risk assessment against target protein target protein EGFR parameters showed high binding affinity docking score indi- cated by total score of 4.3564. In docking It is now possible to predict activity and toxicity pose, the chemical nature of binding site resi- risks of compounds through Osiris calculator. 3066 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Table 4. Compliance of the active glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives with the and the readings were standard intervals for computational toxicity risk parameters calculated after 72 hrs, the 1n compounds (Fig- Compound- Toxicity risk parameters Drug likeness parameters (Osiris) ure 3) is showing the name MUT TUMO IRRI REP CLP S MW DL DS best results at all given 1b No risk No risk No risk No risk 5.1 -5.96 484 -2.25 0.2 concentration and its 1c No risk No risk No risk No risk 5.12 -6.27 584 -16.08 0.14 result at all concentra- 1n No risk No risk No risk No risk 8.33 -8.01 623 -13.23 0.08 tions is at par with Paclitaxel No risk No risk No risk No risk 3.15 -5.88 811 0.4 0.25 Paclitaxel. Foot note: mut = mutagenicity, tumo = tumorogenicity, irri = irritation, rep = reproduction, mw = molecular weight, clp = clogp, s= solubility, dl = drug-likeness, ds = drug-score, # = Conclusion indicates a predicted active derivative. The molecular modeling based prediction of gly- cyrrhetinic acid derivatives showed that 1b, 1c and 1n possess significant cytotoxic activity for the human lung cancer. The binding site resi- dues of EGF receptor showed hydrophobic interaction with active compounds, while in docking studies all the derivatives showed high binding affinity against EGF receptor. The calcu- lated parameters for the drug likeness and ADMET for the predicted active compounds were within the acceptable limit. In QSAR study, chemical properties viz., Lambda Max Visible Figure 3. The invitro analysis of the top three com- (nm), Dipole Moment (debye), nitro and amine pounds in comparison with Paclitaxel. functional groups correlated well with the activ- ity. Since, the oxalyl derivative 1b, 1c and 1n The aqueous solubility of a compound signifi- showed equal cytotoxic activity to that of stan- cantly affects its absorption and distribution dard anticancer drug paclitaxel, this lead may characteristics. There are more than 80% of be further optimized so that these derivatives the drugs which showed estimated logS value as candidates for further investigation towards greater than -4. This aqueous solubility can be the management of anticancer related calculated and represented by logS value. On diseases. this basis, all the studied compounds are in acceptable limit of aqueous solubility. In this Disclosure of conflict of interest study we calculated toxicity risks parameters such as mutagenicity, tumorogenicity, irritation, None. and reproductive/developmental toxicity of the predicted active compounds 1b to 1t. Toxicity Address correspondence to: Dr. Zhi-Qiang Sun, De- screening results showed that all compounds partment of Pharmacy, The 1st Affiliated Hospital possess no risk of tumorogenicity, skin irrita- of He’nan University of Science and Technology, No. tion, and reproductive toxicity (Table 4). 24 Jinghua Road, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P. R. China. Tel: 0086-379-64830604; Fax: 0086-379- Invitro assessment 64830604; E-mail: [email protected] The top three compounds 1b, 1c and 1n were References tested against standard drug Paclitaxel to check their efficacy. All the drugs with varying [1] Girard MP, Katz JM, Pervikov Y, Hombach J and Tam JS. Report of the 7th meeting on Evalua- concentration of 0.1 to 10 µM were subjected tion of Pandemic Influenza Vaccines in Clinical to invitro assessment and their cell death assay Trials, World Health Organization, Geneva, 17- results are shown in Figure 3. The results are 18 February 2011. Vaccine 2011; 29: 7579- showing that all the shortlisted compounds are 7586. having an effect on the percentage cell viability. [2] Siegel R, Ma J, Zou Z and Jemal A. Cancer sta- The experiments were carried out in triplates tistics, 2014. CA Cancer J Clin 2014; 64: 9-29. 3067 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer [3] Harvey AL. 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Synthesis and Pro-Apoptotic Activity of Novel Glycyrrhetinic Acid Derivatives. Chembiochem 2011; 12: 784-794. 3068 Int J Clin Exp Med 2016;9(2):3062-3068 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer Table S1. List of training data set anti lung cancer (A-549) drugs/compounds with their structures and experi- mental 50% inhibitory concentration (IC ) values used for the development of QSAR model 50 Exp. log IC Pred. log IC S. No. Structure 50 50 Residual Reference (µM) (µM) 1 0.433 0.286 0.147 10 2 1.371 1.529 -0.158 18 3 1.394 1.206 0.188 19 4 1.233 1.401 -0.168 5 0.712 0.785 -0.073 1 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer 6 -0.097 0.21 -0.307 7 1.013 0.665 0.348 8 -0.301 -0.113 -0.188 9 0.063 0.166 -0.103 2 Glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives against lung cancer 10 0.155 0.124 0.031 11 0.52 0.536 -0.016 12 0.401 0.539 -0.138 3
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