Molecular docking analysis of piperlongumine with different apoptotic proteins involved in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Ashish Kumar1, Ambika Sharma2, Shailendra Handu3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh-249203, Uttarakhand, India.

Bioinformation
|May 11, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Piperlongumine shows potential for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by interacting with key apoptotic proteins. Molecular docking reveals significant binding affinities, suggesting its therapeutic promise for liver cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent primary liver cancer driven by complex signaling pathways.
  • Piperlongumine is emerging as a promising therapeutic agent for HCC.
  • Understanding its molecular interactions is crucial for drug development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular docking interactions of piperlongumine with various apoptotic proteins implicated in HCC.
  • To evaluate the binding affinity of piperlongumine to specific HCC-related molecular targets.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized in-silico molecular docking techniques with the grid-based ligand docking with energies software.
  • Docked piperlongumine against a panel of HCC targets including VEGF, EGFR, Aurora-2, NF-KB, Jak2, FGFR4, Bcl-2-like protein 1, Apopain, and Bcl-2.

Main Results:

  • Piperlongumine demonstrated the highest binding affinity (E-value: -6.58 kcal/mol) with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2.
  • Significant binding energies were also observed with EGFR, Aurora-2, NF-KB, and FGFR4, indicating strong interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Piperlongumine exhibits favorable molecular interactions with multiple therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • These findings support piperlongumine as a potential candidate for HCC treatment, warranting further investigation.