Search results for "MOLECULAR MODELLING"

Design, synthesis and preliminary evaluation of dopamine-amino acid conjugates as potential D1 dopaminergic modulators.

2016

Abstract The dopamine-amino acid conjugate DA-Phen was firstly designed to obtain a useful prodrug for the therapy of Parkinson's disease, but experimental evidence shows that it effectively interacts with D1 dopamine receptors (D1DRs), leading to an enhancement in cognitive flexibility and to the development of adaptive strategies in aversive mazes, together with a decrease in despair-like behavior. In this paper, homology modelling, molecular dynamics, and site mapping of D1 receptor were carried out with the aim of further performing docking studies on other dopamine conjugates compared with D1 agonists, in the attempt to identify new compounds with potential dopaminergic activity. Two n…

Recent advances on CDK inhibitors: An insight by means of in silico methods

2017

The cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) are a small family of serine/threonine protein kinases that can act as a potential therapeutic target in several proliferative diseases, including cancer. This short review is a survey on the more recent research progresses in the field achieved by using in silico methods. All the "armamentarium" available to the medicinal chemists (docking protocols and molecular dynamics, fragment-based, de novo design, virtual screening, and QSAR) has been employed to the discovery of new, potent, and selective inhibitors of cyclin dependent kinases. The results cited herein can be useful to understand the nature of the inhibitor-target interactions, and furnish an ins…

Preparation and structural studies on the tBu2Sn(IV) complexes with aromatic mono- and dicarboxylic acids containing hetero {N} donor atom

2004

Nine complexes of 'Bu2Sn(IV)(2+) were obtained in the solid state with ligands containing -COOH group(s) and aromatic (N) donor atom. The binding sites of the ligands were identified by FT-IR spectroscopic measurements. It was found that in most cases the -COO- groups are co-ordinated in monodentate manner. Nevertheless, in some of our complexes, the -COO- group forms bridges between two central {Sn} atoms resulting in the formation of an oligomeric structure, a motif that is characteristic only to the nicotinate compound. These pieces of information and the rationalisation of the experimental Sn-119 Mossbauer nuclear quadrupole splittings, Delta, - according to the point charge model forma…

Cobalt complex based on cyclam for reversible binding of nitric oxide

2008

We report the synthesis and theoretical calculations of nitrosyl cobalt complexes based on saturated tetraazamacrocycle for the reversible binding of nitric oxide (NO). Density-functional theory provides a rigorous theoretical framework for analysing, interpreting and investigating important parameters in order to further tune the properties of these complexes to the target application. We focus on understanding the stability of complexes in methanol solution as well as their reactivity and stability evolution in the presence of NO, O2 and higher nitrogen oxides intermediates. Calculations have been used to explore appropriate combinations of different macrocycles, metal centres and ligands…

The discovery of new inhibitors of HIF-1 transcriptional activity by virtual screening

2010

3D-QSAR study of ligands for two human olfactory receptors

2007

National audience

Leptin and the OB-receptor as anti-obesity target: recent in silico advances in the comprehension of the protein-protein interaction and rational dru…

2014

The OB-receptor or leptin receptor (LR) is crucial for energy homeostasis and regulation of food uptake. Leptin is a 16 kDa hormone that is mainly secreted by fat cells into the bloodstream. Under normal circumstances, circulating leptin levels are proportionate to the fat body mass. Sensing of elevated leptin levels by the hypothalamic neuro-circuitry activates a negative feedback loop resulting in reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure. Decreased leptin concentrations lead to opposite effects. Therefore, rational design of leptin agonists/antagonists could be an appealing challenge in the battle against obesity. The Leptin/LR interactions have been studied in several works b…

Molecular Modelling on Leptin and the Ob Receptor as anti-obesity target

2012

Obesity is a chronic pathology with multi-factorial aetiology, characterized by extreme body weight due to storing of fat in the adipose tissue, caused by an increase of caloric income, decrease of energetic intake, or both. The body weight control is a mechanism finely regulated by several hormonal, metabolic, and nervous pathways. Recessive homozygous mutations in the ob/ob and db/db mouse strain cause extreme obesity. The products of the ob and db genes are leptin and its receptor, respectively (1,2). The leptin receptor is critical for energy homeostasis and regulation of food uptake. Leptin is a 16 kDa hormone that is mainly secreted by fat cells into the bloodstream. Under normal circ…

Indicaxanthin, a multi-target natural compound from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit: From its poly-pharmacological effects to biochemical mechanisms and m…

2019

Abstract Over the latest years phytochemical consumption has been associated to a decreased risk of both the onset and the development of a number of pathological conditions. In this context indicaxanthin, a betalain pigment from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, has been the object of sound research. Explored, at first, for its mere antioxidant potential, Indicaxanthin is now regarded as a redox-active compound able to exert significant poly-pharmacological effects against several targets in a number of experimental conditions both in vivo and in vitro. This paper aims to provide an overview on the therapeutical effects of indicaxanthin, ranging from the anti-inflammatory to the neuro-modulatory…

Molecular modelling and QSAR in the discovery of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors

2007

The treatment regimens for the HIV-1 have mainly included reverse transcriptase or protease inhibitors but their long-term clinical utility is limited by severe side effects and viral drug resistance. A new attractive target for chemotherapeutic intervention can be the Integrase enzyme, that mediates the integration of HIV-1 DNA into a host chromosome, for which there is no known counterparts in the host cell. A number of derivatives have been found to inhibit IN in in vitro assays, but no successful drug based on them has emerged so far, although many compounds have been proposed. Moreover most of the inhibitors do not belong to a very precise structural class: this fact makes these compou…