Hit Identification of a Novel Dual Binder for h-telo/c-myc G-Quadruplex by a Combination of Pharmacophore Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Docking Refinement

Rocca, Roberta;Costa, Giosuè;Artese, Anna;Parrotta, Lucia;Ortuso, Francesco;MACCIONI, ELIAS;Pinato, Odra;Greco, Maria Laura;Sissi, Claudia;Alcaro, Stefano;DISTINTO, SIMONA;Moraca, Federica

2016-01-01

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Abstract

It is well known that G-quadruplexes are targets of great interest for their roles in crucial biological processes, such as aging and cancer. Hence, a promising strategy for anticancer drug therapy is the stabilization of these structures by small molecules. We report a high-throughput in silico screening of commercial libraries from several different vendors by means of a combined structure-based pharmacophore model approach followed by docking simulations. The compounds selected by the virtual screening procedure were then tested for their ability to interact with human telomeric G-quadruplex folding by circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and fluorescence intercalator displacement. Our approach resulted in the identification of a 13-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-12-hydroxy-8H-benzo[c]indolo[3,2,1-ij][1,5]naphthyridin-8-one derivative as a novel promising stabilizer of G-quadruplex structures within the human telomeric and the c-myc promoter sequences.