Molecular modelling studies on d-annulated benzazepinones as VEGF-R2 kinase inhibitors using docking and 3D-QSAR

Abstract

Chemotypes comprising the d-annulated 1,3-dihydro-2H-1-benzazepin-2-one scaffold derived from the paullone structure were found to be potent vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) kinase inhibitors. Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) and docking studies were performed on a series of d-annulated benzazepinones with VEGF-R2 kinase inhibition activities. The comparative molecular field analysis and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis models using 32 molecules in the training set gave r²_cv values of 0.811 and 0.769, r² values of 0.962 and 0.953, respectively. 3D contour maps generated from the two models revealed that the electron-withdrawing groups at R₁ and the bulky, electron-withdrawing as well as hydrogen bond donor groups at R₂ position are favourable; the bulky, hydrogen bond acceptor substituent at R₃ and the minor groups at R₄ position may benefit the potency. We have designed a series of novel VEGF-R2 inhibitors by utilizing the SAR results revealed in the present study, which were predicted with excellent potencies in the developed models. The results may aid in designing of potential VEGF-R2 inhibitors with better activities.

Keywords::

• VEGF-R2
• docking
• 3D-QSAR
• CoMFA
• CoMSIA

Acknowledgement

This work was dedicated to Professor Henry N.C. Wong on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Declaration of interest

This research work is supported by ‘the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities’ (No. 21610405), China.