In-silico analysis of potential anticancer drug for NEK7 and PPP1CA proteins overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) and phosphoprotein phosphatase-1 catalytic subunit alpha (PPP1CA) are the most common proteins overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. The goal of the current study was to identify a possible NEK7 and PPP1CA therapeutic inhibitor. For this investigation, 5000 compounds were retrieved from the IMPPAT library of phytochemicals, which were docked with our respective target proteins. Also, a reference compound, gemcitabine, which is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug, was docked with the target proteins. The binding energy of the reference compound for both the targeted proteins was −6.5 kcal/mol. The common ligand with the lowest binding energy for both targets is boeravinone B (PubChem ID: 14018348) with −9.2 kcal/mol of NEK7 and −7.6 kcal/mol for PPP1CA. The compound was further investigated through density function theory (DFT) and molecular dynamic simulation analysis. The root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg), and hydrogen bonding analysis indicated the stability of the boeravinone B with the target proteins (NEK7 and PPP1CA).

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Keywords:

• PDAC
• NEK7
• PPP1CA
• pancreatic cancer
• inhibitor of NEK7 and PPP1CA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.