Integrated In Silico and Experimental Validation of Antrocin as a Plant-Derived Multi-Target Therapeutic for BRAF/MEK/PI3K-Driven Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with resistance to targeted therapies presenting a significant clinical challenge. This study combines computational and experimental methods to identify and validate Antrocin, a natural sesquiterpene lactone, as a potential multi-target inhibitor of the BRAF/MEK/PI3K oncogenic pathway in CRC. Differential gene expression and mutational analyses were performed using public datasets (TCGA, TNMplot, GEPIA2, GSCA, PANDA, and cBioPortal) to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of BRAF, MEK, and PI3K alterations in CRC. In silico molecular docking, using AutoDock Vina, predicted strong binding affinities of Antrocin to BRAF (ΔG = −8.5 kcal/mol), MEK (ΔG = −7.3 kcal/mol), and PI3K (ΔG = −6.9 kcal/mol), comparable to those of FDA-approved inhibitors for BRAF (Dabrafenib), MEK (Trametinib), and PI3K (Alpelisib). Drug-likeness and ADME properties were evaluated via SwissADME and ADMETlab, supporting Antrocin’s potential as a drug candidate. In vitro assays using HCT116 and RKO CRC cell lines validated that Antrocin treatment suppressed cell viability, spheroid formation, and migration, accompanied by reduced expression levels of the oncogenic BRAF/MEK/PI3K signaling pathway. Antrocin-treated tumor-conditioned medium experiments demonstrated Antrocin’s ability to reduce the differentiation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and the polarization of M2 macrophages. Preclinical mouse xenograft experiments demonstrated a delay in tumor growth following treatment with Antrocin. These results suggest that Antrocin, identified through computational screening and validated experimentally, could be a promising multi-target agent to overcome therapy resistance in CRC.