Computational Insight and Anticancer Effect of Cinnamic Acid-Derivative Amide Compounds

Abstract

In this research, a meticulous screening process was conducted using four servers: Drug Target Explorer, Swiss Target Predictor, SEA Predictor, and Target Hunter. The primary objective was to identify a series of potential biological targets related to the regulation of cell growth and apoptosis in cancer cells using cinnamic acid derivatives. This study focused on five specific targets, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3), aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10), mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), all of which are well known to play a significant role in cancer cell dynamics. To explore both molecular recognition and molecular dynamics, a series of in silico investigations (docking and molecular dynamics) were carried out using a collection of 14 cinnamic acid derivatives, including cinnamic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) as a notable reference molecule due to its widely recognized anticancer effects. Furthermore, preliminary in vitro data revealed a potentially promising cytotoxic effect of (E)-N-[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)methyl]-3-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-2-propenamide (LQM755) on a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell-line (AGS cells), which are characterized by the overexpression of the MMP9 protein. Therefore, the chemical compound LQM755 provides an initial perspective in the field of cancer therapy.