Theoretical study of anticancer properties of indolyl-oxazole drugs and their interactions with DNA base pairs in gas phase and solvent

Abstract

In this study, the anticancer properties of a series of synthesized indolyl-oxazoles drugs 1–6 and their interactions with DNA base pairs were investigated. The quantum molecular descriptors (chemical potential, hardness, and electrophilicity) for studied drugs and their complexes with DNA base pairs were calculated. The reaction enthalpies (BDE and IP) of HAT and SET-PT mechanism of anticancer action of drugs 1–6 were calculated. Results reveal that interactions of indolyl-oxazole drugs with DNA base pairs are energetically favorable and solvent increase the binding energies in comparison with gas phase. The binding energies of drugs 4–6 DNA base pairs complexes are more negative than corresponding values for drugs 1–3. The obtained binding energy and reaction enthalpy (BDE and IP) trends for drugs 1–6 confirm pervious experimental anticancer activity trends. IC50 scale has been used as a benchmark for measuring the anticancer activity. Based on theoretical and published experimental scales, drugs 4, 5, and 6 have higher anticancer activity among drugs 1–6. Finally, according to the obtained results, drugs 7–10 can consider as novel drugs with higher anticancer activity than drug 1. Results show that binding energies of drugs 7–10 with DNA base pairs were more negative than corresponding values for drugs 1–6. The BDE and IP values of drugs 4–10 were lower than corresponding values of drug 1. For drugs 1–10, results indicated that the SET-PT and HAT mechanisms represent the thermodynamically preferred mechanism in solvent and gas phase, respectively.