Coumarin Derivatives Act as Novel Inhibitors of Human Dipeptidyl Peptidase III: Combined In Vitro and In Silico Study

Abstract

Dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP III), a zinc-dependent exopeptidase, is a member of the metalloproteinase family M49 with distribution detected in almost all forms of life. Although the physiological role of human DPP III (hDPP III) is not yet fully elucidated, its involvement in pathophysiological processes such as mammalian pain modulation, blood pressure regulation, and cancer processes, underscores the need to find new hDPP III inhibitors. In this research, five series of structurally different coumarin derivatives were studied to provide a relationship between their inhibitory profile toward hDPP III combining an in vitro assay with an in silico molecular modeling study. The experimental results showed that 26 of the 40 tested compounds exhibited hDPP III inhibitory activity at a concentration of 10 µM. Compound 12 (3-benzoyl-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one) proved to be the most potent inhibitor with IC50 value of 1.10 μM. QSAR modeling indicates that the presence of larger substituents with double and triple bonds and aromatic hydroxyl groups on coumarin derivatives increases their inhibitory activity. Docking predicts that 12 binds to the region of inter-domain cleft of hDPP III while binding mode analysis obtained by MD simulations revealed the importance of 7-OH group on the coumarin core as well as enzyme residues Ile315, Ser317, Glu329, Phe381, Pro387, and Ile390 for the mechanism of the binding pattern and compound 12 stabilization. The present investigation, for the first time, provides an insight into the inhibitory effect of coumarin derivatives on this human metalloproteinase.

COUPY Coumarins as Novel Mitochondria-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy Anticancer Agents

“… 3 , 4 The anticancer properties of the coumarin pharmacophore have been widely investigated, and current research efforts are dedicated to the design and development of novel coumarin analogues with the aim of addressing toxic side effects and inherent or acquired resistance of chemotherapeutic drugs in clinical use. 5 − 10 …”

Survey of Dipeptidyl Peptidase III Inhibitors: From Small Molecules of Microbial or Synthetic Origin to Aprotinin

“…These plant-derived, or synthetically obtained, substances possess a wide variety of biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer). Most recently, 40 synthetic coumarin derivatives were examined as potential inhibitors of human DPP III in the study which combined in vitro hydrolytic activity determination with the molecular modeling (QSAR, docking and MD simulations) methods [60]. Out of 40 tested compounds, 13 coumarin derivatives at a concentration of 10 µM inhibited the DPP III hydrolytic activity by 20% or higher (Table 5).…”

Insight on Mercapto-Coumarins: Synthesis and Reactivity

“…Coumarins (2 H -1-benzopyran-2-ones) are an elite class of compounds present in various natural products, and they have wide applications, viz ., as additives in food [ 1 , 2 ], perfumes [ 3 ], cosmetics [ 4 ], and pharmaceuticals [ 5 , 6 ], as well as in the preparation of optical brighteners [ 7 ], dispersed fluorescent [ 8 , 9 , 10 ] and laser dyes [ 11 ], and useful medicinal products [ 12 , 13 ]. On the other hand, the carbon–sulfur bond formation plays an important role in organic synthesis [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”