Structural basis for computational screening of non-steroidal androgen receptor ligands

Combined Naïve Bayesian, Chemical Fingerprints and Molecular Docking Classifiers to Model and Predict Androgen Receptor Binding Data for Environmentally- and Health-Sensitive Substances

Many chemicals that enter the environment, food chain, and the human body can disrupt androgen-dependent pathways and mimic hormones and therefore, may be responsible for multiple diseases from reproductive to tumor. Thus, modeling and predicting androgen receptor activity is an important area of research. The aim of the current study was to find a method or combination of methods to predict compounds that can bind to and/or disrupt the androgen receptor, and thereby guide decision making and further analysis. A stepwise procedure proceeded from analysis of protein structures from human, chimp, and rat, followed by docking and subsequent ligand, and statistics based techniques that improved classification gradually. The best methods used multivariate logistic regression of combinations of chimpanzee protein structural docking scores, extended connectivity fingerprints, and naïve Bayesians of known binders and non-binders. Combination or consensus methods included data from a variety of procedures to improve the final model accuracy.

Progress in antiandrogen design targeting hormone binding pocket to circumvent mutation based resistance

Androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Current clinically used antiandrogens such as flutamide, bicalutamide, and newly approved enzalutamide mainly target the hormone binding pocket (HBP) of AR. However, over time, drug resistance invariably develops and switches these antiandrogens from antagonist to agonist of the AR. Accumulated evidence indicates that AR mutation is an important cause for the drug resistance. This review will give an overview of the mutation based resistance of the current clinically used antiandrogens and the rational drug design to overcome the resistance, provides a promising strategy for the development of the new generation of antiandrogens targeting HBP.