Strategies to Control Human Health Risks Arising from Antibiotics in the Environment: Molecular Modification of QNs for Enhanced Plant-Microbial Synergistic Degradation

Structural optimization of pyrrolopyrimidine BTK inhibitors based on molecular simulation

CONTEXT

BTK is a critical regulator involved in the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of B cells. BTK inhibitors can effectively alleviate various diseases such as tumors, leukemia, and asthma. During this study, a range of novel BTK inhibitors were designed using 3D-QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.

METHODS

We selected 41 pyrrolopyrimidine derivatives as BTK inhibitors to structure a 3D-QSAR model. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity index analysis (CoMSIA) were adopted to research the connection between the pharmacological activities and chemical structures of the compounds. The CoMFA model (q2 = 0.519, R2 = 0.971), CoMSIA model (q2 = 0.512, R2 = 0.990), and external validation demonstrated excellent predictive performance and reliability of the 3D-QSAR model. We designed eight novel molecules with higher inhibitory activities according to the three-dimensional equipotential fields and explored the interactions between the compounds and BTK by molecular docking, which showed that the novel molecules had higher binding affinities with BTK than the template molecule 18. Then, the results of molecular docking were further verified by MD simulation, which showed that amino acid residues such as Leu528, Val416, and Met477 played vital parts in the interaction, and the binding free energy analysis showed that the novel molecules had higher stability with BTK. Finally, the ADME/T properties were predicted for all of the novel compounds, and the results showed that the majority of them had favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, this study provides strong support for the development of novel BTK inhibitors.

Field measures of strengthen plant-microbial remediation of PAHs-FQs compound pollution

In this study, five PAHs (benzo [b] fluoranthene (BbF), phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene (Flu), fluorene (Fl), benzo [A] pyrene (Bap)), and five FQs (ofloxacin (OFL), enrofloxacin (ENR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), lomefloxacin (LOM)) were selected as ligands; peroxidase (1NML) was selected as receptor degrading protein. In the plant-microbial degradation, the factors with significant inhibitory effects are NOR, Bap, CIP, ENR, OFL, Flu, LOM, Phe, Fl, and BbF by the fractional factorial design experiment and molecular docking-assisted molecular dynamics methods. Using Taguchi experiment and molecular dynamics simulation methods, the main external field measures were designed and screened to effectively promote the degradation of PAHs-FQs under the combined pollution scenarios of Bap-CIP and BbF-NOR, respectively. The peroxidase mutation design plans with enhanced substrate affinity were then designed and screened using the DS software by predicting the virtual key amino acid of peroxidase. The novel biodegradable enzymes 2YCD-1, 2YCD-4, 2YCD-5, 2YCD-7, and 2YCD-9 had better structures and showed excellent degradability for PAHs and FQs. This study explored the degradation rules of the composite pollutants in the coexistence systems of multiple PAHs and FQs, providing the best external field measures for the control and treatment of the combined pollution effects of different PAHs and FQs. Overall, the current study has important practical significance for promoting the plant-microbial joint remediation of PAHs-FQs pollution and for reducing the combined pollution of PAHs and FQs in farmland systems.

Triazine Herbicides Risk Management Strategies on Environmental and Human Health Aspects Using In-Silico Methods

As an effective herbicide, 1, 3, 5-Triazine herbicides (S-THs) are used widely in the pesticide market. However, due to their chemical properties, S-THs severely threaten the environment and human health (e.g., human lung cytotoxicity). In this study, molecular docking, Analytic Hierarchy Process—Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (AHP-TOPSIS), and a three-dimensional quantitative structure-active relationship (3D-QSAR) model were used to design S-TH substitutes with high herbicidal functionality, high microbial degradability, and low human lung cytotoxicity. We discovered a substitute, Derivative-5, with excellent overall performance. Furthermore, Taguchi orthogonal experiments, full factorial design of experiments, and the molecular dynamics method were used to identify three chemicals (namely, the coexistence of aspartic acid, alanine, and glycine) that could promote the degradation of S-THs in maize cropping fields. Finally, density functional theory (DFT), Estimation Programs Interface (EPI), pharmacokinetic, and toxicokinetic methods were used to further verify the high microbial degradability, favorable aquatic environment, and human health friendliness of Derivative 5. This study provided a new direction for further optimizations of novel pesticide chemicals.

Discovery of Novel Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors by Utilizing 3D-QSAR, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Tubulin is a potential therapeutic target for cancer. Compounds inhibit the polymerization of tubulin or promote the polymerization of tubulin to interfere with the mitotic process of cells, resulting in...