Rationale design and synthesis of new apoptotic thiadiazole derivatives targeting VEGFR-2: computational and in vitro studies

Abstract

This work presents the synthesis and in vitro, and in silico analyses of new thiadiazole derivatives that are designed to mimic the pharmacophoric characteristics of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) inhibitors. A comprehensive evaluation of the inhibitory properties of the synthesized thiadiazole derivatives against the cancer cell lines MCF-7 and HepG2 identified several auspicious candidates. Among them, compound 14 showed remarkably low IC₅₀ values of 0.04 μM and 0.18 μM against MCF-7 and HepG2, respectively. VEGFR-2 inhibitory evaluation of compound 14 revealed a promising IC₅₀ value in the nanomolar range (103 nM). Further examination of the cell cycle revealed that compound 14 has the ability to stop the progression of the cell cycle in MCF-7 cells via G0–G1 phase arrest. Interestingly, compound 14 also demonstrated a noteworthy pro-apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cells, with notable increases in early apoptosis (16.53%) and late apoptosis (29.57%), along with a slight increase in the population of necrotic cells (5.95%). Furthermore, compound 14 showed a significant drop in MCF-7 cells' ability to migrate and heal wounds. Additionally, compound 14 promoted apoptosis by boosting BAX (6-fold) while lowering Bcl-2 (6.2-fold). The binding affinities of the synthesized candidates to their target (VEGFR-2) were confirmed by computational investigations, including molecular docking, principal component analysis of trajectories (PCAT), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Additionally, compound 14's stability and reactivity were investigated using density functional theory (DFT). These thorough results highlight compound 14's potential as a lead contender for additional research in the creation of anticancer drugs that target VEGFR-2. This work establishes a foundation for promising thiadiazole derivatives for future therapeutic developments in anticancer- and angiogenesis-related scientific fields.