Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Steroids have demonstrated selective cytotoxic properties against tumor cells. The pro-gesterone receptor (PR) plays a vital role in the proliferation, cell differentiation, and maintenance of female reproductive tissue, and its malfunction can lead to breas...

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Main Authors: Janaína de Araújo E. Dourado, Samuel Q. Lopes, David Esteban Q. Jimenez, Ryan S. Ramos, Irlon M. Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/136
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author Janaína de Araújo E. Dourado
Samuel Q. Lopes
David Esteban Q. Jimenez
Ryan S. Ramos
Irlon M. Ferreira
author_facet Janaína de Araújo E. Dourado
Samuel Q. Lopes
David Esteban Q. Jimenez
Ryan S. Ramos
Irlon M. Ferreira
author_sort Janaína de Araújo E. Dourado
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Steroids have demonstrated selective cytotoxic properties against tumor cells. The pro-gesterone receptor (PR) plays a vital role in the proliferation, cell differentiation, and maintenance of female reproductive tissue, and its malfunction can lead to breast cancer. The use of the biocatalytic method by filamentous fungi has sparked interest in the obtained of steroids due to the advantages of the process. <b>Methods:</b> Pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties (rat and mouse), molecular docking simulation studies, and prediction of the spectrum of biological activity were performed to select molecules with the potential for PR inhibition, from 155 biotransformed products of the progesterone. Subsequently, the chemical structures were subjected to an evaluation of their pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties and, with the application of ADMET filters. <b>Results:</b> Androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and dihydrotestosterone, obtained by the process of biotransformation of PR by different filamentous fungi, showed good pharmacokinetic profiles and low toxicity compared to the control groups. The in-silico data associated with molecular docking studies revealed the best binding affinity and similarity in the interactions of these molecules against the human progesterone receptor target. Thus, the results of biological activity spectrum prediction highlight the great potential to investigate the role of molecular descriptors in the attribution of anti-cancer activities. <b>Conclusions:</b> The biocatalytic process, by filamentous fungi, can provide important molecules as a product of progesterone biotransformation, such as androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and dihydrotestosterone. In this study we showed that these molecules have good pharmacokinetic profiles and low toxicity for antineoplastic activity (breast cancer).
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spelling doaj-art-bf4e9b5c028f4a39aeca8a0e8209c87f2025-08-20T02:44:39ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-01-0118213610.3390/ph18020136Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics ApproachJanaína de Araújo E. Dourado0Samuel Q. Lopes1David Esteban Q. Jimenez2Ryan S. Ramos3Irlon M. Ferreira4Laboratório de Biocatálise e Síntese Orgânica Aplicada, Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, BrazilLaboratório de Biocatálise e Síntese Orgânica Aplicada, Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, BrazilLaboratório de Biocatálise e Síntese Orgânica Aplicada, Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, BrazilLaboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, BrazilLaboratório de Biocatálise e Síntese Orgânica Aplicada, Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá 68902-280, Brazil<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Steroids have demonstrated selective cytotoxic properties against tumor cells. The pro-gesterone receptor (PR) plays a vital role in the proliferation, cell differentiation, and maintenance of female reproductive tissue, and its malfunction can lead to breast cancer. The use of the biocatalytic method by filamentous fungi has sparked interest in the obtained of steroids due to the advantages of the process. <b>Methods:</b> Pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties (rat and mouse), molecular docking simulation studies, and prediction of the spectrum of biological activity were performed to select molecules with the potential for PR inhibition, from 155 biotransformed products of the progesterone. Subsequently, the chemical structures were subjected to an evaluation of their pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties and, with the application of ADMET filters. <b>Results:</b> Androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and dihydrotestosterone, obtained by the process of biotransformation of PR by different filamentous fungi, showed good pharmacokinetic profiles and low toxicity compared to the control groups. The in-silico data associated with molecular docking studies revealed the best binding affinity and similarity in the interactions of these molecules against the human progesterone receptor target. Thus, the results of biological activity spectrum prediction highlight the great potential to investigate the role of molecular descriptors in the attribution of anti-cancer activities. <b>Conclusions:</b> The biocatalytic process, by filamentous fungi, can provide important molecules as a product of progesterone biotransformation, such as androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and dihydrotestosterone. In this study we showed that these molecules have good pharmacokinetic profiles and low toxicity for antineoplastic activity (breast cancer).https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/136steroidsfungiADMETandrostenedionehydroxyprogesteronedihydrotestosterone
spellingShingle Janaína de Araújo E. Dourado
Samuel Q. Lopes
David Esteban Q. Jimenez
Ryan S. Ramos
Irlon M. Ferreira
Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
Pharmaceuticals
steroids
fungi
ADMET
androstenedione
hydroxyprogesterone
dihydrotestosterone
title Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
title_full Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
title_fullStr Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
title_short Identification of Novel Progesterone Receptor (PR) Inhibitors (<i>Homo sapiens</i>) from Metabolites of Biotransformation Fungal: A Bioinformatics Approach
title_sort identification of novel progesterone receptor pr inhibitors i homo sapiens i from metabolites of biotransformation fungal a bioinformatics approach
topic steroids
fungi
ADMET
androstenedione
hydroxyprogesterone
dihydrotestosterone
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/136
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