Identification of Novel Natural Inhibitors Of Proteins Involved In Cancer Cell Stemness

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of cells identified in a variety of tumors that are capable of self-renewal, differentiation and have the unique property to evade radiotherapy and chemotherapy. CSCs are a very likely cause of resistance to current cancer treatments, as well as relapse in cancer patients. Compared to differentiated tumor cells, CSCs have some important distinguishing feature that confers chemoresistance in these cells. Different proteins such as Bcl-2 (2O21), CXCR4 (3ODU), CHK1 (4FSZ), MTH1 (5ANV), VEGFR2 (1Y6A) and Carbonic anhydrase II (5SZ2) have been reported to involve in cancer cell stemness. Now day's natural products are popular remedies against various diseases including cancer. These products have been reported for their low/non-toxicity and cost-effectiveness. The phytochemical terpenoids, biggest class of naturally occurring compounds derived from five-carbon isoprene unit. They play an important role in binding to the above signaling proteins which are involved in cancer stem cells. Therefore, we studied receptor-based molecular docking of natural terpenoids against target proteins.