Comparative Molecular Docking of Apigenin and Luteolin Versus Conventional Ligands for TP-53, pRb, APOBEC3H, and HPV-16 E6: Potential Clinical Applications in Preventing Gynecological Malignancies

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of molecular docking data, focusing on the binding interactions of the natural compounds apigenin and luteolin with the proteins TP-53, pRb, and APOBEC, in comparison to conventional pharmacological ligands. Advanced bioinformatics techniques were employed to evaluate and contrast binding energies, showing that apigenin and luteolin demonstrate significantly higher affinities for TP-53, pRb, and APOBEC, with binding energies of −6.9 kcal/mol and −6.6 kcal/mol, respectively. These values suggest strong potential for therapeutic intervention against HPV-16. Conventional ligands, by comparison, exhibited lower affinities, with energies ranging from −4.5 to −5.5 kcal/mol. Additionally, protein–protein docking simulations were performed to assess the interaction between HPV-16 E6 oncoprotein and tumor suppressors TP-53 and pRb, which revealed high binding energies around −976.7 kcal/mol, indicative of their complex interaction. A conversion formula was applied to translate these protein–protein interaction energies to a comparable scale for non-protein interactions, further underscoring the superior binding potential of apigenin and luteolin. These findings highlight the therapeutic promise of these natural compounds in preventing HPV-16-induced oncogenesis, warranting further experimental validation for clinical applications. © 2024 by the authors.