Browsing by Author "Ozay, Basak"

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Citation - WoS: 2
Citation - Scopus: 2
In Silico Drug Screen Reveals Potential Competitive Mthfr Inhibitors for Clinical Repurposing
(Taylor & Francis Inc, 2022) Keske, Nazligul; Ozay, Basak; Tukel, Ezgi Yagmur; Mentes, Muratcan; Yandim, Cihangir
MTHFR (Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is a pivotal enzyme involved in one-carbon metabolism, which is critical for the proliferation of cancer cells. In line with this, published literature showed that MTHFR knockdown caused impaired growth of multiple types of cancer cells. Moreover, higher MTHFR expression levels were linked to shorter overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma, adrenocortical carcinoma, and low-grade glioma, bringing the need to design MTHFR inhibitors as a possible treatment option. No competitive inhibitors of MTHFR have been reported as of today. This study aimed to identify potential competitive MTHFR inhibitor candidates using an in silico drug screen. A total of 30470 molecules containing biogenic compounds, FDA-approved drugs, and those in clinical trials were screened against the catalytic pocket of MTHFR in the presence and absence of cofactors. Binding energy and ADMET analysis revealed that Vilanterol (beta 2-adrenergic agonist), Selexipag (prostacyclin receptor agonist), and Ramipril Diketopiperazine (ACE inhibitor) are potential competitive inhibitors of MTHFR. Molecular dynamics analyses and MM-PBSA calculations with these compounds particularly revealed the amino acids between 285-290 for ligand binding and highlighted Vilanterol as the strongest candidate for MTHFR inhibition. Our results could guide the development of novel MTHFR inhibitor compounds, which could be inspired by the drugs brought into the spotlight here. More importantly, these potential candidates could be quhickly tested as a repurposing strategy in pre-clinical and clinical studies of the cancers mentioned above.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Lineage-Specific Transcriptomic Signatures and Therapeutic Target Discovery in Myeloid and Lymphoid Leukemias
(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2025) Ozay, Basak; Ates, Onur; Kiraz, Yagmur
Aim: Leukemias are heterogenous hematologic malignancies broadly classified into myeloid and lymphoid lineages, each with distinct molecular and clinical features. Here we aime to identify lineage-specific molecular vulnerabilities in myeloid and lymphoid leukemias and use them to guide targeted therapy and rational drug repurposing. Materials & methods: A meta-analysis of 19 GEO datasets comprising >2,600 samples from acute and chronic leukemia subtypes was performed. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. Hub genes were identified for drug repurposing using the LINCS L1000CDS2. Candidate compounds were validated by performing molecular docking, dynamics simulations and MTT assays on multiple leukemia cell lines. Results: 269 DEGs in myeloid and 316 DEGs in lymphoid leukemias were identified. Enrichment analysis showed that DNA replication and cell cycle pathways drive myeloid leukemias, while lymphoid leukemias are associated with transcriptional regulation and immune signaling. Hub genes included CCNB1, KIF11, EGFR and JUN. SN-38 and C646 were identified as promising candidates from drug repurposing. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed strong binding to IGF1R and RBP2. MTT assays revealed significant, time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity. Conclusion: This integrative approach links transcriptomics with drug discovery and preclinical validation. Lineage-specific vulnerabilities were uncovered, providing a framework for precision therapy and rational drug repurposing in leukemia.