Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40074428›Full record

ArticleJournal, genetic engineering & biotechnology2025

Telomeric RNA quadruplexes as targets for cancer prevention: The therapeutic potential of agonodepsides.

Gourav Choudhir, Sushil Kumar, Mohammad Shahid, Anas Shamsi, Asimul Islam

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gourav ChoudhirCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India.
Sushil KumarDepartment of Botany, Shaheed Mangal Pandey Govt. Girls PG College, Meerut 250002, India.
Mohammad ShahidDepartment of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.
Anas ShamsiCenter for Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: m.shamsi@ajman.ac.ae.
Asimul IslamCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India. Electronic address: aislam@jmi.ac.in.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer remains an awful challenge, despite years of targeting proteins to control its relentless growth and spread. Fungal metabolites, a treasure of natural chemicals, offer a glimmer of hope. Telomeres, the cellular "caps," are a focal point in cancer research. This study explores the potential of stabilizing Telomeric Repeats-containing RNA G-quadruplex (TERRA G4) structures within telomeres. This stabilization could block telomerase, the enzyme that repairs telomeres, and potentially trigger cancer cell death. Agonodepsides A and B, two promising fungal metabolites, were chosen to investigate this exciting possibility.

methodsAgonodepside A and B were initially screened for drug likeness employing SwissAdme. AutoDock Vina was used for molecular docking, and ligands and TERRA G4 were prepared using PyRx and MGL tool. Discovery Studio software was utilized for the visualization of interactions between ligands and TERRA G4. For validation of docking results MD simulation for control and complexes was carried out for 250 ns and trajectories were analyzed for different parameters. MMPBSA was used to calculate binding free energy for control and complexes. To find the stable and lower energy states of complexes in comparison to control principal component analysis (PCA) and free energy landscape (FEL) were conducted.

resultsAbsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of both agonodepsides followed Lipinski's rule of five with zero violation. Molecular docking revealed several key interactions including hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions, π-alkyl and π-anion. MD simulation revealed that Agonodepside A interact with TERRA G4 and stabilize it while Agonodepside B interactions were transient. The MMPBSA binding free energy calculation, PCA and free energy landscapes supported the docking and MD simulation results.

conclusionLichenized fungi produce agonodepsides A and B, may fight cancer by targeting telomeres. Agonodepside A binds more strongly to telomeres than B, potentially blocking enzyme telomerase. Further studies are required to validate these findings and evaluate potential safety concerns.

Indexed as

Free Energy LandscapesFungal MetabolitesGenome StabilityMolecular Docking and SimulationPrincipal Component AnalysisTelomeres

Identifiers

PMID40074428
PMCPMC11750472

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.