Comparative in Silico study of apigenin and its dimeric forms on PIM1 kinase in glioblastoma multiform

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate and compare the binding affinity of apigenin and its dimeric flavonoid forms to PIM1 kinase in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive and lethal brain cancer. Apigenin is a natural herbal product that has demonstrated anti-cancer effects in numerous studies, both in vitro and in vivo, on various cancers. Our in silico analysis showed that PIM1 expression was significantly higher in GBM tumor tissue compared to normal brain tissue, and high PIM1 expression correlated with worse survival rates in patients with GBM. Also, our molecular docking studies showed that apigenin and its dimeric flavonoids, such as amentoflavone and hinokiflavone, can bind to the ATP-binding site of PIM1 with significant binding affinity and form various intermolecular interactions with key amino acid residues. Notably, dimeric flavonoids have a stronger binding affinity than apigenin, indicating their potential as potent PIM1 inhibitors. Our findings demonstrated the therapeutic potential of apigenin and its dimeric flavonoid forms in treating GBM by targeting PIM1 kinase. The observed inhibitory effects of PIM1 can inhibit tumor growth, induce cell cycle arrest, and promote apoptosis. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to confirm their anticancer potentials and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of these compounds in GBM treatment.