Identifying Phosphodiesterase‐5 Inhibitors with Drug Repurposing Approach: Implications in Vasodysfunctional Disorders

Abstract

Abstract Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) is a multidomain protein that plays a crucial role in regulating cellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a key signaling molecule involved in various physiological processes. Dysregulation of PDE5 and cGMP signaling is associated with a range of vasodysfunctional disorders, necessitating the development of effective therapeutic interventions. This study adopts comprehensive approach, combining virtual screening and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to repurpose FDA‐approved drugs as potential PDE5 inhibitors. The initial focus involves selecting compounds based on their binding affinity. Shortlisted compounds undergo a meticulous analysis for their drug profiling and biological significance, followed by the activity evaluation and interaction analysis. Notably, based on binding potential and drug profiling, two molecules, Dutasteride and Spironolactone, demonstrate strong potential as PDE5 inhibitors. Furthermore, all atom MD simulations were employed (500 ns) to explore dynamic behavior of Dutasteride and Spironolactone in complexes with PDE5. Principal components analysis (PCA) and free energy landscape (FEL) analyses are further leveraged to decipher that the binding of Dutasteride and Spironolactone stabilizes the structure of PDE5 with minimal conformational changes. In summary, Dutasteride and Spironolactone exhibit remarkable affinity for PDE5 and possess characteristics that suggest their potential as therapeutic agents for conditions associated with PDE5 dysfunction.

Keywords

• drug repurposing
• drug design
• molecular dynamics
• signaling molecules
• virtual screening