On the Interactions of Fused Pyrazole Derivative with Selected Amino Acids: DFT Calculations

Abstract

Due to the increasing prevalence of neoplasms, there is a permanent need for new selective cytostatic compounds. Anticancer drugs can act in different ways, affecting protein expression and synthesis, including disruption of signaling pathways within cells. Continuing our previous research aiming at elucidating the mechanism of pyrazole’s anticancer activity, we carried out in silico studies on the interactions of fused pyrazole derivative with alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, and methionine. The objective of the study is to improve our understanding of the possible interactions of pyrazole derivatives with the above-mentioned amino acids. For this purpose, we apply the DFT formalism (optimization using the B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, PBE0, and M06L functionals) and interaction energy calculations (counterpoise corrected method based on the basis set superposition error, BSSE) together with QTAIM approach and estimation of the 1H NMR chemical shifts of analyzed pyrazole derivative using different basis sets and DFT functionals in CPCM solvation model (and water used as a solvent).