Journals / Karaelmas Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1

Investigation of the H8C Ligand Bound to BRD4 Protein Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations

BRD4 Proteinine Bağlanan H8C Ligandının Moleküler Dinamik Simülasyonları ile İncelenmesi

Ali Kemal Garip(Zonguldak Bülent Ecevt Üniversitesi)0000-0002-9299-4641
Pages
12–19
Publication Date
2026-04-21
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings demonstrate that H8C exhibits strong binding affinity for BRD4, and this characteristic highlights its potential as a promising candidate in the development of targeted therapies for prostate cancer.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:In this study, the molecular-level interactions between the BRD4 protein, a critical therapeutic target in prostate cancer, and the H8C ligand were investigated.
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Key Findings & Data:A crystal structure-based BRD4-H8C complex was used to perform 200 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the binding affinity was calculated using the MM/GBSA method.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings demonstrate that H8C exhibits strong binding affinity for BRD4, and this characteristic highlights its potential as a promising candidate in the development of targeted therapies for prostate cancer.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:BRD4 · H8C · moleküler dinamik.

Abstract

In this study, the molecular-level interactions between the BRD4 protein, a critical therapeutic target in prostate cancer, and the H8C ligand were investigated. A crystal structure-based BRD4-H8C complex was used to perform 200 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the binding affinity was calculated using the MM/GBSA method. Simulation data revealed that the H8C ligand binds to the BRD4 bromodomain with high affinity, exhibiting an average binding free energy of -30,16 kcal/mol. Additionally, the structural stability of the complex was confirmed by RMSD and RMSF analyses, where the limited conformational flexibility observed in the core regions of the ligand supported its stabilization within the binding pocket. Hydrogen bond analysis indicated that, on average, 1-3 hydrogen bonds were maintained throughout the simulation, and these were stably formed with critical residues such as ASN140, CYS136, PRO82, and TRP81. Notably, an interaction ratio of 92,44% was observed with these residues at a 0,24 nm distance threshold. Additionally, the ligand was found to shift toward a more stable binding conformation over time. The findings demonstrate that H8C exhibits strong binding affinity for BRD4, and this characteristic highlights its potential as a promising candidate in the development of targeted therapies for prostate cancer.

Özet

Bu çalışmada, prostat kanseri tedavisinde önemli bir hedef olan BRD4 proteini ile H8C ligandı arasındaki etkileşimler moleküler düzeyde incelenmiştir. Kristal yapı temelli BRD4-H8C kompleksi kullanılarak 200 ns süreli moleküler dinamik simülasyonları gerçekleştirilmiş ve bağlanma afinitesi MM/GBSA yöntemiyle hesaplanmıştır. Simülasyon verileri, H8C ligandının -30,16 kcal/mol ortalama bağlanma enerjisi ile BRD4 bromodomainine yüksek afiniteli bir şekilde bağlandığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca, kompleksin yapısal kararlılığı, RMSD ve RMSF analizleriyle doğrulanmış, özellikle ligandın çekirdek bölgelerinde gözlenen sınırlı konformasyonel esneklik, bağlanma cebindeki stabiliteyi desteklemiştir. Hidrojen bağı analizi, simülasyon süresince ortalama 1-3 hidrojen bağının korunduğunu ve bu bağların ASN140, CYS136, PRO82 ve TRP81 gibi kritik rezidüler ile kararlı bir biçimde sürdüğünü ortaya koymuştur. Özellikle 0,24 nm mesafe eşiğinde bu rezidülerle %92,44 etkileşim oranı gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca, ligandın zamanla daha kararlı bir bağlanma konumuna geçiş yaptığı belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, H8C’nin BRD4 proteinine güçlü bağlanma gösterdiğini ve bu özelliği sayesinde prostat kanseri tedavisinde hedefe yönelik ilaç geliştirme çalışmalarında öncelikli bir aday olarak değerlendirilebileceğini ortaya koymaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Garip, A. K. (2026). Investigation of the H8C Ligand Bound to BRD4 Protein Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Karaelmas Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1, 12–19. https://doi.org/10.7212/karaelmasfen.1747874

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