Silibinins and curcumin as promising ligands against mutant cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator protein

Abstract Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) is a significant protein that is responsible for the movement of ions across cell membranes. The cystic fibrosis (CF) occur due to the mutations in the CFTR gene as it produces the dysfunctional CFTR protein. The sequence of CFTR protein as a target structure was retrieved from UniProt and PDB database. The ligands selection was performed through virtual screening and top 3 ligands choose out of 65 ligands silibinins, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin were selected with a reference drug Trikafta (R*). According to docking, ADMET analyses, the natural ligands (Silibinins and Curcumin) displayed best binding energy, pharmacokinetic and free toxicity than other natural compounds and reference drug (R*). An MD simulation for 200 ns was also established to ensure that natural ligands (Silibinins and Curcumin) attached to the target protein favorably and dynamically, and that protein–ligand complex stability was maintained. It is concluded that silibinins and curcumins have a better capacity to decrease the effect of mutant CFTR protein through improved trafficking and the restoration of original function. In conclusion, in silico studies demonstrate the potential of silibinins and curcumin as therapeutic agents for cystic fibrosis, particularly for the D614G mutated protein. Their ability to increase CFTR function while reducing cellular stress and inflammation, together with their favorable safety profile and accessibility could make them valuable additions to cystic fibrosis treatment options. Further experimental and clinical validation will be required to fully realize their potential and include them into effective therapy regimens.