Identification of Small-Sugars as Modulators of NeurotrophinReceptor Interactions - Abstract
Neurotrophins are growth factors involved in the development and maintenance of the nervous system. The activation of these proteins involves the participation of oligosaccharides present in the surface cell membrane or in its receptors (Trk, p75NTR). This paper performs molecular modeling studies of available chemical databases in order to identify potential small-sugars that could serve as modulators of protein/receptor interactions. A library of 1043 compounds with high similarity to the chondroitin sulfate was downloading from PubChem library to be screened against neurotrophin-4/TrkB complex. Identification of small-sugars as allosteric modulators could control the interaction neurotrophin-receptor which is critically involved in angiogenesis process. A structural knowledge of the interactions of neurotrophin/small-sugars/TrkB complex will help to understand the biochemical pathways in which it is involved.