Polycystic ovary syndrome: Molecular modeling study on potential Lepidium sativum bioactive compounds in modulating kiss-1 gene function
hada H. Alharati, Jamal A.M. Elbakay, Anton Hermann, Abdul M. Gbaj
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, characterized by hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and metabolic disturbances. The KiSS-1 gene, which encodes the kisspeptin neuropeptide, is crucial for regulating reproductive hormones through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Genetic polymorphisms in KiSS1 diminish kisspeptin activity and exacerbate PCOS symptoms. This study investigates the potential of bioactive compounds from Lepidium sativum (garden cress) to modulate KiSS-1 gene function and address PCOS-related dysfunctions. A set of eight bioactive compounds from Lepidium sativum was screened using molecular docking with Virtual Screening software for Computational Drug Discovery to assess their interactions with wild-type and polymorphic forms of the KiSS-1 gene. The chemical structures of the compounds were designed using ChemSketch and are visualized for molecular interactions using BIOVIA Discovery Studio. Sequence data for the wild-type and polymorphic variants of the KiSS-1 gene were obtained from the Protein Data Bank and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Pharmacokinetic properties and drug-likeness of the selected compounds were evaluated using SwissADME, with particular reference to Lipinski’s Rule of Five criteria. Alpha-linolenic acid, oleic acid methyl ester, stigmasterol, and α-D-glucopyranoside exhibited strong binding affinities and established stable interactions with the wild-type and polymorphic forms of the KiSS-1 gene. Among them, alpha-linolenic acid and stigmasterol showed the most favorable binding profiles, characterized by stable hydrogen bonding and high binding energy values, indicating strong potential as modulators of KiSS-1 activity. Notably, the binding affinity of alpha-linolenic acid was reduced in the polymorphic variant compared to the wild-type, supporting the hypothesis of diminished gene function associated with PCOS-related polymorphisms. SwissADME analysis confirmed that these top candidates possess favorable pharmacokinetic properties and comply with Lipinski’s Rule of Five, suggesting good oral bioavailability and drug-likeness. This computational study suggests that bioactive compounds from Lepidium sativum have the potential to interact effectively with both wild-type and polymorphic forms of the KiSS-1 gene. Their strong binding affinities indicate a possible role in restoring gene function, which may contribute to alleviate symptoms of POCS. The study considers epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification through which these compounds may enhance KiSS-1 gene expression. This dual mechanism positions Lepidium sativum as a promising plant-based therapeutic candidate for PCOS.
Keywords
References
- Deswal R, Narwal V, Dang A, Pundir CS. The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome: A brief systematic review. Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences. 2020; 13(4): 261-271. doi: 10.4103/JHRS.JHRS_95_18
- Polycystic ovary syndrome. Accessed: Dec. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Archer JS, Chang RJ. Hirsutism and acne in polycystic ovary syndrome. Best Practices and Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2004; 18(5): 737-754. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2004.05.007
- Tephen S, Ranks F. Polycystic ovary syndrome. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1995; 333(13): 853-861. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199509283331307
- Panidis D, Farmakiotis D, Rousso D, Katsikis I, Kourtis A, Diamanti-Kandarakis E. Serum luteinizing hormone levels are markedly increased and significantly correlated with delta 4-androstenedione levels in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility. 2005; 84(2): 538-540. doi: 10.1016/J.FERTNSTERT.2005.02 .017
- Messageret S, Chatzidaki EE, Ma D, Hendrick AG, Zahn D, Dixon J, Thresher RR, et al. Kisspeptin directly stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone release via G protein-coupled receptor 54. Proceedings of the Notional Academy of Sciences of the USA. 2005; 102(5):1761-1766. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0409330102
- KISS1 KiSS-1 metastasis suppressor [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene - NCBI. Accessed: Sept. 05, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3814
- Daghestani MH, Daghestani MH, Daghistani M, Ambreen K, Almuammar MN, Al Neghery LM, Warsy AS. Relevance of KISS1 gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome and its associated endocrine and metabolic disturbances. British Journal of Biomedical Sciences. 2020; 77(4): 185-190. doi: 10.1080/ 09674845.2020.1726662
- Daghestani MH, Daghestani MH, Daghistani M, Ambreen K, Albalawi FS, Alneghery LM, Warsy AS. Influence of KISS1 gene polymorphisms on the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome and its associated variables, in Saudi women. BMC Endocrine Disorders. 2020; 20(1): 59. doi: 10.1186/S12902-020-0537-2
- Kadhem AH, Gholizadeh A, Khalaj-Kondori M. Effects of KISS1 structural polymorphism on the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome and reproductive hormones in Iraqi women who take metformin. Journal of International Medical Research. 2023; 51(9): 03000605231196837. doi: 10.1177/03000605231196837
- Representation of the Human KISS1 gene with its exons and protein... | Download Scientific Diagram’. Accessed: Sept. 05, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Representation-of-the-Human-KISS1-gene-with-its-exons-and-protein-product-kisspeptin_fig1_341218488
- Teedeet HJ, Mousa A, Tay CT, Costello MF, Brennan L, Norman RJ, Pena AS, Boyle JA. Summary of the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome: An Australian perspective. The Medical Journal of Australia. 2024; 221(7): 389-395. doi: 10.5694/MJA2.52432
- Szukiewicz D, Trojanowski S, Kociszewska A, Szewczyk G. Modulation of the inflammatory response in polycystic ovary syndrome (pcos)-searching for epigenetic factors. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(23): 14663. doi: 10.3390/IJMS232314663
- Hosseini E, Shahhoseini M, Afsharian P, Karimian L, Ashrafi M, Mehraein F, Afatoonian R. Role of epigenetic modifications in the aberrant CYP19A1 gene expression in polycystic ovary syndrome. Archives of Medical Science. 2019; 15(4): 887-895. doi: 10.5114/AOMS.2019.86060
- Tufail T, Khan T, Bader Ul Ain H, Morya S, Shah MA. Garden cress seeds: a review on nutritional composition, therapeutic potential, and industrial utilization. Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2024; 12(6): 3834-3848. doi: 10.1002/ FSN3.4096
- AL-Snafi AE. Chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Lepidium sativum – a review. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research. 2019; 11(6): 1-10. doi: 10.22159/IJCPR.2019V11I6.36338
- Vazifeh S, Kananpour P, Khalilpour M, Eisalou SV, Hamblin MR. Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Properties of Lepidium sativum. BioMed Research International. 2022; 2022: 3645038. doi: 10.1155/2022/3645038
- Hekmatshoar Y, Özkan T, Rahbar Saadat Y. Evidence for health-promoting properties of Lepidium sativum L.: An updated comprehensive review. Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2022; 19(6): 714-723. doi: 10.4274/ TJPS.GALENOS.2021.07504
- Rehman R, Amjad S, Raza Shah SA, Asfaq N, Shba I, Riaz N, et al. Computational chemistry in plant biology: Unraveling the molecular basis of plant-drug interactions and biochemical pathways. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. 2024; 31(5): 257-270. doi: 10.53555/JPTCP.V31I5.6269
- Inc. (ACD/Labs) Advanced Chemistry Development, ‘ChemSketch [Computer software]’, 1998, Advanced Chemistry Development, Inc. Accessed: Aug. 14, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.acdlabs.com/products/ chemsketch/
- BIOVIA Discovery studio visualizer | dassault systèmes. Accessed: Dec. 24, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.3ds.com/products/biovia/discovery-studio/visualization
- Protein Data Bank - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Accessed: Dec. 24, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/protein-data-bank
- Morris GM, Huey R, Lindstrom W, Sanner MF, Belew RK, Goodsell DS, Olson AJ. Software news and updates AutoDock4 and AutoDockTools4: Automated docking with selective receptor flexibility. Journal of Computational Chemistry. 2009; 30(16): 2785-2791. doi: 10.1002/JCC.21256
- PyRx – Python prescription - virtual screening tool. Accessed: Dec. 24, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://pyrx. sourceforge.io/
- Daina A, Michielin O, Zoete V. SwissADME: A free web tool to evaluate pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness and medicinal chemistry friendliness of small molecules. Scientific Reports. 2017; 7(1): 1-13. doi: 10.1038/srep42717
- Lipinski’s rule of five - Wikipedia. Accessed: Dec. 24, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Lipinski%27s_rule_of_five
- Kokosar M, Benrick A, Perfilyev A, Fornes R, Nilsson E, Maliqueo M, et al. Epigenetic and transcriptional alterations in human adipose tissue of polycystic ovary syndrome. Scientific Reports. 2016; 6: 22883. 1-18. doi: 10.1038/srep22883
- Bure IV, Nemtsova MV, Kuznetsova EB. Histone modifications and non-coding rnas: mutual epigenetic regulation and role in pathogenesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(10): 5801. doi: 10.3390/IJMS23 105801
- Hoque F, Nahar N, Annie FS, Rahim A, Hossain MK, Abdul Rahman MN, et al. Synthesis, characterization and complexation of Schiff base ligand p-anisalcefuroxime with Cu2+ and Fe2+ ions: Antimicrobial and docking analysis with PBP2xto study pharmacokinetic parameters. Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2025; 5(1): 48-64. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.14647651
- Bakrimet S, Benkhaira N, Bourais I, Benali T, Lee LH, El Omari N, Sheikh RA, et. al. Health benefits and pharmacological properties of stigmasterol. Antioxidants. 2022; 11(10): 1912. doi: 10.3390/ANTIOX11101912
- Valitova J, Renkova A, Beckett R, Minibayeva F. Stigmasterol: An enigmatic plant stress sterol with versatile functions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(15): 8122. doi: 10.3390/IJMS25158122
- Zhao G, Etherton TD, Martin KR, Gillies PJ, West SG, Kris-Etherton PM. Dietary α-linolenic acid inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hypercholesterolemic subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007; 85(2): 385-391. doi: 10.1093/AJCN/85.2.385
- Jefrei E, Xu M, Moore JB, Thorne JL. Phytosterol and phytostanol-mediated epigenetic changes in cancer and other non-communicable diseases: A systematic review. British Journal of Nutrition. 2023; 131(6): 935. doi: 10.1017/ S0007114523002532
- Zhang X, Wang J, Zhu L, Wang X, Meng F, Xia L, Zhang H. Advances in Stigmasterol on its anti-tumor effect and mechanism of action. Frontiers in Oncology. 2022; 12: 1101289. doi: 10.3389/FONC.2022.1101289
- Wang T, Sha L, Li Y, Zhu L, Wang Z, Li K, et al. Dietary α-linolenic acid-rich flaxseed oil exerts beneficial effects on polycystic ovary syndrome through sex steroid hormones-microbiota-inflammation axis in rats. Frontiers in Endocrinology (Lausanne). 2020; 11: 284. doi: 10.3389/FENDO.2020.00284/XML
- Snyder JP, Nettles JH, Cornett B, Downing KH, Nogales E. The binding conformation of Taxol in β-tubulin: A model based on electron crystallographic density. Proceedings of the Notional Academy of Sciences of the USA. 2001; 98(9): 5312-5316. doi: 10.1073/PNAS.051309398
- Wang SY, Lee AY, Lai YH, Chen JJ, Wu WL, Yuann JM, et al. Spermine attenuates the action of the DNA intercalator, actinomycin D, on DNA binding and the inhibition of transcription and DNA replication. PLoS One. 2012; 7(11): e47101. doi: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0047101
- Kumari R, Kumar M, Kumar G, Kumar S. Studies on 3D structure prediction and binding modes of Kisspeptin receptor 1 complexed with Kisspeptin 1 using molecular docking approach. International Journal of Pure and Applied Bioscience. 2019; 7(3): 269-277. doi: 10.18782/2320-7051.7558
- Muralikumar S, Vetrivel U, Narayanasamy A, Das UN. Probing the intermolecular interactions of PPARγ-LBD with polyunsaturated fatty acids and their anti-inflammatory metabolites to infer most potential binding moieties. Lipids in Health and Disease. 2017; 16(1): 17. doi: 10.1186/S12944-016-0404-3
- Yeggoni DP, Dubey S, Mohammad YZ, Rachamallu A, Subramanyam R. Elucidation of binding mechanism of stigmasterol with human serum albumin: a biophysical and molecular dynamics simulation approach. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. 2022; 40(22): 12135-12147. doi: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1968498
- Bhuvana M, Vijayarani K, Ramesh S, Gowri AM, Sesh PPSL. In-silico exploration of molecular interactions between stigmasterol from the methanolic extract of Macrotyloma uniflorum and proteins associated with lipid metabolism. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research. 2024; 8(11): 700-705. doi: 10.33545/ 26174693.2024.v8.i11i.2942
- Feng S, Xie X, Chen C, Zuo S, Zhao X, Li H. Alpha-linolenic acid inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth through Farnesoid X receptor/β-catenin signaling pathway. Nutrition and Metabolism (Lond). 2022; 19(1): 57, 1-10. doi: 10.1186/S12986-022-00693-1/FIGURES/7
- Rajna A, Gibling H, Sarr O, Matravadia S, Holloway GP, Mutch DM. Alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid differentially regulate the skeletal muscle secretome of obese Zucker rats. Physiological Genomics. 2018; 50(8): 580-589. doi: 10.1152/PHYSIOLGENOMICS.00038.2018
- Motti KL, Meccariello R. Minireview: The epigenetic modulation of KISS1 in reproduction and cancer. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(14): 2607. doi: 10.3390/IJERPH1614 2607
- Combs JC, Hill MJ, Decherney AH. Polycystic ovarian syndrome genetics and epigenetics. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2021; 64(1): 20-25. doi: 10.1097/GRF.0000000000000581
Submitted date:
07/26/2025
Reviewed date:
08/31/2025
Accepted date:
09/04/2025