Investigating the interactions of Axitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with DNA: experimental studies, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations

Axitinib is an oral medication classified as a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It serves as a primary treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) due to its strong affinity for DNA, which leads to the disruption of the double helix structure. This disruption ultimately halts the cell cycle and induces senescence and mitotic catastrophe in RCC cells. Consequently, investigating the mechanism by which Axitinib binds to DNA is essential for comprehending its pharmacodynamic properties and for the advancement of more effective DNA-binding therapeutics. The present study aimed to examine the interaction between Axitinib and DNA through various analytical techniques, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermal denaturation assays, electrochemical methods, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. According to the electrochemical studies, the binding constant (<i>K_b</i>) for Axitinib was calculated to be (5.13 ± 0.28) × 10⁴, suggesting the potential for groove binding. This finding was further supported by in-silico analyses, where molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the drug selectively binds to the DNA minor groove through partial intercalation, forming new hydrogen bonds with its functional groups while separating the guanine and cytosine base pairs.