Ligand biological activity predictions using fingerprint-based artificial neural networks (FANN-QSAR)

Methods Mol Biol. 2015:1260:149-64. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2239-0_9.

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the fingerprint-based artificial neural networks QSAR (FANN-QSAR) approach to predict biological activities of structurally diverse compounds. Three types of fingerprints, namely ECFP6, FP2, and MACCS, were used as inputs to train the FANN-QSAR models. The results were benchmarked against known 2D and 3D QSAR methods, and the derived models were used to predict cannabinoid (CB) ligand binding activities as a case study. In addition, the FANN-QSAR model was used as a virtual screening tool to search a large NCI compound database for lead cannabinoid compounds. We discovered several compounds with good CB2 binding affinities ranging from 6.70 nM to 3.75 μM. The studies proved that the FANN-QSAR method is a useful approach to predict bioactivities or properties of ligands and to find novel lead compounds for drug discovery research.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Cannabinoids / chemistry*
  • Cannabinoids / metabolism*
  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Databases, Chemical
  • Ligands*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neural Networks, Computer*
  • Protein Binding
  • Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Receptors, Cannabinoid / metabolism

Substances

  • Cannabinoids
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Cannabinoid