Computational Screening of Microbial Metabolites as Erythropoietin (EPO) Mimetics for the Treatment of Anemia

Anemia remains a critical global health burden, often driven by impaired erythropoietin (EPO) signaling, which reduces red blood cell production. While recombinant EPO therapy is effective, its high cost and associated safety concerns limit its accessibility. This study explores microbial metabolites as affordable and safe alternatives that act as EPO mimetics that can bind and activate the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR). A computational screening of 90 microbial bioactive compounds was conducted, and from those, 16 were selected for detailed analysis. The extracellular domain of EPOR (PDB: 1EBP) was used as the target protein. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock, followed by ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) profiling with SwissADME and ProTox-III. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were also analyzed in…