Binding of natural and synthetic polyphenols to human dihydrofolate reductase.

ABSTRACT: Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is the subject of intensive investigation since it appears to be the primary target enzyme for antifolate drugs. Fluorescence quenching experiments show that the ester bond-containing tea polyphenols (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) are potent inhibitors of DHFR with dissociation constants (K(D))of 0.9 and 1.8 microM, respectively, while polyphenols lacking the ester bound gallate moiety [e.g., (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) and (-)-epicatechin (EC)] did not bind to this enzyme. To avoid stability and bioavailability problems associated with tea catechins we synthesized a methylated derivative of ECG (3-O-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)-(-)-epicatechin; TMECG), which effectively binds to DHFR (K(D) = 2.1 microM). In alkaline solutio

SUBMITTER: Sanchez-Del-Campo L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2802001 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature