Multi-spectroscopic and molecular docking studies of human serum albumin interactions with sulfametoxydiazine and sulfamonomethoxine

The potential impact of 6PPD and its oxidation product 6PPD-quinone on human health: A case study on their interaction with human serum albumin

6PPD and its oxidation product, 6PPD-quinone have garnered widespread attention due to their adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health, and are recognized as emerging pollutants. In this study, we investigated the interaction mechanism between 6PPD/6PPD-quinone and human serum albumin (HSA) through various experiments. Experimental findings reveal that the IC50 values of 6PPD-quinone and 6PPD against HEK293T cells were 11.78 and 40.04 μM, respectively. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of these compounds was regulated by HSA, displaying an inverse correlation with their binding affinity to HSA. Furthermore, 6PPD/6PPD-quinone can spontaneously insert into site I on HSA, forming a binary complex that induces changes in the secondary structure of HSA. However, their effects on the esterase-like activity of HSA exhibit a dichotomy. While 6PPD activates the esterase-like activity of HSA, 6PPD-quinone inhibits it. Molecular docking analyses reveal that both 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone interact with many amino acid residues on HSA, including TRP214, ARG222, ARG218, ALA291, PHE211. The π electrons on the benzene rings of 6PPD/6PPD-quinone play pivotal roles in maintaining the stability of complexes. Moreover, the stronger binding affinity observed between 6PPD and HSA compared to 6PPD-quinone, may be attributed to the larger negative surface potential of 6PPD.

Molecular insight on the binding of halogenated organic phosphate esters to human serum albumin and its effect on cytotoxicity of halogenated organic phosphate esters

Halogenated Organic Phosphate Esters (OPEs) are commonly found in plasticizers and flame retardants. However, they are one kind of persistent contaminants that can pose a significant threat to human health and ecosystem as new environmental estrogen. In this study, two representative halogenated OPEs, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCP) and tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBP), were selected as experimental subjects to investigate their interaction with human serum albumin (HSA). Despite having similar structures, the two ligands exhibited contrasting effects on enzyme activity of HSA, TDCP inhibiting enzyme activity and TDBP activating it. Furthermore, both TDCP and TDBP could bind to HSA at site I, interacted with Arg222 and other residues, and made the conformation of HSA unfolded. Thermodynamic parameters indicated the main driving forces between TDBP and HSA were hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, while TDCP was mainly hydrophobic force. Molecular simulations found that more hydrogen bonds of HSA-TDBP formed during the binding process, and the larger charge area of TDBP than TDCP could partially account for the differences observed in their binding abilities to HSA. Notably, the cytotoxicity of TDBP/TDCP was inversely proportional to their binding ability to HSA, implying a new method for determining the cytotoxicity of halogenated OPEs in vitro.

Inhibition Effect of Okanin Toward Human Cytochrome P450 3A4 and 2D6 with Multi-spectroscopic Studies and Molecular Docking

Okanin, a major flavonoid of a popular herb tea, Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt., showed strong inhibition on CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. The strong interaction between okanin and CYPs were determined by enzyme kinetics, multispectral technique and molecular docking. The inhibition type of two enzymes, CYP3A4 and CYP2D6, by okanin are mixed and non-competitive inhibition type, respectively. The IC50 values and the binding constant of okanin to CYP3A4 can be deduced that the interaction was stronger than that of CYP2D6. The Conformations of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 were changed by okanin. The evidence from fluorescence measurement along with molecular docking verified that these two CYPs were bound with okanin by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces. Our investigation suggested that okanin may lead to interactions between herb and drug by inhibiting CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 activities, thus its consumption should be taken with caution.

Investigating sulfonamides - Human serum albumin interactions: A comprehensive approach using multi-spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and molecular docking

The environmental and health risks associated with sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) are receiving increasing attention. Through multi-spectroscopy, density functional theory (DFT), and molecular docking, this study investigated the interaction features and mechanisms between six representative SAs and human serum albumin (HSA). Multi-spectroscopy analysis showed that the six SAs had significant binding capabilities with HSA. The order of binding constants at 298 K was as follows: sulfadoxine (SDX): 7.18 × 105 L mol-1 > sulfamethizole (SMT): 6.28 × 105 L mol-1 > sulfamerazine (SMR): 2.70 × 104 L mol-1 > sulfamonomethoxine (SMM): 2.54 × 104 L mol-1 > sulfamethazine (SMZ): 3.06 × 104 L mol-1 > sulfadimethoxine (SDM): 2.50 × 104 L mol-1. During the molecular docking process of the six SAs with HSA, the binding affinity range is from -7.4 kcal mol-1 to -8.6 kcal mol-1. Notably, the docking result of HSA-SDX reached the maximum of -8.6 kcal mol-1, indicating that SDX may possess the highest binding capacity to HSA. HSA-SDX binding, identified as a static quenching and exothermic process, is primarily driven by hydrogen bonds (H bonds) or van der Waals (vdW) interactions. The quenching processes of SMR/SMZ/SMM/SDX/SMT to HSA are a combination of dynamic and static quenching, indicating an endothermic reaction. Hydrophobic interactions are primarily accountable for SMR/SMZ/SMM/SDX/SMT and HSA binding. Competition binding results revealed that the primary HSA-SAs binding sites are in the subdomain IB of the HAS structure, consistent with the results of molecule docking. The correlation analysis based on DFT calculations revealed an inherent relationship between the structural chemical features of SAs and the binding performance of HSA-SAs. The dual descriptor (DD) and the electrophilic Fukui function were found to have a significant relationship (0.71 and -0.71, respectively) with the binding constants of HSA-SAs, predicting the binding performance of SAs and HSA. These insights have substantial scientific value for evaluating the environmental risks of SAs as well as understanding their impact on biological life activities.

Investigation on the interaction of aromatic organophosphate flame retardants with human serum albumin via computer simulations, multispectroscopic techniques and cytotoxicity assay

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are newly emerging estrogenic environmental pollutants, which attracted widespread public interest owing to their potential threats to human. Here, the interaction between two typical aromatic OPFRs, TPHP/EHDPP and HSA was researched by different experiments. Experimental results indicated that TPHP/EHDPP can insert the site I of HSA and be encircled by several amino acid residues, Asp451, Glu292, Lys195, Trp214 and Arg218 played vital roles in this binding process. At 298 K, the Ka value of TPHP-HSA complex was 5.098 × 104 M-1, and the Ka value of EHDPP-HSA was 1.912 × 104 M-1. Except H-bonds and van der Waals forces, the π-electrons on the phenyl ring of aromatic-based OPFRs played a pivotal role in maintaining the stability of the complexes. The content alterations of HSA were observed in the present of TPHP/EHDPP. The IC50 values of TPHP and EHDPP were 157.9 μM and 31.14 μM to GC-2spd cells, respectively. And the existence of HSA has a regulatory effect on the reproductive toxicity of TPHP/EHDPP. In addition, the results of present work implied Ka values of OPFRs and HSA are possible to be a useful parameter for evaluating their relative toxicity.

Impacts of Halogen Substitutions on Bisphenol A Compounds Interaction with Human Serum Albumin: Exploring from Spectroscopic Techniques and Computer Simulations

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting compound, and the binding mechanism of BPA with carrier proteins has drawn widespread attention. Halogen substitutions can significantly impact the properties of BPA, resulting in various effects for human health. Here, we selected tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) to investigate the interaction between different halogen-substituted BPAs and human serum albumin (HSA). TBBPA/TCBPA spontaneously occupied site I and formed stable binary complexes with HSA. Compared to TCBPA, TBBPA has higher binding affinity to HSA. The effect of different halogen substituents on the negatively charged surface area of BPA was an important reason for the higher binding affinity of TBBPA to HSA compared to TCBPA. Hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces were crucial in the TCBPA-HSA complex, while the main driving factor for the formation of the TBBPA-HSA complex was hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, the presence of TBBPA/TCBPA changed the secondary structure of HSA. Amino acid residues such as Lys199, Lys195, Phe211, Arg218, His242, Leu481, and Trp214 were found to play crucial roles in the binding process between BPA compounds and HSA. Furthermore, the presence of halogen substituents facilitated the binding of BPA compounds with HSA.

Use of computational and wet lab techniques to examine the molecular association between a potent hepatitis C virus inhibitor, PSI-6206 and human serum albumin

This study explores the plausible molecular interaction between a potent hepatitis C virus inhibitor, PSI-6206 (PSI), and human serum albumin (HSA), a primary transporter in blood plasma. Results obtained from both computational viz. molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and wet lab techniques such as UV absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) complemented each other. While docking results identified PSI binding to subdomain IIA (Site I) of HSA by forming six hydrogen bonds, MD simulations signified the complex stability throughout the 50,000 ps. A consistent cutback in the Stern-Volmer quenching constant (K_sv) along with rising temperatures supported the static mode of fluorescence quenching in response to PSI addition and implied the development of the PSI-HSA complex. This discovery was backed by the alteration of the HSA UV absorption spectrum, a larger value (>10¹⁰ M^-1.s^-1) of the bimolecular quenching rate constant (kq) and the AFM-guided swelling of the HSA molecule, in the presence of PSI. Moreover, the fluorescence titration results revealed a modest binding affinity (4.27-6.25×10³ M^-1) in the PSI-HSA system, involving hydrogen bonds, van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions, as inferred from ΔS = + 22.77 J mol^-1 K^-1 and ΔH = - 11.02 KJ mol^-1values. CD and 3D fluorescence spectra reminded significant adjustment in the 2° and 3° structures and modification in the Tyr/Trp microenvironment of the protein in the PSI-bound state. The results obtained from drug competing experiments also advocated the binding location of PSI in HSA as Site I.

Spectrofluorometric and computational approaches for the interaction studies of aclonifen and bifenox with human serum albumin

Interaction of two broadly used herbicides, aclonifen (ACF) and bifenox (BIF) with the major transporter in human circulation, human serum albumin (HSA) were examined using fluorescence and absorption spectral measurements combined with in silico analyses. Assessment of the fluorescence and absorption spectral results affirmed the complexation between ACF/BIF and HSA. Increase in the K_SV value with temperature characterized the ACF/BIF-induced quenching of the protein fluorescence as dynamic quenching. The moderate binding affinities (K_f = 1.74×10⁴ - 1.95×10⁶ M^-1 for ACF-HSA complex; K_f = 2.00×10³ - 1.02×10⁶ M^-1 for BIF-HSA complex) were pointed out between ACF/BIF and HSA, showing a relatively higher binding constant values with increasing temperatures. Quantitative evaluation of thermodynamic data (ΔS = +0.86 kJ mol^-1 K^-1 and ΔH = +225.43 kJ mol^-1 for ACF-HSA complex; ΔS = +1.11 kJ mol^-1 K^-1 and ΔH = +304.63 kJ mol^-1 for BIF-HSA complex) predicted the contribution of hydrophobic interactions in the ACF-HSA and BIF-HSA association processes, which were well supported by our molecular docking results. In silico analyses were made to acquire insight details into the ACF and BIF binding to HSA at the binding sites and suggested the locations of ACF and BIF binding sites as both subdomain IIA (site I) and subdomain IIIA (site II) of HSA, showing more preference toward site I.

Alterations in the conformation and function of human serum albumin induced by the binding of methyl hydrogen phthalate

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used as plasticizer components in production. Methyl hydrogen phthalate (MHP) is a metabolite of dimethyl phthalate (DMP, a kind of PAEs), and its toxic residues accumulate in the nature and can enter the human body. Here, the interaction between MHP and human serum albumin (HSA) was probed by using multi-spectral, computer simulations, and biochemical techniques. The results showed that MHP was spontaneously embedded in site I of HSA to form a complex by H-bonds and van der Waals forces (ΔH < 0, ΔS < 0). The binding constant (K_a) of the HSA-MHP system was 1.136 ± 0.026 × 10⁴ M^-1 (298 K). The combination of MHP produced conformational variations of HSA, as shown by the 3D fluorescence spectrum, CD spectra, and molecular dynamics simulation. Additionally, molecular docking indicated that MHP was surrounded by multiple residues, such as Lys199, Leu203, Phe206, and Trp214. Specifically, Lys199 and Trp214 exerted a crucial effect on the interaction of HSA and MHP. The residues with important energy contribution were mostly located in site I. The ASA values of the aromatic amino acids of HSA changed after combining with MHP. The R_g and SASA values of HSA increased after adding MHP, suggesting that the structure of HSA was less compact. Moreover, the esterase-like activity of HSA increased after adding MHP to HSA, indicating that MHP may disturb the normal physiological activities in the human body. This study was helpful to understand the biological function of MHP and provided some insights for its side effect in the human body.

Elucidation on inhibition and binding mechanism of bovine liver catalase by nifedipine: multi-spectroscopic analysis and computer simulation methods

Nifedipine (NDP), a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, is widely used for the treatment of hypertension and angina pectoris. Catalase is a key antioxidant enzyme that is closely relevant to the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo. Here, the research explored the effects of NDP on the conformation and catalytic function of bovine liver catalase (BLC) through enzymatic reaction kinetic techniques, multi-spectroscopic analysis and computer simulation method. Kinetic studies clarified that the NDP debased the activity of BLC by non-competitive inhibition mechanism. Based on the data of trials, it was a static quenching mechanism that functioned in the quenching of intrinsic fluorescence of BLC. The binding constant value was (4.486 ± 0.008) × 10⁴ M^-1 (298 K) and BLC had one binding site for NDP. Tyr was prone to be exposed more to a hydrophilic environment in wake of a shift in fluorescence value. The binding reaction of BLC to NDP caused the conformational alteration of BLC, which in turn led to increase of the α-helix and decline of β-sheet contents. Furthermore, several amino acids residues interacted with NDP by means of van der Waals forces, whereas Gln397, Asn368, Gln371, Asn384 and Pro377 formed several Hydrogen Bonds with NDP.

Probing the potential toxicity by characterizing the binding mechanism of sodium dehydroacetate to human serum albumin

BACKGROUND

Sodium dehydroacetate (DHA-S) is a common food additive, which can combine with serum proteins in the plasma, but the interaction mechanism between DHA-S and human serum albumin (HSA) is unclear. In this study, multiple spectroscopy techniques, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), molecular docking and esterase activity test were employed to investigate the interaction mechanism of DHA-S and HSA.

RESULTS

A DHA-S-HSA complex was formed and the structure of HSA were altered by DHA-S. Since DHA-S changed the tight structure of the hydrophobic subdomain IIA where tryptophan (Trp) was placed, the hydrophobicity of the microenvironment of HSA was enhanced. With the addition of DHA-S, the skeleton structure of HSA became loose and the solvent shell on the HSA surface was destroyed. DHA-S altered the secondary structure of HSA, resulting in the decreased α-helix and increased β-sheet contents. The interaction was exothermic and spontaneous driven by van der Waals and hydrogen bonding. DHA-S inhibited the esterase activity of HSA. Molecular docking demonstrated that the binding site of DHA-S on HSA located at the cavity of subdomains IIA and IIIA, but the amino acids related to esterase activity of HSA were not in the binding pocket, indicating that the mechanism by which DHA-S inhibited HSA esterase activity was the change in protein structure.

CONCLUSION

This study illustrated that DHA-S interacted with HSA and the structure and function of HSA were affected by DHA-S. This research could help to understand the toxicity of DHA-S and provide basic data for safe use of food additives. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Elucidating the binding mechanism of an antimigraine agent with a model protein: insights from molecular spectroscopic, calorimetric and computational approaches

Sumatriptan (SUM), a serotonin activator used to treat migraines and cluster headaches. Molecular spectroscopic methods including fluorescence quenching, time dependent fluorescence, FRET, absorption, circular dichroism, differential scanning calorimetric and computational approaches were employed to unravel the interaction between sumatriptan and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The fluorescence quenching studies suggested the interaction between SUM and BSA with a moderate binding with the binding constant (K_b) in the order of 10⁴. The findings of temperature and time dependent fluorescence quenching studies confirmed the role of static quenching mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters suggested the key role of electrostatic force in the interaction of SUM with BSA. Absorption and CD spectral studies revealed the bioenvironmental changes around the Trp in BSA upon binding of SUM. Calorimetric based thermal denaturation results confirmed that the thermal stability of BSA was improved in the presence of SUM. resulted in the this decreased flexibility of protein chain. Site competitive studies indicated SUM was located in the hydrophobic cavity of site I which was further confirmed by the docking and dynamic simulation studies. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations inferred the microenvironmental condition around the SUM and the amino acids and forces involved in the binding of SUM with BSA.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Interactions between Human Serum Albumin and Sulfadimethoxine Determined Using Spectroscopy and Molecular Docking

Sulfonamides are widely used antibiotics in agricultural production. However, the potential threat of these drugs to human health has increased global concern. Human serum albumin (HSA) is the main reservoir and transporter of exogenous small molecules in humans. In this study, the interaction between sulfadimethoxine (SMT) and human serum albumin (HSA) was studied using spectroscopy and computer simulation. Our results showed that the hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces drove SMT to enter the binding site I of HSA spontaneously and resulted in the fluorescence quenching of HSA. The stability of the HSA–SMT complex decreased with an increase in temperature. The binding of SMT to HSA induced alterations in the secondary structure of HSA, where the content of α-helix decreased from 61.0% of the free state to 59.0% of the compound state. The π–π, π–σ, and π–alkyl interactions between HSA and SMT were found to play important roles in maintaining the stability of the complex.

Spectroscopic and in silico insight into the interaction between dicofol and human serum albumin

Dicofol, a broad-spectrum acaricide, has garnered considerable attention because of the potential harm to the environment and various organisms. Herein, this study applied spectroscopic and in silico methods to understand the interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and dicofol. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated that dicofol formed a stable complex and the binding process occurred in Suldow's site I of HSA. Its binding constant was 2.26 × 10⁵ M^-1 at 298 K. Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bond were primarily facilitated the interaction between dicofol and HSA (ΔH < 0, ΔS < 0) according to thermodynamic experiments. Additionally, 3D fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra revealed a few conformational changes in HSA due to dicofol. Molecular docking analysis indicated that dicofol interacted with Ser192, Gln196, Leu481, Arg218, Leu238, and Phe211 via van der Waals forces and formed a hydrogen bond with His242. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation showed that Lys195 and Arg218 residues contributed greater energy for forming the HSA-dicofol complex. MD simulation analysis also showed that dicofol can affect the HSA structure with a reduction in α-helix. This research is desired to facilitate a new perspective on the toxicity mechanism of dicofol in the human body.

Revealing the binding properties between resorcinol and DNA

Resorcinol (1,3-dihydroxybenzene) is a common coupling agent in permanent hair dyes, and has arrested people's attention for its potential hazard to human health. However, the action mechanism of resorcinol and human DNA has not been elucidated. In this research, the binding properties between resorcinol and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) were studied for the first time through various spectral and molecular docking techniques. Spectral studies showed that the initial fluorescence quenching of resorcinol against DNA was a static one. The result of ΔH < 0 and ΔS > 0 was produced from thermodynamic experimental data, therefore it could be concluded that electrostatic force was the major driving force, while binding constant K_b was 1.56 × 10⁴  M^-1 at 298 K. The electrostatic binding network between resorcinol and ct-DNA was established explicitly through competitive substitution analysis and other spectral approaches. The results of FT-IR absorption spectra indicated that resorcinol had bound to the DNA phosphate skeleton. Molecular docking clearly revealed that binding occurred between hydroxyl groups of resorcinol and phosphorus oxygen bonds (P-O) of the DNA skeleton. These findings may deepen our understanding of the action mechanism between resorcinol and ct-DNA and provide some useful data on the effect of resorcinol on human diseases.

Unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions: Recent advances in developing state-of-the-art analytical techniques

Bioconversion of renewable lignocellulosics to produce liquid fuels and chemicals is one of the most effective ways to solve the problem of fossil resource shortage, energy security, and environmental challenges. Among the many biorefinery pathways, hydrolysis of lignocellulosics to fermentable monosaccharides by cellulase is arguably the most critical step of lignocellulose bioconversion. In the process of enzymatic hydrolysis, the direct physical contact between enzymes and cellulose is an essential prerequisite for the hydrolysis to occur. However, lignin is considered one of the most recalcitrant factors hindering the accessibility of cellulose by binding to cellulase unproductively, which reduces the saccharification rate and yield of sugars. This results in high costs for the saccharification of carbohydrates. The various interactions between enzymes and lignin have been explored from different perspectives in literature, and a basic lignin inhibition mechanism has been proposed. However, the exact interaction between lignin and enzyme as well as the recently reported promotion of some types of lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis is still unclear at the molecular level. Multiple analytical techniques have been developed, and fully unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions would require a continuous improvement of the currently available analytical techniques. This review summarizes the current commonly used advanced research analytical techniques for investigating the interaction between lignin and enzyme, including quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy (FLS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Interdisciplinary integration of these analytical methods is pursued to provide new insight into the interactions between lignin and enzymes. This review will serve as a resource for future research seeking to develop new methodologies for a better understanding of the basic mechanism of lignin-enzyme binding during the critical hydrolysis process.