7-hydroxyflavone and baicalein

Four flavones (flavone, 7-hydroxyflavone, chrysin, and baicalein) sharing the same B- and C-ring structure but a different numbers of hydroxyl groups on the A-ring were studied for their affinities for BSA and HSA. The hydroxylation on ring A of flavones increased the binding constants (K(a)) and the number of binding sites (n) between flavones and serum albumins. The affinities of 7-hydroxyflavone for BSA and HSA were about 800 times and 40 times higher than that of flavone, respectively. It appears that the optimal number of hydroxyl groups introduced to the ring A of flavones is one. As more hydroxyl groups were introduced to positions at C-5, C-6, and/or C-7 of flavones, the affinities for serum albumins decrease. The critical energy transfer distances (R(0)) between the hydroxylated flavones (1-3 OH on the ring A) and serum albumins decreased with the increasing affinities for serum albumins.

Topics: Algorithms; Binding Sites; Flavanones; Flavones; Flavonoids; Glycoproteins; Hydrogen Bonding; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydroxylation; Kinetics; Protein Binding; Serum Albumin; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Serum Albumin, Human; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Spectrophotometry; Structure-Activity Relationship

In a screening programme for inhibitors of human testis 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD type 3), as potential agents for the treatment of hormone-dependent prostatic cancer, we have used crude human testis microsomal 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as a convenient source of the enzyme. Crude human enzyme was shown to have a similar substrate profile to recombinant Type 3 17beta-HSD from the same source as determined by the low Km/Vmax ratio for the reduction of androstenedione compared to the oxidation of testosterone, and a low level of activity in reduction of oestrone. Screening of a wide range of compounds of different structural types as potential inhibitors of the microsomal enzyme in the reduction step revealed that certain p-benzoquinones and flavones/isoflavones were potent inhibitors of the enzyme, diphenyl-p-benzoquinone (2.7 microM), phenyl-p-benzoquinone (5.7 microM), 7-hydroxyflavone (9.0 microM), baicalein (9.3 microM) and biochanin A (10.8 microM). Some structure-activity relationships within the flavone/isoflavone series are discussed. Studies with rat testis microsomal 17beta-HSD showed that it differed from the human enzyme mainly in its greater ability to accept oestrone as substrate and the pH-optimum for oxidation of testosterone. It was found to be much less sensitive to inhibition by the compounds studied so negating it use as a more readily available tissue for the screening of potential inhibitors.

Topics: 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; Androstenedione; Animals; Benzoquinones; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Enzyme Inhibitors; Estradiol; Estrone; Flavanones; Flavonoids; Genistein; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Kinetics; Male; Microsomes; Prostatic Neoplasms; Rats; Structure-Activity Relationship; Testis; Testosterone