Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Interactions of flavanoids with bradykinin in aqueous solution

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Complexation with proteins is central to much of the biological and industrial significance of plant polyphenols. Definition of the interaction of these two classes of biopolymers has, therefore, been studied for decades. The most important mechanism seems to involve hydrophobic interactions and also hydrogen bonding, but to a smaller extent. Study of specific interactions between polyphenols and peptides has been pursued using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Hatano showed that information required for conformation and complexation determination can be obtained from nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy. NMR experiments can be guided by Macromodel molecular modeling by applying Monte Carlo methods to the conformational searching on complexes. Results show that the interaction is directed to conformationally accessible hydrophobic regions and emphasize the importance of the shape of both the flavanoid and the peptide.

Epidemiological findings have shown that incidence of cardiovascular and neurologic degenerative diseases appears to be lower for populations with regular but moderate drinking of red wine that contains flavanoids such as catechin and procyanidins. To understand the effects of flavanoids on human health, it is important to obtain an accurate assessment of their interactions with polypeptides involved in the control of blood pressure and cardiovascular functions such as bradykinin.. Furthermore, the multiple structural features of bradykinin provide avenues to explore conformational selectivity. In addition to two proline and phenylalanine residues, two arginine residues are present at each end of the peptide, hence the authors’ interest in this system.

Citation

Berke, B.; Tobiason, F.L.; Hatano, T.; Cheze, C,; Vercauteren, J.; Hemingway, Richard W. 1999. Interactions of flavanoids with bradykinin in aqueous solution. Polyphenols, wine and health communications; polyphenols, wine and health symposium; 1999 April 14-16; Bordeaux, France.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/1075