The interactions of human CYP3A4 with three selected isomer flavonoids, such as astilbin, isoastilbin and neoastilbin, were clarified using spectral analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. During binding with the three flavonoids, the intrinsic fluorescence of CYP3A4 was statically quenched in static mode with nonradiative energy conversion. The fluorescence and ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis) data revealed that the three flavonoids had a moderate and stronger binding affinity with CYP3A4 due to the order of the Ka1 and Ka2 values ranging from 104 to 105 L·mol-1 . In addition, astilbin had the highest affinity with CYP3A4, then isoastilbin and neoastilbin, at the three experimental temperatures. Multispectral analysis confirmed that binding of the three flavonoids resulted in clear changes in the secondary structure of CYP3A4. It was found from fluorescence, UV/vis and molecular docking analyses that these three flavonoids strongly bound to CYP3A4 by means of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. The key amino acids around the binding site were also elucidated. Furthermore, the stabilities of the three CYP3A4 complexes were evaluated using molecular dynamics simulation.
Keywords: CYP3A4; flavonoid; molecular docking; molecular dynamics simulation; spectral analysis.
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