Crystal structures of human transthyretin complexed with glabridin

J Med Chem. 2014 Feb 13;57(3):1090-6. doi: 10.1021/jm401832j. Epub 2014 Jan 23.

Abstract

Transthyretin (TTR) is a plasma protein implicated in human amyloid diseases. Several small molecules that bind to the thyroxine-binding site of TTR have been shown to stabilize the TTR tetramer and to inhibit amyloid fibril formation of TTR. Herein, we demonstrated that glabridin (Glab), a prenylated isoflavan isolated from Glycyrrhiza glabra L., inhibited aggregation of TTR in a thioflavin assay. The TTR-Glab complex structure revealed a novel binding mode including a CH-π interaction with A108 and a hydrogen bond with K15. A structural comparison with the wild type-apo structure revealed that the CH-π interaction with A108 was strengthened by the induced-fit conformational change upon Glab binding. Furthermore, the binding of Glab induced a rotation of the T119 side chain, and the inclusion of a water molecule, leading to stabilization of the dimer-dimer interface. These results demonstrate that Glab is a novel inhibitor of TTR fibrillization and suggest the molecular mechanism by which Glab binding stabilizes the tetramer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / chemistry
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Humans
  • Isoflavones / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phenols / chemistry*
  • Prealbumin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Prealbumin / chemistry*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Isoflavones
  • Phenols
  • Prealbumin
  • glabridin