Structural Specificity of Flavonoids in the Inhibition of Human Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphatase

J Nat Prod. 2020 May 22;83(5):1541-1552. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00014. Epub 2020 May 4.

Abstract

Liver fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) is a recognized regulatory enzyme of the gluconeogenesis pathway, which has emerged as a valid target to control gluconeogenesis-mediated overproduction of glucose. As such, the management of diabetes with FBPase inhibitors represents a potential alternative for the currently used antidiabetic agents. In this study, the FBPase inhibition of a panel of 55 structurally related flavonoids was tested, through a microanalysis screening system. Then, a subset of seven active inhibitors and their close chemical relatives were further evaluated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a linear interaction energy (LIE) approach. The results obtained showed that D14 (herbacetin) was the most potent inhibitor, suggesting that the presence of -OH groups at the C-3, C-4', C-5, C-7, and C-8 positions, as well as the double bond between C-2 and C-3 and the 4-oxo function at the pyrone ring, are favorable for the intended effect. Furthermore, D14 (herbacetin) is stabilized by a strong interaction with the Glu30 side chain and the Thr24 backbone of FBPase. This is the first investigation studying the in vitro inhibitory effect of a panel of flavonoids against human liver FBPase, thus representing a potentially important step for the search and design of novel inhibitors of this enzyme.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / metabolism*
  • Fructose / metabolism
  • Fructose-Bisphosphatase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Fructose-Bisphosphatase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Flavonoids
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • herbacetin
  • Fructose
  • Fructose-Bisphosphatase