Planta Med 2006; 72 - P_036
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-949836

Binding of natural products and their derivatives to bovine β-lactoglobulin

L Riihimäki 1, P Vuorela 1, 2
  • 1Drug Discovery and Development Technology Center, DDTC, and Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 56 (Viikinkaari 5E), 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
  • 2Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, Biocity, Tykistökatu 6 A, 20520 Turku, Finland

β-lactoglobulin (βLG) is the main whey protein in bovine milk. In this study, the binding of a group of natural compounds and their derivatives (44 in total) to βLG was studied. βLG may act as a binder molecule for natural products. βLG binding studies were made using our earlier miniaturised microplate screening assay based on fluorescence quenching [1], where the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) and the number of independent ligand binding sites (n) were determined. Of the compounds investigated the major of flavones, flavonols, flavanones and isoflavones were bound to βLG with high affinity, Kd between 0.203–0.633µM. In addition some compound from the group of catechins and derivatives, coumarins and phenolic acids and derivatives were slightly bound to βLG, Kd >0.7µM. These studies showed that βLG could act as a binder for phenolic natural products and in this way enhance their health benefit characters when fortified in health promoting products.

Reference: 1. Riihimäki, L. et al. (2006), J. Biochem. Biophys. Methods. Accepted.