Binding studies of guggulsterone-E to calf thymus DNA by multi-spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular docking studies

Abstract

Guggulsterone, a sterol found in plants is used as an ayurvedic medicine for many diseases such as obesity, internal tumors, ulcers etc. E and Z are two isoforms of guggulsterone, wherein guggulsterone-E (GUGE) has also been shown to have anticancer potential. Most of the anticancer drugs target nucleic acids. Therefore, we studied the mode of interaction between ctDNA and GUGE using UV–Vis, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, isothermal calorimetry along with molecular docking studies. Hoechst 3325, ethidium bromide and rhodamine-B displacement experiments confirms that GUGE binds in the minor groove of DNA. ITC results further suggest these interactions to be feasible and spontaneous with hydrogen bond formation and van der waals interactions. Lastly, molecular docking also suggests GUGE to be a minor groove binder interacting through a single hydrogen bond formation between OH group of GUGE and nitrogen (N3) of adenosine (A6).