Probing the intermolecular interactions into serum albumin and anthraquinone systems: a spectroscopic and docking approach

Abstract

Intermolecular interaction study of human serum albumin (HSA) with two anthraquinones i.e. danthron and quinizarin has been performed through fluorescence, UV-vis and CD spectroscopy along with docking analysis. The titration of drugs into HSA solution brought about the quenching of fluorescence emission by way of complex formation. The binding constants were found to be 1.51 × 104 L mol−1 and 1.70 × 104 L mol−1 at λexc = 280 nm while at λexc = 295 nm, the values of binding constants were 1.81 × 104 L mol−1 and 1.90 × 104 L mol−1 which hinted toward binding of both the drugs in the vicinity of subdomain IIA. Different temperature study revealed the presence of static quenching mechanism. Moreover, more effective quenching of the fluorescence emission was observed at λexc = 295 nm which also suggested that both the drug molecule bind nearer to Trp-214. Thermodynamic parameters showed that hydrophobic interaction was the major force behind the binding of drugs. The UV-vis spectroscopy testified the formation of complex in both the systems and primary quenching mechanism as static one. The changes in secondary structure and α-helicity in both the systems were observed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis predicted the probable binding site of drugs in subdomain IIA of HSA molecule. The types of amino acid residues surrounding the drug molecule advocated that van der Waals forces, hydrophobic forces and electrostatic forces played a vital role in the stabilization of drug-protein complex formed.