title: Strong inhibitory effects of common tea catechins and bioflavonoids on the O-methylation of catechol estrogens catalyzed by human liver cytosolic catechol-O-methyltransferase.
abstract: In the present investigation, we studied the inhibitory effects of three tea catechins [catechin, epicatechin, and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate] and two bioflavonoids (quercetin and fisetin) on the O-methylation of 2- and 4-hydroxyestradiol (2-OH-E(2) and 4-OH-E(2), respectively) by human liver cytosolic catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). We found that catechin and epicatechin each inhibited the O-methylation of 2-OH-E(2) and 4-OH-E(2) in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC(50) values for inhibition of 2-OH-E(2) methylation by catechin and epicatechin were 14 to 17 microM and 44 to 65 microM, respectively, and their IC(50) values for inhibition of 4-OH-E(2) methylation were 5 to 7 microM and 10 to 18 microM, respectively. Our data showed that these two catechins had 2- to 6-fold higher inhibition potency for the O-methylation of 4-OH-E(2) than for the O-methylation of 2-OH-E(2). (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate was found to have a distinctly high inhibition potency for the O-methylation of 2- and 4-OH-E(2) (IC(50) values of 0.04-0.07 microM and 0.2-0.5 microM, respectively). The crude extracts from green tea and black tea also showed very strong activity in inhibiting human liver COMT-mediated O-methylation of catechol estrogens. We also determined, for comparison, two common bioflavonoids (quercetin and fisetin) for their inhibitory effects on human liver COMT-mediated O-methylation of catechol estrogens. The IC(50) values for quercetin and fisetin were 0.9 to 1.5 microM and 3.3 to 4.5 microM, respectively, for inhibiting the O-methylation of 2-OH-E(2), and 0.5 to 1.2 microM and 2.6 to 4.2 microM, respectively, for inhibiting the O-methylation of 4-OH-E(2). Enzyme kinetic analyses showed that both tea catechins and bioflavonoids inhibited human liver COMT-mediated O-methylation of 4-OH-E(2) (a representative substrate) with a mixed mechanism of inhibition (competitive plus noncompetitive). In summary, the catechol-containing tea catechins and bioflavonoids are strong inhibitors of human liver COMT-mediated O-methylation of catechol estrogens. More studies are warranted to determine the extent of such inhibition in human subjects and the potential biological consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Room 617 of Coker Life Sciences Building, 700 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
authors.forename: Mime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Allan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Conney
authors.forename: Bao Ting
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002392:Catechin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D003600:Cytosol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002393:Estrogens, Catechol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008745:Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013662:Tea
chemical_list: D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D002393:Estrogens, Catechol; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase