title: Theaflavin derivatives in black tea and catechin derivatives in green tea inhibit HIV-1 entry by targeting gp41.
abstract: Theaflavin derivatives and catechin derivatives are the major polyphenols in black tea and green tea, respectively. Several tea polyphenols, especially those with galloyl moiety, can inhibit HIV-1 replication with multiple mechanisms of action. Here we showed that the theaflavin derivatives had more potent anti-HIV-1 activity than catechin derivatives. These tea polyphenols could inhibit HIV-1 entry into target cells by blocking HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion. The fusion inhibitory activity of the tea polyphenols was correlated with their ability to block the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle, a fusion-active core conformation. Computer-aided molecular docking analyses indicate that these tea polyphenols, theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TF3) as an example, may bind to the highly conserved hydrophobic pocket on the surface of the central trimeric coiled coil formed by the N-terminal heptad repeats of gp41. These results indicate that tea, especially black tea, may be used as a source of anti-HIV agents and theaflavin derivatives may be applied as lead compounds for developing HIV-1 entry inhibitors targeting gp41.
authors.affiliation: Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, the New York Blood Center, 310 E 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Shuwen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yuxian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jinkui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Asim K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.forename: Shuguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shibo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044946:Biflavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000378:metabolism; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D044946:Biflavonoids; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; C077197:theaflavin digallate; D005707:Gallic Acid; D002392:Catechin