Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Molecular Docking Approach to Probe the Interaction between Dehydroeburicoic Acid and Human Serum Albumin

Abstract

The interaction between dehydroeburicoic acid (DeEA), a triterpene purified from medicinal fungi and the major transport protein, human serum albumin (HSA), were systematically studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking approach under simulated physiological conditions. The intrinsic fluorescence of HSA was quenched through the combination of static and dynamic quenching mechanism. DeEA cannot be stored and carried by HSA in the body at higher temperature. The hydrogen bonding, hy-drophobic force and van der Waals force were major acting forces. The site II was the major binding site. The energy transfer could occur with high probability and the binding distance was 3.29 nm. The binding process slightly changed the conformation and microenvironment of HSA. The DeEA molecule entered the hydrophobic cleft of HSA and formed the hydrogen bonding with Glu-492 and Lys-545.