Probing the binding of procyanidin B3 to trypsin and pepsin: A multi-technique approach

• Procyanidin B3 quench the fluorescence of trypsin/pepsin through a static quenching.
• One molecule of procyanidin B3 combines with one molecule of trypsin/pepsin.
• Procyanidin B3 binds trypsin in a more firmly way than pepsin.
• Procyanidin B3 may induce conformational changes of trypsin/pepsin.
• Procyanidin B3 occupies the active site of trypsin and pepsin.

Proanthocyanidins are a mixture of monomers, oligomers, and polymers of flavan-3-ols that are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. One of the most widely studied proanthocyanidins is procyanidin B3. In this study, the binding of procyanidin B3 to trypsin and pepsin was investigated using spectrofluorimetry, equilibrium microdialysis, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and molecular modeling. Fluorescence experiments indicate procyanidin B3 quenches the fluorescence of trypsin/pepsin through a static process. Thermodynamic analysis reveals that procyanidin B3 binds to trypsin/pepsin is synergistically driven by enthalpy and entropy, and the major driving forces are hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions. Procyanidin B3 binds trypsin in a more firmly way than pepsin, and one molecule of procyanidin B3 combines with one molecule of trypsin/pepsin. The binding parameters obtained from equilibrium microdialysis are consistent with the results obtained from fluorescence spectroscopy. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and CD spectroscopy show that procyanidin B3 may induce microenvironmental and conformational changes of trypsin and pepsin. Molecular modeling displays the specific binding site of procyanidin B3 on trypsin and pepsin. The study provides an accurate and full basic data for clarifying the binding mechanisms of procyanidin B3 with trypsin and pepsin and is helpful for understanding its biological activity in vivo.