Identification of two biologically crucial hydroxyl groups of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate in osteoclast culture

(−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) induces cell death of osteoclasts in an Fe2+- and H2O2-dependent manner. In the present study, we further explore the cytotoxic mechanism of EGCG using four EGCG analogues. Molecules methylated at position 4′ in the B ring (EGCG-4′-O-Me) or at position 4″ in the D-ring (EGCG-4″-O-Me) showed markedly decreased cytotoxicity to osteoclasts, indicating that hydroxyl groups at these two positions of EGCG are crucial for inducing cell death of osteoclasts. EGCG-4′-O-Me also showed the lowest Fe3+-reducing activity among five EGCGs. The Fe3+-reducing activity of EGCG was enhanced under conditions whereby protonated EGCG levels were increased, indicating that the protonated status of EGCG was involved in the Fe3+-reducing activity. The hydroxyl group at position 4″ in the D-ring was shown by quantum chemical calculation to be preferentially deprotonated among all of the hydroxyl groups in EGCGs. It was also shown that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) was localized to the B-ring of EGCGs, except for EGCG-4′-O-Me. We report here that the HOMO on the B-ring plays crucial roles in both the Fe3+-reducing activity of EGCG and the cytotoxicity of EGCG to osteoclasts, while deprotonation of the hydroxyl group at position 4″ in the D-ring plays a supplementary role.