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Gossypol inhibits estrogen binding to rat /‐fetoprotein
Author(s) -
Baker Michael E.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(84)80565-7
Subject(s) - gossypol , chemistry , estrogen , binding site , sodium cyanoborohydride , biochemistry , medicine , endocrinology , biology , medicinal chemistry
We find that gossypol, a male anti‐fertility compound, is a reversible competitive inhibitor of estrogen binding to rat α‐fetoprotein (AFP). The K d of gossypol for rat AFP is 1.75 μM, which is similar to gossypol's affinity for lactate dehydrogenase isozyme X, the putative site where gossypol exerts its anti‐fertility effects. Reacting sodium cyanoborohydride with gossypol reduces its affinity for AFP, showing that intact aldehyde groups on gossypol are important for binding to rat AFP and indicating that gossypol is specifically interacting with a nucleophilic site on AFP that influences estrogen binding.