Direct interaction of garcinol and related polyisoprenylated benzophenones of Garcinia cambogia fruits with the transcription factor STAT-1 as a likely mechanism of their inhibitory effect on cytokine signaling pathways

Garcinol (1), a polyisoprenylated benzophenone occurring in Garcinia species, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated macrophages, through inhibition of NF-κB and/or JAK/STAT-1 activation. In order to provide deeper insight into its effects on the cytokine signaling pathway and to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms, 1 was isolated from the fruits of Garcinia cambogia along with two other polyisoprenylated benzophenones, guttiferones K (2) and guttiferone M (3), differing from each other in their isoprenyl moieties and their positions on the benzophenone core. The affinities of 1-3 for the STAT-1 protein have been evaluated by surface plasmon resonance and molecular docking studies and resulted in KD values in the micromolar range. Consistent with the observed high affinity toward the STAT-1 protein, garcinol and guttiferones K and M were able to modulate cytokine signaling in different cultured cell lines, mainly by inhibiting STAT-1 nuclear transfer and DNA binding, as assessed by an electrophorectic mobility shift assay.