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Prostaglandin (PG)E(2) is a critical lipid mediator connecting chronic inflammation to cancer. The anti-carcinogenic epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea (Camellia sinensis) suppresses cellular PGE(2) biosynthesis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here, we investigated the interference of EGCG with enzymes involved in PGE(2) biosynthesis, namely cytosolic phospholipase (cPL)A(2), cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2, and microsomal prostaglandin E(2) synthase-1 (mPGES-1). EGCG failed to significantly inhibit isolated COX-2 and cPLA(2) up to 30 microM and moderately blocked isolated COX-1 (IC(50)>30 microM). However, EGCG efficiently inhibited the transformation of PGH(2) to PGE(2) catalyzed by mPGES-1 (IC(50)=1.8 microM). In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human whole blood, EGCG significantly inhibited PGE(2) generation, whereas the concomitant synthesis of other prostanoids (i.e., 12(S)-hydroxy-5-cis-8,10-trans-heptadecatrienoic acid and 6-keto PGF(1alpha)) was not suppressed. Conclusively, mPGES-1 is a molecular target of EGCG, and inhibition of mPGES-1 is seemingly the predominant mechanism underlying suppression of cellular PGE(2) biosynthesis by EGCG.

We previously showed that, in vitro, hyperforin from St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) inhibits 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), the key enzyme in leukotriene biosynthesis. Here, we demonstrate that hyperforin possesses a novel and unique molecular pharmacological profile as a 5-LO inhibitor with remarkable efficacy in vivo. Hyperforin (4 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly suppressed leukotriene B(4) formation in pleural exudates of carrageenan-treated rats associated with potent anti-inflammatory effectiveness. Inhibition of 5-LO by hyperforin, but not by the iron-ligand type 5-LO inhibitor BWA4C or the nonredox-type inhibitor ZM230487, was abolished in the presence of phosphatidylcholine and strongly reduced by mutation (W13A-W75A-W102A) of the 5-LO C2-like domain. Moreover, hyperforin impaired the interaction of 5-LO with coactosin-like protein and abrogated 5-LO nuclear membrane translocation in ionomycin-stimulated neutrophils, processes that are typically mediated via the regulatory 5-LO C2-like domain. Together, hyperforin is a novel type of 5-LO inhibitor apparently acting by interference with the C2-like domain, with high effectiveness in vivo.