Solid-state NMR analysis of the orientation and dynamics of epigallocatechin gallate, a green tea polyphenol, incorporated into lipid bilayers

Catechins are the principle polyphenolic compounds in green tea; the four major compounds identified are epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECg) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg). Tea catechins tend to attach externally to their targets, such as viral envelopes, cell membranes, or the surface of low-density lipoproteins. In order to further our understanding of the molecular mobility of these compounds in cells, we examined the interaction of tea catechins with lipid membranes using solid-state NMR techniques. Our previous work indicated that the EGCg molecule is incorporated into lipid bilayers in a unique orientation. However, the detailed configuration, orientation, and dynamics of EGCg in lipid bilayers have not been well-characterized. Here, we investigated the orientation and dynamics of EGCg incorporated into multi-lamellar vesicles (MLVs) and bicelles using solid-state NMR spectroscopy.