Mimic catechins to develop selective MMP-2 inhibitors

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) is a well-known anticancer target belonging to the MMP family. Because of the bilateral role of MMPs in cancer, developing highly selective MMP-2 inhibitors is a current challenge. In this paper, we investigated the binding modes of green tea polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin into the active site of the MMP-2 enzyme. The structure-based analysis allowed the optimization of these hits and hence led to a better lead candidate. Moreover, using a pharmacophore model, we screened FooDB compounds and selected food components as potential MMP-2 inhibitors. The search for food-derived compounds that target this enzyme may represent a strategy to identify new lead molecules with improved safety profiles and provide indications about possible functional foods.