Binding of hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers with human serum albumin: Spectroscopic characterization and molecular modeling.

Three hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs), 3-OH-BDE-47, 5-OH-BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47, were selected to investigate the interactions between OH-PBDEs with human serum albumin (HSA) under physiological conditions. The observed fluorescence quenching can be attributed to the formation of complexes between HSA and OH-PBDEs. The thermodynamic parameters at different temperatures indicate that the binding was caused by hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds. Molecular modeling and three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum showed conformational and microenvironmental changes in HSA. Circular dichroism analysis showed that the addition of OH-PBDEs changed the conformation of HSA with a minor reduction in α-helix content and increase in β-sheet content. Furthermore, binding distance r between the donor (HSA) and acceptor (three OH-PBDEs) calculated using Förster's nonradiative energy transfer theory was <7 nm; therefore, the quenching mechanisms for the binding between HSA and OH-PBDEs involve static quenching and energy transfer. Combined with molecular dynamics simulations, the binding free energies (ΔGbind ) were calculated using molecular mechanics/Poisson - Boltzmann surface area method, and the crucial residues in HSA were identified.