Abstract

Nitric oxide-releasing alpha-tocopherol mimetics with LDL-protective activity were designed to maintain the tocopherol substructure necessary for its biochemical recognition by alpha-tocopherol transfer protein. In order to study the molecular interactions to alpha-TTP, theoretical binding studies by means of docking techniques and experimental binding assays, using a fluorescent probe, were performed. Furoxanyl-tocopherol-hybrid analogs 7 and 9 have the best ability to bind to alpha-TTP suggesting that they could be incorporated to LDL in vivo to further release nitric oxide and prevent oxidative modifications. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.