Procyanidin oligomers from Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) fruit inhibit activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 metalloproteinases.

The influence of procyanidin extract from Japanese quince fruit on the activities of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 secreted to culture medium by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and by human leukemia HL-60 cells was investigated by gelatin zymography. The extract proved to be an effective inhibitor of the enzymes activities (for MMP-2 and MMP-9 secreted by PBMC IC50 = 16−19 μg extract/mL and 22−25 μg extract/mL, respectively). To identify the most effective components of the extract it was fractionated by means of column chromatography on TSKgel Toyopearl HW-40 (S) bed. The obtained fractions were analyzed by TLC, HPLC, and MALDI-TOF MS. Their antioxidant activity was measured as cation radicals ABTS•+ scavenging efficiency. The fractions VIII−XIV containing oligomers from trimer to hexamer (and probably higher oligomers) appeared to be the most effective inhibitors of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity (IC50 value close to 4.6 μg total polyphenols/mL). To the best of our knowledge, it is...