Epigallocatechin gallate, the main polyphenol in green tea, binds to the T-cell receptor, CD4: Potential for HIV-1 therapy.

Background: The green tea flavonoid, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), has been proposed to have an anti-HIV-1 effect by preventing the binding of HIV-1 glycoprotein (gp) 120 to the CD4 molecule on T cells.

Objective: To demonstrate that EGCG binds to the CD4 molecule at the gp120 attachment site and inhibits gp120 binding at physiologically relevant levels, thus establishing EGCG as a potential therapeutic treatment for HIV-1 infection.

Methods: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to examine the binding of EGCG and control, (-)-catechin, to CD4-IgG2 (PRO 542).