Discovery of Myricetin as a Potent Inhibitor of Human Flap Endonuclease 1, Which Potentially Can Be Used as Sensitizing Agent against HT-29 Human Colon Cancer Cells.

Human flap endonuclease 1 (hFEN1) is instrumental in DNA replication and repair. It is able to cleave the 5' single-stranded protrusion (also known as 5' flap) resulting from strand displacement reactions. In light of its crucial functions, hFEN1 is now deemed as a nontrivial target in the DNA damage response system for anticancer drug development. Herein, we report that myricetin and some natural flavonoids are able to inhibit hFEN1. Structure-activity relationship, inhibitory mechanisms, molecular docking, and cancer cell-based assays have been performed. Our original findings expand the activity of flavonoids and may pave the way for flavonoid-assisted targeted cancer therapy.