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Li X, Sun T, Liu J, Wei S, Yang Y, Liu J, Zhang B, Li W. Phloretin alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through regulating Hif3a transcription via targeting transcription factor Fos. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 120:155046. [PMID: 37659297 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Doxorubicin (Dox), a chemotherapeutic agent known for its efficacy, has been associated with the development of severe cardiotoxicity, commonly referred to as doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). The role and mechanism of action of phloretin (Phl) in cardiovascular diseases are well-established; however, its specific function and underlying mechanism in the context of DIC have yet to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE This research aimed to uncover the protective effect of Phl against DIC in vivo and in vitro, while also providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS DIC cell and murine models were established. The action targets and mechanism of Phl against DIC were comprehensively examined by systematic network pharmacology, molecular docking, transcriptomics technologies, transcription factor (TF) prediction, and experimental validation. RESULTS Phl relieved Dox-induced cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Through network pharmacology analysis, a total of 554 co-targeted genes of Phl and Dox were identified. Enrichment analysis revealed several key pathways including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Apoptosis, and the IL-17 signaling pathway. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis identified 24 core co-targeted genes, such as Fos, Jun, Hif1a, which were predicted to bind well to Phl based on molecular docking. Transcriptomics analysis was performed to identify the top 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 202 transcription factors (TFs) were predicted for these DEGs. Among these TFs, 10 TFs (Fos, Jun, Hif1a, etc.) are also the co-targeted genes, and 3 TFs (Fos, Jun, Hif1a) are also the core co-targeted genes. Further experiments validated the finding that Phl reduced the elevated levels of Hif3a (one of the top 20 DEGs) and Fos (one of Hif3a's predicted TFs) induced by Dox. Moreover, the interaction between Fos protein and the Hif3a promoter was confirmed through luciferase reporter assays. CONCLUSION Phl actively targeted and down-regulated the Fos protein to inhibit its binding to the promoter region of Hif3a, thereby providing protection against DIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; School of Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China
| | - Taoli Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, China
| | - Jiaqin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Shanshan Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yuanying Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Bikui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; School of Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China.
| | - Wenqun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
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Zhang L, Yang Z, Li X, Hua Y, Fan G, He F. Anti-atherosclerotic effects of naringenin and quercetin from Folium Artemisiae argyi by attenuating Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)/ matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9): network pharmacology-based analysis and validation. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:378. [PMID: 37880698 PMCID: PMC10601115 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective components and related target genes of Folium Artemisiae argyi were screened from Traditional Chinese Medicines for Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. The therapeutic targets of atherosclerosis were searched in the MalaCards and OMIM databases. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed in WebGestalt online and verified according to ClueGo and Pedia apps in Cytoscape. Then, the protein-protein interaction network was analyzed using the STRING database and constructed using Cytoscape. Differential expression of target genes was identified in GSE9128 and GSE71226 by GEO2R. And then, molecular docking was performed using the Molecular Operating Environment. Finally, we validated the protein expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6)/IL-1β /MMP9 by qRT-PCR and Western blot in Raw264.7 which was induced by LPS. A total of 232 potential target genes and 8 ingredients of Folium Artemisiae argyi were identified. Quercetin and naringenin are potential candidate bioactive agents in treating atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), MMP9 and IL-1β could be potential target genes. KEGG analysis demonstrated that the fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis pathway play a crucial role in the anti-atherosclerosis effect of Folium Artemisiae argyi. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) validation demonstrated that VEGFA was downregulated, while MMP9 and IL-1β were upregulated in patients with atherosclerosis. Molecular docking suggested that only MMP9 had a good combination with quercetin. The cell experiment results suggested that naringenin and quercetin have strong anti-inflammation effects, and significantly inhibit the expression of MMP9. Practical ApplicationsArtemisiae argyi is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely used for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. This research demonstrated the bioactive ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of Folium Artemisiae argyi in treating atherosclerosis. It also suggests a reliable approach in investigating the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in treating Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
| | - Zhihui Yang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China
| | - Yunqing Hua
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Guanwei Fan
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng He
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.
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Zhang P, Shen L, Chen J, Li Z, Zhao W, Wen Y, Liu H. Comparative study of the toxicity mechanisms of quinolone antibiotics on soybean seedlings: Insights from molecular docking and transcriptomic analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165254. [PMID: 37394075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The ecological effects of quinolone antibiotics (QNs) on non-target organisms have received widespread attention. The toxicological mechanisms of three common QNs, that is, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, on soybean seedlings were investigated in this study. Enrofloxacin and levofloxacin caused significant growth inhibition, ultrastructural alterations, photosynthetic suppression, and stimulation of the antioxidant system, with levofloxacin exhibiting the strongest toxic effects. Ciprofloxacin (<1 mg·L-1) did not have a significant effect on the soybean seedlings. As the concentrations of enrofloxacin and levofloxacin increased, antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde content, and hydrogen peroxide levels also increased. Meanwhile, the chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters decreased, indicating that the plants underwent oxidative stress and photosynthesis was suppressed. The cellular ultrastructure was also disrupted, which was manifested by swollen chloroplasts, increased starch granules, disintegration of plastoglobules, and mitochondrial degradation. The molecular docking results suggested that the QNs have an affinity for soybean target protein receptors (4TOP, 2IUJ, and 1FHF), with levofloxacin having the highest binding energy (-4.97, -3.08, -3.8, respectively). Transcriptomic analysis has shown that genes were upregulated under the enrofloxacin and levofloxacin treatments were mainly involved in ribosome metabolism and processes to synthesize oxidative stress-related proteins. Downregulated genes in the levofloxacin treatment were primarily enriched in photosynthesis-related pathways, indicating that levofloxacin significantly inhibited gene expression for photosynthesis. Genes expression level by quantitative real-time PCR analysis was consistent with the transcriptomic results. This study confirmed the toxic effect of QNs on soybean seedlings, and provided new insights into the environmental risks of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Luoqin Shen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiayao Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhiheng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wenlu Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuezhong Wen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation & Ecosystem Health, Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huijun Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China.
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Zhou L, Tan J, Dai Y, Zhu K, Xiao Y, Wu D, Wang Z, Tan Y, Qin Y. Jiawei Danxuan Koukang Alleviates Arecoline Induced Oral Mucosal Lesions: Network Pharmacology and the Combined Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS). Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:3085-3101. [PMID: 37854130 PMCID: PMC10581390 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s413897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Arecoline is one of the main toxic components of arecoline to cause oral mucosal lesions or canceration, which seriously affects the survival and life quality of patients. This study analyzed the mechanism of Jiawei Danxuan Koukang (JDK) in alleviating arecoline induced oral mucosal lesions, to provide new insights for the treatment of oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) or cancerosis. Methods Metabolomics was applied to analyze the composition of JDK and serum metabolites. The active ingredients of JDK were analyzed by the combined ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The target network of JDK, metabolites and OSF was analyzed by network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Oral mucosal lesions and fibrosis were analyzed by HE and Masson staining. Cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis were detected. The expressions of α-SMA, Collagen I, Vimentin, Snail, E-cadherin, AR and NOTCH1 were detected by Western blot. Results Arecoline induced the gradual atrophy and thinning of rat oral mucosal, collagen accumulation, the increase expressions of fibrosis-related proteins and Th17/Treg ratio. JDK inhibited arecoline-induced oral mucosal lesions and inflammatory infiltration. Arecoline induced changes of serum metabolites in Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism and Arginine biosynthesis pathways, which were reversed by M-JDK. Quercetin and AR were the active ingredients and key targets of JDK, metabolites and OSF interaction. Arecoline promoted the expression of AR protein, and the proliferation of oral fibroblasts. Quercetin inhibited the effect of arecoline on oral fibroblasts, but was reversed by AR overexpression. Arecoline induced NOTCH1 expression in CAL27 and SCC-25 cells, and promoted cell proliferation, but was reversed by M-JDK or quercetin. Conclusion JDK improved the arecoline-induced OSF and serum metabolite functional pathway. Quercetin targeted AR protein to improve arecoline-induced OSF. JDK and quercetin inhibited arecoline-induced NOTCH1 protein expression in CAL27 and SCC-25 cells to play an anti-oral cancer role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghang Zhou
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Tan
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuzhe Dai
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keke Zhu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanbo Xiao
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zongkang Wang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yisi Tan
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yijie Qin
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People’s Republic of China
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Zhu M, He Q, Wang Y, Duan L, Rong K, Wu Y, Ding Y, Mi Y, Ge X, Yang X, Yu Y. Exploring the mechanism of aloe-emodin in the treatment of liver cancer through network pharmacology and cell experiments. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1238841. [PMID: 37900162 PMCID: PMC10600456 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1238841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Aloe-emodin (AE) is an anthraquinone compound extracted from the rhizome of the natural plant rhubarb. Initially, it was shown that AE exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. Further studies revealed its antitumor activity against various types of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying these properties remain unclear. Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study investigated the molecular mechanism of AE in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and evaluated its therapeutic effect through in vitro experiments. Methods: CTD, Pharmmapper, SuperPred and TargetNet were the databases to obtain potential drug-related targets. DisGenet, GeneCards, OMIM and TTD were used to identify potential disease-related targets. Intersection genes for drugs and diseases were obtained through the Venn diagram. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of intersecting genes were conducted by the website of Bioinformatics. Intersection genes were introduced into STRING to construct a protein-protein interaction network, while the Cytoscape3.9.1 software was used to visualize and analyze the core targets. AutoDock4.2.6 was utilized to achieve molecular docking between drug and core targets. In vitro experiments investigated the therapeutic effects and related mechanisms of AE. Results: 63 overlapped genes were obtained and GO analysis generated 3,646 entries by these 63 intersecting genes. KEGG analysis mainly involved apoptosis, proteoglycans in cancer, TNF signaling pathway, TP53 signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, etc. AKT1, EGFR, ESR1, TP53, and SRC have been identified as core targets because the binding energies of them between aloe-emodin were less than -5 kcal/Mol.The mRNA and protein expression, prognosis, mutation status, and immune infiltration related to core targets were further revealed. The involvement of AKT1 and EGFR, as well as the key target of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, indicated the importance of this signaling pathway in the treatment of HCC using AE. The results of the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow analysis demonstrated the therapeutic effect of AE. The downregulation of EGFR, PI3KR1, AKT1, and BCL2 in mRNA expression and PI3KR1, AKT,p-AKT in protein expression confirmed our hypothesis. Conclusion: Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, our study initially showed that AE exerted a therapeutic effect on HCC by modulating multiple signaling pathways. Various analyses confirmed the antiproliferative activity and pro-apoptotic effect of AE on HCC through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. This study revealed the therapeutic mechanism of AE in the treatment of HCC through a novel approach, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Qingmin He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ankang Central Hospital, Ankang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liying Duan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Kang Rong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ye Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yang Mi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoyang Ge
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaocui Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ankang Central Hospital, Ankang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yong Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter Pylori & Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer, Marshall B. J. Medical Research Center of Zhengzhou University, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Li R, Zhu L, Wu M, Tao C, Lu Y, Zhao Y, Jiang X, Zhang C, Wan L. Serum Pharmacochemistry Combined with Network Pharmacology-Based Mechanism Prediction and Pharmacological Validation of Zhenwu Decoction on Alleviating Isoprenaline-Induced Heart Failure Injury in Rats. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:37233-37247. [PMID: 37841161 PMCID: PMC10568591 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) is a famous classical formula in the treatment of heart failure (HF) with significant clinical effects. Owing to the complex material basis of ZWD, it is challenging to elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and pharmacological mechanisms of ZWD against HF. Therefore, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry method was used to profile the chemical components and the absorbed prototype constituents in ISO-induced HF rat serum after oral administration of ZWD, and 33 out of 115 compounds were identified. In the in vivo study, ZWD could improve cardiac function and reduce the content of serum biochemical indexes, which are heart failure markers. With the help of network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation analysis, 112 ZWD targets oriented by HF were obtained, with STAT3, TNF, AKT1, VEGFA, and ALB as the core targets. Furthermore, we found that paeoniflorin and its derivatives may play a bigger role than other serum migrant components. Enriched pathway analysis yielded multiple HF-related signaling pathways, which indicated that ZWD may attenuate HF through the effect of PI3K-Akt, and MAPK pathways by regulating key targets such as STAT3, TNF, and AKT1. Finally, STAT3/MAPK pathways were experimentally validated in the anti-HF effect of ZWD. The phosphorylation levels of p38, JNK, ERK, and STAT3 were significantly increased in the ISO group and reversed by ZWD intervention. The results provided a reasonable strategy for the rapid screening of bioactive components in ZWD and a reference for quality control and further mechanism study of ZWD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Li
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Lv Zhu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Mengyao Wu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Chengtian Tao
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Yang Lu
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Yunyan Zhao
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Sichuan
Engineering Technology Research Centre for Injection of Traditional
Chinese Medicines, China Resources Sanjiu
(Yaan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yaan, Sichuan 625000, P. R. China
| | - Li Wan
- State
Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School
of pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, P. R. China
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Lu S, Sun X, Zhou Z, Tang H, Xiao R, Lv Q, Wang B, Qu J, Yu J, Sun F, Deng Z, Tian Y, Li C, Yang Z, Yang P, Rao B. Mechanism of Bazhen decoction in the treatment of colorectal cancer based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1235575. [PMID: 37799727 PMCID: PMC10548240 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1235575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Bazhen Decoction (BZD) is a common adjuvant therapy drug for colorectal cancer (CRC), although its anti-tumor mechanism is unknown. This study aims to explore the core components, key targets, and potential mechanisms of BZD treatment for CRC. Methods The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) was employed to acquire the BZD's active ingredient and targets. Meanwhile, the Drugbank, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DisGeNET, and GeneCards databases were used to retrieve pertinent targets for CRC. The Venn plot was used to obtain intersection targets. Cytoscape software was used to construct an "herb-ingredient-target" network and identify core targets. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were conducted using R language software. Molecular docking of key ingredients and core targets of drugs was accomplished using PyMol and Autodock Vina software. Cell and animal research confirmed Bazhen Decoction efficacy and mechanism in treating colorectal cancer. Results BZD comprises 173 effective active ingredients. Using four databases, 761 targets related to CRC were identified. The intersection of BZD and CRC yielded 98 targets, which were utilized to construct the "herb-ingredient-target" network. The four key effector components with the most targets were quercetin, kaempferol, licochalcone A, and naringenin. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed that the core targets of BZD in treating CRC were AKT1, MYC, CASP3, ESR1, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, INS, and STAT3. The findings from molecular docking suggest that the core ingredient exhibits favorable binding potential with the core target. Furthermore, the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrates that BZD can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to CRC, like the T cell receptor, PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, P53, and VEGF signaling pathway. In vitro, studies have shown that BZD dose-dependently inhibits colon cancer cell growth and invasion and promotes apoptosis. Animal experiments have shown that BZD treatment can reverse abnormal expression of PI3K, AKT, MYC, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, STAT3, CASP3, and TP53 genes. BZD also increases the ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells in the spleen and tumor tissues, boosting IFN-γ expression, essential for anti-tumor immunity. Furthermore, BZD has the potential to downregulate the PD-1 expression on T cell surfaces, indicating its ability to effectively restore T cell function by inhibiting immune checkpoints. The results of HE staining suggest that BZD exhibits favorable safety profiles. Conclusion BZD treats CRC through multiple components, targets, and metabolic pathways. BZD can reverse the abnormal expression of genes such as PI3K, AKT, MYC, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, STAT3, CASP3, and TP53, and suppresses the progression of colorectal cancer by regulating signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT, P53, and VEGF. Furthermore, BZD can increase the number of T cells and promote T cell activation in tumor-bearing mice, enhancing the immune function against colorectal cancer. Among them, quercetin, kaempferol, licochalcone A, naringenin, and formaronetin are more highly predictive components related to the T cell activation in colorectal cancer mice. This study is of great significance for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs. It highlights the importance of network pharmacology-based approaches in studying complex traditional Chinese medicine formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Lu
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
| | - Xibo Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong, China
| | - Zhongbao Zhou
- Department of Urology, Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huazhen Tang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
| | - Ruixue Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qingchen Lv
- Medical Laboratory College, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
| | - Jinxiu Qu
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
| | - Jinxuan Yu
- First Clinical Medical College, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Fang Sun
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuoya Deng
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuying Tian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Cong Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhenpeng Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Penghui Yang
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Benqiang Rao
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Foods for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) for State Market Regulation, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery/Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Cancer Metabolism and Nutrition, Beijing, China
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Mu SC, Xue DF, Qin XM, Du GH, Zhou YZ. Exploring the Mechanism of Arctium Lappa L. Leaves in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Based on Chemical Profile, Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300084. [PMID: 37382195 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease, which urgently needs more effective treatment strategies. Arctium lappa L. leaf (burdock leaf) performs wide pharmacological activities, increasing evidence hinted that burdock leaves can ameliorate AD. This research aims to explore the bioactive ingredients and mechanisms of burdock leaves against AD by performing chemical profiles, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. 61 components are identified by liquid chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry. 792 targets of ingredients and 1661 AD-related genes are retrieved from public databases. Ten critical ingredients are identified from the topology analysis of the compound-target network. CytoNCA, AlzData database, and Aging Atlas database contribute to the foundation of 36 potential targets and four clinically significant targets (STAT3, RELA, MAPK8, and AR). The gene ontology (GO) analysis manifests that the included processes are close to the pathogenesis of AD. PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway may be important therapeutic mechanisms. Molecular docking results imply that network pharmacology results are reliable. Furthermore, the clinical meanings of core targets are also evaluated with the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. This research will provide research direction for the application of burdock leaves in the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Chen Mu
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- Key Laboratory of Effective Substances Research and Utilization in TCM of Shanxi Province, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Deng-Feng Xue
- Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medicial University, No.3 Zhigongxinjie Road, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Xue-Mei Qin
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- Key Laboratory of Effective Substances Research and Utilization in TCM of Shanxi Province, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Guan-Hua Du
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yu-Zhi Zhou
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- Key Laboratory of Effective Substances Research and Utilization in TCM of Shanxi Province, Shanxi University, No.92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
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Shen Y, Duan H, Yuan L, Asikaer A, Liu Y, Zhang R, Liu Y, Wang Y, Lin Z. Computational biology-based study of the molecular mechanism of spermidine amelioration of acute pancreatitis. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10698-4. [PMID: 37523101 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammatory gastrointestinal disease, the mortality and morbility of which has been on the increase in the past years. Spermidine, a natural polyamine, has a wide range of pharmacological effects including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, anti-aging, and anti-tumorigenic. This study aimed to investigate the reliable targets and molecular mechanisms of spermidine in treating AP. By employing computational biology methods including network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we explored the potential targets of spermidine in improving AP with dietary supplementation. The computational biology results revealed that spermidine had high degrees (degree: 18, betweenness: 38.91; degree: 18, betweenness: 206.41) and stable binding free energy (ΔGbind: - 12.81 ± 0.55 kcal/mol, - 15.00 ± 1.00 kcal/mol) with acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT). Experimental validation demonstrates that spermidine treatment could reduce the necrosis and AchE activity in pancreatic acinar cells. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) results revealed that spermidine could bind to and stabilize the 5-HTT protein in acinar cells. Moreover, spermidine treatment impeded the rise of the expression of 5-HTT in pancreatic tissues of caerulein induced acute pancreatitis mice. In conclusion, serotonin transporter might be a reliable target of spermidine in treating AP. This study provides new idea for the exploration of potential targets of natural compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shen
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongtao Duan
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
| | - Lu Yuan
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
| | - Aiminuer Asikaer
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
| | - Yiyuan Liu
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihua Lin
- Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, China.
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 405400, People's Republic of China.
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Zhou D, Wu X, Liu X, He S, Ni J, Chen B, Mu D. The pharmacological mechanism of β-elemene in the treatment of esophageal cancer revealed by network pharmacology and experimental verification. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12160. [PMID: 37500660 PMCID: PMC10374640 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38755-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of β-elemene (ELE) in the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC). In this study, public databases were used to predict related targets in ELE and EC. The network analysis was performed to identify key targets of ELE in EC treatment. Further, bioinformatics and DAVID databases were used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, respectively. Ultimately, molecular docking and in vitro cell experiments were conducted to validate the results of network pharmacology enrichment. As a result, 34 candidate targets for ELE in the treatment of EC were obtained, and five key targets (STAT3, EGFR, CTNNB1, BCL2L1 and CASP9) were identified. GO functional annotation yielded 2200 GO entries (p < 0.05). KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis screened 100 pathways (p < 0.05). Molecular docking results showed that ELE had similar affinity with five key targets. In vitro experiments showed that the expressions of STAT3, EGFR and BCL2L1 were significantly decreased, and the expression of CASP9 in the ELE intervention group was significantly increased compared with that in the control group. All in all, ELE may play a key role in the treatment of EC by regulating the expression of STAT3, EGFR, BCL2L1 and CASP9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejiang Zhou
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoling Wu
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Mechanism and Intervention Research for Plateau Diseases of Tibet Autonomous Region, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082, Shaanxi, China
- Engineering Research Center of Tibetan Medicine Detection Technology, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, 712082, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sheng He
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiang Ni
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Beijin Chen
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Dong Mu
- Department of Digestive Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, #270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China.
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Hu Y, Liu T, Zheng G, Zhou L, Ma K, Xiong X, Zheng C, Li J, Zhu Y, Bian W, Zheng X, Xiong Q, Lin J. Mechanism exploration of 6-Gingerol in the treatment of atherosclerosis based on network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 115:154835. [PMID: 37121058 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 6-Gingerol has significant anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and hypolipidemic activities and is widely used for treating cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases. However, the multi-target mechanism of 6-Gingerol in the treatment of atherosclerosis remains to be elucidated. METHODS Firstly, the therapeutic actions of 6-Gingerol anti-atherosclerosis were researched based on an atherosclerotic ApoE-deficient mice model induced by high-fat feed. Then, network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to reveal the anti-atherogenic mechanism of 6-Gingerol. Finally, the target for these predictions was validated by target protein expression assay in vitro and in vivo experiments and further correlation analysis. RESULTS Firstly, 6-Gingerol possessed obvious anti-atherogenic activity, which was manifested by a significant reduction in the plaque area, decrease in the atherosclerosis index and vulnerability index. Secondly, based on network pharmacology, 14 predicted intersection target genes between the targets of 6-Gingerol and atherogenic-related targets were identified. The key core targets of 6-Gingerol anti-atherosclerosis were found to be TP53, RELA, BAX, BCL2, and CASP3. Lipid and atherosclerosis pathways might play a critical role in 6-Gingerol anti-atherosclerosis. Molecular docking results also further revealed that the 6-Gingerol bound well and stable to key core targets from network pharmacological predictions. Then, the experimental results in vivo and in vitro verified that the up-regulation of TP53, RELA, BAX, CASP3, and down-regulation of BCL2 from atherosclerotic ApoE-deficient mice model can be improved by 6-Gingerol intervention. Meanwhile, the correlation analysis further confirmed that 6-Gingerol anti-atherosclerosis was closely related to these targets. CONCLUSION The 6-Gingerol can markedly improve atherosclerosis by modulating key multi-targets TP53, RELA, BAX, CASP3, and BCL2 in lipid and atherosclerosis pathways. These novel findings shed light on the anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of 6-Gingerol from the perspective of multiple targets and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youdong Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223002, China
| | - Guangzhen Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, 635000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ke Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China
| | - Xiaolian Xiong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China
| | - Cheng Zheng
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Yong Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China
| | - Wenhui Bian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China
| | - Xiangde Zheng
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, 635000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qingping Xiong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Regional Resource Exploitation and Medicinal Research, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223003, China.
| | - Jiafeng Lin
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China.
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Wang W, Yuan X, Mu J, Zou Y, Xu L, Chen J, Zhu X, Li B, Zeng Z, Wu X, Yin Z, Wang Q. Quercetin induces MGMT + glioblastoma cells apoptosis via dual inhibition of Wnt3a/β-Catenin and Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 118:154933. [PMID: 37451151 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Surgical resection combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy remains a common clinical treatment for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, the therapeutic outcomes have not been satisfying due to drug resistance and other factors. Quercetin, a phytoingredient capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, has shown effectiveness in the treatment of various solid tumors. Nevertheless, the potential of quercetin in GBM treatment has not been adequately explored. PURPOSE This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of quercetin on MGMT+GBM cells. METHODS The potential targets and mechanisms of quercetin in glioma treatment were predicted based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The effects of quercetin on cell inhibition rate, cell migration ability, cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), Mitochondrial superoxide formation and apoptosis were measured by the CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, PI/RNase staining, JC-1 assay, DCFH-DA assay, MitoSOX staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, respectively. The methylation status of the MGMT promoter was assessed through methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR). DNA damage was quantified by alkaline/neutral comet assay and TUNEL assay. The intracellular localization and expression of NF-κB and MGMT were revealed by immunofluorescence. The expression of migration-related proteins, matrix metalloproteinases, apoptosis-related proteins, cyclins, DNA damage/repair enzymes and related pathway proteins was detected by Western blot. RESULTS Network pharmacology identified 96 targets and potential molecular mechanisms of quercetin in glioma treatment. Subsequent experiments confirmed the synergistic effect of quercetin in combination with temozolomide (TMZ) on T98G cells. Quercetin significantly suppressed the growth and migration of human GBM T98G cells, induced apoptosis, and arrested cells in the S-phase cell cycle. The collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS generation, enhanced Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and strengthened cleaved-Caspase 9 and cleaved-Caspase 3 suggested the involvement of ROS-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in the process of quercetin-induced apoptosis. In addition, quercetin-induced apoptosis was accompanied by intense DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), γH2AX foci formation, methylation of MGMT promoter, increased cleaved-PARP, and reduced MGMT expression. Quercetin may influence the expression of the key DNA repair enzyme, MGMT, by dual suppression of the Wnt3a/β-Catenin and the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways, thereby promoting apoptosis. Inhibition of Wnt3a and Akt using specific inhibitors hindered MGMT expression. CONCLUSION Our study provides the first evidence that quercetin may induce apoptosis in MGMT+GBM cells via dual inhibition of the Wnt3a/β-Catenin pathway and the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings suggest that quercetin could be a novel agent for improving GBM treatment, especially in TMZ-resistant GBM with high MGMT expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyu Wang
- Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, China; Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yuan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518020, China
| | - Jiasheng Mu
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Biliary Tract Disease Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuheng Zou
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Lanyang Xu
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Jiali Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Biaoping Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Zhiyun Zeng
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Xianghui Wu
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Zhixin Yin
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Qirui Wang
- Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, China; Department of Molecular Biology, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China.
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Ma SB, Liu L, Li X, Xie YH, Shi XP, Wang SW. Virtual screening-molecular docking-activity evaluation of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) swingle bark in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:197. [PMID: 37322476 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-03991-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dried bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The objective of this study was to explore the therapeutic basis of the dried bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle for the treatment of ulcerative colitis based on Virtual Screening-Molecular Docking-Activity Evaluation technology. METHODS By searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology TCMSP Database and Analysis Platform, 89 compounds were obtained from the chemical components of the dried bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. Then, after preliminarily screening the compounds based on Lipinski's rule of five and other relevant conditions, the AutoDock Vina molecular docking software was used to evaluate the affinity of the compounds to ulcerative colitis-related target proteins and their binding modes through use of the scoring function to identify the best candidate compounds. Further verification of the compound's properties was achieved through in vitro experiments. RESULTS Twenty-two compounds obtained from the secondary screening were molecularly docked with ulcerative colitis-related target proteins (IL-1R, TLR, EGFR, TGFR, and Wnt) using AutoDock Vina. The free energies of the highest scoring compounds binding to the active cavity of human IL-1R, TLR, EGFR, TGFR, and Wnt proteins were - 8.7, - 8.0, - 9.2, - 7.7, and - 8.5 kcal/mol, respectively. The potential compounds, dehydrocrebanine, ailanthone, and kaempferol, were obtained through scoring function and docking mode analysis. Furthermore, the potential compound ailanthone (1, 3, and 10 µM) was found to have no significant effect on cell proliferation, though at 10 µM it reduced the level of pro-inflammatory factors caused by lipopolysaccharide. CONCLUSION Among the active components of the dried bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, ailanthone plays a major role in its anti-inflammatory properties. The present study shows that ailanthone has advantages in cell proliferation and in inhibiting of inflammation, but further animal research is needed to confirm its pharmaceutical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Bo Ma
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai Road, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lun Liu
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai Road, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiang Li
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai Road, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan-Hua Xie
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai Road, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiao-Peng Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
| | - Si-Wang Wang
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai Road, Xi'an, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
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Li B, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Peng C, Yan X, Zou T. Geniposide improves depression by promoting the expression of synapse-related proteins through the Creb1/Six3os1 axis. Gene 2023:147564. [PMID: 37311497 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the mechanism of Geniposide in the treatment of depression. By screening the effective components and targets of Zhi-zi-chi decoction, 140 candidate targets related to depression were identified. Further transcriptome sequencing was conducted to screen differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs; 7 candidate Geniposide treatment targets for depression were obtained. KEGG/GO enrichment analysis and molecular docking were performed to select the optimal drug target, revealing that Creb1 is an important target. Additionally, Six3os1 is the lncRNA with the smallest P-value among the differentially expressed lncRNAs, and the JASPAR database revealed a binding site between Creb1 and the Six3os1 promoter. The intersection of Synapse-related genes obtained from the GeneCards database and differentially expressed mRNAs produced 6 synaptic-related genes. RNA-protein interaction prediction revealed that Six3os1 interacts with the protein encoded by these genes. Geniposide upregulates the expression of Creb1 and Six3os1. Creb1 can transcriptionally activate Six3os1, thereby upregulating the expression of the synaptic-related proteins Htr3a and Htr2a, improving depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baitao Li
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, P. R. China
| | - Xiaomao Zhou
- Department of Encephalopathy, Shenzhen Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, P. R. China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Department of Encephalopathy, Shenzhen Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaotong Yan
- Department of Encephalopathy, Shenzhen Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, P. R. China
| | - Tianyu Zou
- Department of Encephalopathy, Shenzhen Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, P. R. China.
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Wu P, Chang C, Zhu G, Zhai L, Zhang X, Huan Q, Gao Z, Deng H, Liang Y, Xiao H. Network Pharmacology Study of Bioactive Components and Molecular Mechanisms of the Glycoside Fraction from Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Against Experimental Colitis. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:1531-1546. [PMID: 37249930 PMCID: PMC10224697 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s407339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To explore the potential mechanism of glycosidic fraction of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell (GPS) extract for the treatment of colitis using UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis, network pharmacology and experimental research. Methods The active components of GPS extract were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis and extracted their targets from the databases, which was used for network pharmacology analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was performed to discover potential therapeutic mechanisms, and the network pharmacology results were then validated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Results The results showed that GPS extract significantly alleviated the clinical signs of colitis, including body weight, disease activity index, colon shortening, and colon tissue damage, and inhibited the transcription and production of colonic IL-1β and IL-6 in DSS-induced colitis mice. In vitro, GPS extract also significantly suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production, iNOS expression, IL-1β and IL-6 transcription of LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Network pharmacology integrated with experimental validation identified that GPS extract significantly suppressed Akt, p38, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro, and luteolin, apocynin, caffeic acid, caffeic acid methyl ester, luteoloside, picroside II, aucubin, cinnamic acid, vanillic acid, and sweroside were the main components responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of GPS. These findings demonstrate that the potential anti-inflammatory effect of GPS extract against colitis is achieved through suppressing PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, and that the abovementioned active components mainly exerted its anti-inflammatory effect. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of GPS extract on colitis is related to PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, which is a promising remedy for colitis therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peigen Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Churui Chang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guanglin Zhu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Qijiang, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lixiang Zhai
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiuchan Huan
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengxian Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huan Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haitao Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, University Town, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China
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Yu T, Wu L, Zhang T, Hao H, Dong J, Xu Y, Yang H, Liu H, Xie L, Wang G, Liang Y. Insights into Q-markers and molecular mechanism of Sanguisorba saponins in treating ulcerative colitis based on lipid metabolism regulation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 116:154870. [PMID: 37207387 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sanguisorba saponin extract (SSE) is the main active part of Sanguisorba officinalis with various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant. However, its therapeutic role and underlying mechanisms for ulcerative colitis (UC) still need to be elucidated. PURPOSE This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect, effectiveness-material basis-quality markers (Q-markers) and prospective mechanism of function of SSE on UC. METHODS Fresh 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) solution was placed in drinking bottles for 7 days to induce a mouse model of UC. SSE and sulfasalazine (SASP) were supplemented to mice by gavage for consecutive 7 days to investigate the therapeutic role of SSE on UC. Mouse monocyte macrophages (RAW264.7) and human normal colonic epithelial (NCM460) cells were treated with LPS to induce inflammatory responses, followed by pharmacodynamic examination with different concentrations of SSE. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Alcian blue staining were conducted to evaluate the pathological damage of mice colon. Lipidomic technology was conducted to explore the differential lipids closely related to the disease process of UC. Quantitative PCR analysis, immunohistochemistry and ELISA kit were used to measure the expression levels of the corresponding proteins and pro-inflammatory factors. RESULTS SSE treatment could effectively reduce the elevated expressions of pro-inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 and NCM460 cells due to LPS stimulation. Intragastric administration of SSE was found to significantly alleviate the symptoms of DSS-induced colon injury and low-polar saponins in SSE. Low polarity saponins, especially ZYS-II, were proved to be the main active substances of SSE in treating UC. In addition, SSE could significantly ameliorate the aberrant lipid metabolism in UC mice. The role of phosphatidylcholine (PC)34:1 in the UC pathogenesis has been fully verified in our previous studies. Herein, SSE-dosing effectively reversed the metabolic disorder of PCs in UC mice, and increased the PC34:1 level to normal via up-regulating the expression of phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (PCYT1α). CONCLUSION Our data innovatively revealed that SSE could significantly alleviate the symptoms of UC by reversing the disorder of PC metabolism induced by DSS modeling. SSE was proved for the first time to be a promising and effective candidate for UC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengjie Yu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Linlin Wu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Hongyuan Hao
- Analytical Applications Center, Shimadzu (China) Co., Ltd., Yizou 180, Shanghai 200233, PR. China
| | - Jing Dong
- Analytical Applications Center, Shimadzu (China) Co., Ltd., Yizou 180, Shanghai 200233, PR. China
| | - Yexin Xu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Huizhu Yang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Huafang Liu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Lin Xie
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China
| | - Guangji Wang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China.
| | - Yan Liang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing 210009, PR. China.
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Zong K, Xu K, Zhang X, Wang P, Wang Z, Yang S, Li H, Ke H, He S, Hu Y, Go Y, Chan XHF, Wu J, Huang Q. Explorating the mechanism of Huangqin Tang against skin lipid accumulation through network pharmacology and experimental validation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 313:116581. [PMID: 37142143 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Huangqin Tang (HQT), a famous prescription with the effect of clearing pathogenic heat and detoxifying, was first recorded in "Treatise on Typhoid and Miscellaneous Diseases". It has proved that HQT has good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can improve acne symptoms clinically. However, the study on the regulation of HQT on sebum secretion which is one of the inducements of acne is not enough. AIM OF THE STUDY This paper aimed to investigate the mechanisms of HQT in the treatment of skin lipid accumulation by network pharmacology and validating the results via in vitro experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to predict the potential targets of HQT against sebum accumulation. Then, the palmitic acid (PA)-induced SZ95 cell model was established to evaluate the effect of HQT on lipid accumulation and anti-inflammation, and the core pathways predicted by network pharmacology were verified in cell studies. RESULTS 336 chemical compounds and 368 targets in HQT were obtained by network pharmacology, of which 65 targets were related to sebum synthesis. 12 core genes were revealed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment results suggested that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway might play a crucial role in regulating lipogenesis. In vitro experiments, HQT suppressed lipid accumulation, downregulated the expressions of sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), and upregulated AMPK phosphorylation. Furthermore, AMPK inhibitor reversed HQT-mediated sebosuppressive effect. CONCLUSION The results disclosed that HQT ameliorates lipogenesis in PA-induced SZ95 sebocytes partially through the AMPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaile Zong
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Kewei Xu
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xingjiang Zhang
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Pan Wang
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhekun Wang
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Shan Yang
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Huijuan Li
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hui Ke
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Shengsheng He
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yunwei Hu
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yuyo Go
- Royal Victoria Hospital, 274 Grosvenor Rd, Belfast, BT12 6BA, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jianxin Wu
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Qing Huang
- Skin Health and Cosmetic Development & Evaluation Laboratory, China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Lane, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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Ma Y, Du Y, Yang J, He Q, Wang H, Lin X. Anti-inflammatory effect of Irisin on LPS-stimulated macrophages through inhibition of MAPK pathway. Physiol Res 2023; 72:235-249. [PMID: 37159857 PMCID: PMC10226406 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of irisin on LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A network pharmacology-based approach, combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation were performed to identify the biological activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanisms of irisin against LPS-induced inflammation. By matching 100 potential genes of irisin with 1893 ulcerative colitis (UC) related genes, 51 common genes were obtained. Using protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and component-target network analysis,10 core genes of irisin on UC were further identified. The results of gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of irisin on UC were mainly related to major enrichment in the categories of response to xenobiotic stimulus, response to the drug, and negative regulation of gene expression. Molecular docking results showed good binding activity for almost all core component targets. More importantly, MTT assay and flow cytometry results showed that LPS-induced cytotoxicity was reversed by irisin, after coincubation with irisin, the level of IL-12 and IL-23 decreased in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Irisin pretreatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT and increased the expression of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma. LPS-induced enhancement of phagocytosis and cell clearance were reversed by irisin pretreatment. Irisin ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and this protective effect may be mediated through the MAPK pathway. These findings confirmed our prediction that irisin plays an anti-inflammatory role in LPS-induced inflammation via the MAPK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
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Nie X, Wu Z, Shang J, Zhu L, Liu Y, Qi Y. Curcumol suppresses endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition via inhibiting the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway and alleviates pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 943:175546. [PMID: 36706802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial dysfunction is essential in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) pathogenesis and is considered to be a therapeutic target of PAH. Curcumol is a bioactive sesquiterpenoid with pharmacological properties including restoring endothelial cells damage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumol on PAH rats and investigate its possible mechanisms. PAH was induced by subcutaneous injection of 60 mg/kg monocrotaline (MCT) in male Sprague Dawley rats. Curcumol (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg/day) were administered by intragastric administration for 3 weeks. The results demonstrated that curcumol dose-dependently alleviated MCT-induced right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary arterial wall thickness. In addition, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the pulmonary arteries of MCT-challenged rats was inhibited after curcumol treatment, as evidenced by the restored expressions of endothelial and myofibroblast markers. The possible pharmacological mechanisms of curcumol were analyzed using network pharmacology. After screening the common therapeutic targets of PAH and curcumol by searching related databases and comparison, pathway enrichment was performed and AKT/GSK3β was screened out as a possible signaling pathway which was relevant to the therapeutic mechanism of curcumol on PAH. Western blot analysis verified this in lung tissues. Moreover, combination of TNF-α, TGF-β1 and IL-1β-induced EndMT in primary rat pulmonary arterial endothelial cells were blocked by curcumol, and this effect was resembled by PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002. Above all, our study suggested that curcumol inhibited EndMT via inhibiting the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, which may contribute to its alleviated effect on PAH. Curcumol may be developed as a therapeutic for PAH in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinran Nie
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhuhua Wu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Junyi Shang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yingli Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yong Qi
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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Xiong D, Gao F, Shao J, Pan Y, Wang S, Wei D, Ye S, Chen Y, Chen R, Yue B, Li J, Chen J. Arctiin-encapsulated DSPE-PEG bubble-like nanoparticles inhibit alveolar epithelial type 2 cell senescence to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis via the p38/p53/p21 pathway. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1141800. [PMID: 36998607 PMCID: PMC10043219 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1141800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a severe and deadly form of diffuse parenchymal lung disease and treatment options are few. Alveolar epithelial type 2 (AEC2) cell senescence is implicated in the pathogenies of IPF. A major bioactive compound from the traditional Chinese medicine Fructus arctii, arctiin (ARC) has robust anti-inflammatory, anti-senescence, and anti-fibrosis functions. However, the potential therapeutic effects of ARC on IPF and the underlying mechanisms involved are still unknown.Methods: First of all, ARC was identified as an active ingredient by network pharmacology analysis and enrichment analysis of F. arctii in treating IPF. We developed ARC-encapsulated DSPE-PEG bubble-like nanoparticles (ARC@DPBNPs) to increase ARC hydrophilicity and achieve high pulmonary delivery efficiency. C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis model for assessing the treatment effect of ARC@DPBNPs on lung fibrosis and the anti-senescence properties of AEC2. Meanwhile, p38/p53 signaling in AEC2 was detected in IPF lungs, BLM-induced mice, and an A549 senescence model. The effects of ARC@DPBNPs on p38/p53/p21 were assessed in vivo and in vitro.Results: Pulmonary route of administration of ARC@DPBNPs protected mice against BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis without causing significant damage to the heart, liver, spleen, or kidney. ARC@DPBNPs blocked BLM-induced AEC2 senescence in vivo and in vitro. The p38/p53/p21 signaling axis was significantly activated in the lung tissues of patients with IPF, senescent AEC2, and BLM-induced lung fibrosis. ARC@DPBNPs attenuated AEC2 senescence and pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the p38/p53/p21 pathway.Conclusion: Our data suggest that the p38/p53/p21 signaling axis plays a pivotal role in AEC2 senescence in pulmonary fibrosis. The p38/p53/p21 signaling axis inhibition by ARC@DPBNPs provides an innovative approach to treating pulmonary fibrosis in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Xiong
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Emergency, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
- Department of Emergency, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingbo Shao
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Yueyun Pan
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Song Wang
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Dong Wei
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Shugao Ye
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Ministry of Education, College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bingqing Yue
- Department of Lung Transplantation, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jingyu Chen, ; Juan Li,
| | - Jingyu Chen
- Lung Transplantation Center, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Ministry of Education, College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Jingyu Chen, ; Juan Li,
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Li X, Hou R, Ding H, Gao X, Wei Z, Qi T, Fang L. Mollugin ameliorates murine allergic airway inflammation by inhibiting Th2 response and M2 macrophage activation. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 946:175630. [PMID: 36871665 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Mollugin, isolated from Rubia cordifolia L, is a pharmacological compound with anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to investigate whether mollugin protects mice against shrimp tropomyosin (ST)-induced allergic airway inflammation. Mice were sensitized with ST combined with Al(OH)3 administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) once weekly for 3 wk followed by ST challenge for 5 d. Mice were i.p.-administered daily with mollugin for 7 d. Results showed that mollugin attenuated ST-induced infiltration of eosinophils and epithelial mucus secretion in the lung tissues and suppressed lung eosinophil peroxidase activity. Additionally, mollugin lowered the Th2 cytokine, IL-4 and IL-5, production and downregulated the mRNA levels of Il-4, Il-5, Il-13, eotaxin, Ccl-17, Muc5ac, arginase-1, Ym-1, and Fizz-1 in the lung tissues. Network pharmacology was employed to predict core targets, and the molecular docking approach was used to verify the compound targets. The results of the molecular docking study of mollugin into p38 MAPK or poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) binding sites revealed that its mechanism was possibly similar to that of SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) or olaparib (a PARP1 inhibitor). Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that mollugin mitigated ST-induced elevation of arginase-1 expression and macrophage levels in the lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, respectively. Furthermore, arginase-1 mRNA level and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK were inhibited in IL-4-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. In ST-stimulated mouse primary splenocytes, mollugin notably inhibited IL-4 and IL-5 production and downregulated PARP1 and PAR protein expression. According to our findings, mollugin ameliorated allergic airway inflammation by inhibiting Th2 response and macrophage polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuru Li
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Ruitao Hou
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Hao Ding
- Baoying People's Hospital, Yangzhou, 225800, China; Baoying Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yangzhou, 225800, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zichen Wei
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Ting Qi
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-coding RNA Research, Yangzhou University Medical College, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Kim J, Kim K. Elucidating the potential pharmaceutical mechanism of Gyejibokryeong-hwan on rosacea using network analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e33023. [PMID: 36862896 PMCID: PMC9981404 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000033023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rosacea is a chronic erythematous disease with telangiectasia that affects the central area of the face. However, because of the ambiguity in the pathophysiology of rosacea, its treatment has not been clearly elucidated; therefore, new therapeutic options need to be developed. Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GBH) is widely used in clinical practice for various blood circulation disorders, including hot flushes. Therefore, we explored the potential pharmaceutical mechanism of GBH on rosacea and investigated the therapeutic points exclusive to GBH through comparative analysis with chemical drugs recommended in 4 guidelines for rosacea based on network analysis. The active compounds in GBH were identified, and the proteins targeted by these compounds and the genes related to rosacea were searched. Additionally, the proteins targeted by the guideline drugs were also searched to compare their effects. And the pathway/term analysis of common genes was conducted. Ten active compounds were obtained for rosacea. There were 14 rosacea-related genes targeted by GBH, with VEGFA, TNF, and IL-4, which were suggested as core genes. The pathway/term analysis of the 14 common genes revealed that GBH could potentially act on rosacea via 2 pathways: the "interleukin 17 signaling pathway" and the "neuroinflammatory response." Comparison and analysis of the protein targets between GBH and guideline drugs revealed that only GBH separately acts on the "vascular wound healing pathway." GBH has the potential to act on IL-17 signaling pathway, neuroinflammatory response and vascular wound healing pathway. Further studies are needed to determine the potential mechanism of GBH in rosacea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jundong Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Dermatology of Korean Medicine, Graduate School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuseok Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Dermatology of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Kyuseok Kim, Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Dermatology of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea (e-mail address: )
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Zeng W, Fang Y, Mo S, Shen C, Yang H, Luo G, Xiao L, Zhan R, Yan P. The Underling Mechanisms Exploration of Rubia cordifolia L. Extract Against Rheumatoid Arthritis by Integrating Network Pharmacology and Metabolomics. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:439-457. [PMID: 36818604 PMCID: PMC9930591 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s388932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Rubia cordifolia L. (RC) is a classic herbal medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and has been used since ancient times. The ethanol extract of Rubia cordifolia L. (RCE) showed obvious anti-RA effects in our previous study. However, further potential mechanisms require more exploration. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of RCE for the treatment of RA by integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology in this study. Methods An adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rat model was established, and we evaluated the therapeutic effects of RCE. Metabolomics of serum and urine was used to identify the differential metabolites. Network pharmacology was applied to determine the key metabolites and potential targets. Finally, the potential targets and compounds of RCE were verified by molecular docking. Results The results indicated that RCE suppressed foot swelling and alleviated joint damage and also had anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1β, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and P65. Ten and seven differential metabolites were found in the serum and urine, respectively, of rats. Six key targets, ie, phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A), phospholipase A2 group X (PLA2G10), cytidine deaminase (CDA), uridine-cytidine kinase 2 (UCK2), charcot-leyden crystal galectin (CLC), and 5',3'-nucleotidase, mitochondrial (NT5M), were discovered by network pharmacology and metabolite analysis and were found to be related to glycerophospholipid metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism. Molecular docking confirmed that the favorable compounds showed affinities with the key targets, including alizarin, 6-hydroxyrubiadin, ruberythric acid, and munjistin. Conclusion This study revealed the underlying mechanisms of RCE and provided evidence that will allow researchers to further investigate the functions and components of RCE against RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiya Zeng
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Fang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Suifen Mo
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Caihong Shen
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huiling Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guihua Luo
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Luhua Xiao
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruoting Zhan
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Ruoting Zhan; Ping Yan, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No. 232, Outer Ring East Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 20-39358045, Email ;
| | - Ping Yan
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resources from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Joint Laboratory of Nation Engineering Research Center for the Pharmaceutics of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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The Potential Mechanism of Zishen Yutai Pills against Threatened Abortion: An Approach Involving Network Pharmacology and Experimental Evidence. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/5797767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Threatened abortion (TA) is the most common complication in early pregnancy and is caused by anxiety and depressive symptoms. The Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP) is a traditional herbal formula that is commonly used to treat TA. However, the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effect of ZYP have yet to be elucidated. To disclose the mechanism of ZYP in the treatment of TA, first, we identified the chemical constituents of ZYP from multiple databases and then predicted the potential targets of TA by applying the GeneCards database. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was then constructed to allow the screening of hub targets. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGGs) enrichment analyses were also performed and the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery server was used to identify critical biological processes and signaling pathways. Cytoscape software was used to construct a Compound-Target-Pathway. Furthermore, we analyzed ZYP by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, then the RU486-induced TA rat model was established, and the reliability of the network pharmacology prediction results was verified. Finally, the mechanisms responsible for the action of ZYP on TA were revealed by qRT-PCR and molecular docking. Database screening identified a total of 161 active compounds in ZYP and 324 TA-related targets. And, we identified 42 compounds from ZYP by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Inflammation and apoptosis were identified as the main biological processes. GO and KEGG analyses identified that the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways were the key functional pathways that respond to ZYP. The results showed that ZYP treatment significantly increased maternal weight, significantly increased the levels of estradiol and progesterone, and attenuated histopathological changes in a rat model of TA. Data indicated that ZYP treatment improved pregnancy outcomes in the rat model of TA. QRT-PCR data showed that ZYP reduced inflammation and apoptosis by regulating the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways. In addition, molecule docking results identified a range of key compounds, including Pik3a, Mapk14, Mapk1, Mapk3, Mapk8 Tnf, Il6, and Cas8. In summary, we performed network pharmacological analysis and experimental validation and identified that ZYP exerts an effect on TA by regulating the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways and by inhibiting the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines and genes related to apoptosis.
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Zhi G, Shao B, Zheng T, Mu J, Li J, Feng Y, Zhu S, Dang Y, Liu F, Wang D. Exploring the molecular mechanism of Gan Shuang granules for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1082451. [PMID: 36762105 PMCID: PMC9902723 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1082451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: With the gradual increase in prevalence in recent years, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become one of the significant health problems that urgently needs to be addressed worldwide. GanShuang Granules (GSG) is derived from the classical Chinese formula Xiaoyao San and mainly used in the clinical treatment of chronic liver diseases. Objective: In this study, we aim to gain a deeper insight into the inhibiting effects of GSG on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats and preliminarily elucidate the underlying intervention mechanisms. Methods: First, High performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap-MS/MS) was used for the active compounds prediction in GSG. Then the data was mapped to mzCloud database. The targets corresponding to GSG compounds were collected from public databases, along with disease genes for NAFLD. The core targets and molecular mechanisms of GSG for NAFLD treatment were predicted by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses. Molecular docking of the core target-component interactions was simulated using AutoDock Vina software. The effect of GSG on NASH rats was evaluated by pathological staining and analysis of various index results. Finally, the candidate targets were further validated by ELISA and western blot (WB) analyses. Results: Combining UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap-MS/MS data analysis and public database data, a total of 346 cross-targets were obtained, corresponding to 81 compounds. The subnetwork with an MCODE score of 53.623 is a potential core target group for this study. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the targets of GSG in NAFLD were mostly related to oxidative stress, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and the apoptosis signaling pathway. By integrating the results of network pharmacology analysis, the core objectives of this study mainly include AKT1, CASP9, TNF, and CASP8. The core ingredients are related to resveratrol and fisetin. The molecular docking results indicated key binding activity between AKT1-fisetin, AKT1-Resveratrol, and CASP8-fisetin. Moreover, GSG could improve the inflammatory status and restore the abnormal lipid accumulation of NAFLD/NASH liver, and these levels are further verified by pathological staining and detection of related indicators. Mechanistically, GSG could regulate protein expression levels in the liver for P65, p-P65, IKB, p-IKB, IKK, caspase-3, -8, -9, and cytochrome C, etc. It reflects the inhibitory effect of GSG on the NF-κB/IκB signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our results suggested that GSG demonstrated therapeutic effects on NAFLD/NASH rats, and these may be mainly reflected in the inhibitory effects on the NF-κB/IκB signaling pathway and its downstream inflammation and apoptosis signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoguo Zhi
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bingjie Shao
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianyan Zheng
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Mu
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jingwei Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiyuan Feng
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Sha Zhu
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanni Dang
- Shanxi Buchang Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Xi’an, Shanxi, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Shanxi Buchang Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Xi’an, Shanxi, China,*Correspondence: Feng Liu, ; Dong Wang,
| | - Dong Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,*Correspondence: Feng Liu, ; Dong Wang,
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Gas-Mediated Intestinal Microbiome Regulation Prompts the Methanol Extract of Schizonepetae Spica to Relieve Colitis. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15030519. [PMID: 36771228 PMCID: PMC9921049 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of colitis (UC). Schizonepetae Herba can achieve anti-inflammatory effects as a medicine and food homologous vegetable. Luteolin, eriodictyol, fisetin, and kaempferol are the main anti-inflammatory active compounds obtained through mass spectrometry from the methanol extract of Schizonepetae Spica (JJSM). JJSM intervention resulted in attenuated weight loss, high disease-activity-index score, colon length shortening and colonic pathological damage in DSS-induced colitis mice. Interestingly, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) was inhibited remarkably, which is helpful to elucidate the relationship between active substance and intestinal flora. Furthermore, JJSM administration improved intestinal flora with down-regulating the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Clostridiales and Desulfovibrio and up-regulating the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Muribaculaceae and Ligolactobacillus and enhanced the production of SCFAs. It is worth noticing that Desulfovibrio is related to the production of intestinal gas H2S. The elevated levels of Desulfovibrio and H2S will hasten the onset of colitis, which is a crucial risk factor for colitis. The results displayed that JJSM could considerably ameliorate colitis by rebuilding H2S-related intestinal flora, which provides a new therapeutic strategy for Schizonepetae Spica to be utilized as a functional food and considered as an emerging candidate for intestinal inflammation.
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Yang Y, Qian C, Wu R, Wang R, Ou J, Liu S. Exploring the mechanism of the Fructus Mume and Rhizoma Coptidis herb pair intervention in Ulcerative Colitis from the perspective of inflammation and immunity based on systemic pharmacology. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:11. [PMID: 36647064 PMCID: PMC9841615 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03823-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease of the colon and rectum. Fructus Mume (FM) and Rhizoma Coptidis (RC) exert effects on inflammatory and immune diseases. We evaluated the hypothesis of the FM and RC (FM-RC) herb pair remedy in alleviating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, through network pharmacology-based analyses, molecular docking, and experimental validation. METHODS The Traditional Chinese medicine systematic pharmacology analysis platform(TCMSP) and Swiss database were used to predict potential targets of FM-RC and the GeneCards database was utilized to collect UC genes. Cytoscape software was used to construct and analyze the networks, and DAVID was utilized to perform enrichment analysis. AutoDock software was used to dock the core chemical components of the FM-RC herb pair with key UC targets. Animal experiments were performed to validate the prediction results and general conditions and body weight were observed. Pathological changes in colon tissue were observed by staining with hematoxylin and eosin. The levels of TNF-α, IL-8, IL-17, and IL-4 in serum and colon tissue were detected by ELISA. RESULTS Eighteen effective components of the herb couple were screened, and their potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of UC were acquired from 110 overlapped targets. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that these targets were highly correlated with protein autophosphorylation, plasma membrane, ATP binding, cancer pathways, the PI3K-AKt signaling pathway, and the Rap1 signaling pathway. Molecular docking established the core protein interactions with compounds having a docking energy < 0 kJ·mol-1, indicating the core active components had strong binding activities with the core targets. FM-RC herb pair relieved pathological indicators and reduced the concentration of TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-17 and increased IL-4 levels in the serum and colon tissues of UC rats. CONCLUSION Collectively, FM-RC herb pair administration alleviated UC. These beneficial effects targeted MAPK1 signaling related to inflammation and immunity, which provided a basis for a better understanding of FM-RC in the treatment of UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yatian Yang
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Chengcheng Qian
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Rui Wu
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Rui Wang
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China ,grid.495512.e0000 0004 7470 502XWuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241006 China
| | - Jinmei Ou
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China ,Key Laboratory of Anhui Province for the New Technology of Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces Manufacturing, Hefei, 230012 China ,Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources Protection and Development, Hefei, 230012 China
| | - Shoujin Liu
- grid.252251.30000 0004 1757 8247Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012 China ,Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine Institute of Chinese Medicine Resources Protection and Development, Hefei, 230012 China
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Li J, Liu X, Li J, Han D, Li Y, Ge P. Mechanism of andrographis paniculata on lung cancer by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Technol Health Care 2023:THC220698. [PMID: 36641698 DOI: 10.3233/thc-220698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely recognized and accepted worldwide to provide favorable therapeutic effects for cancer patients. As Andrographis paniculata has an anti-tumor effect, it might inhibit lung cancer. OBJECTIVE The drug targets and related pathways involved in the action of Andrographis paniculata against lung cancer were predicted using network pharmacology, and its mechanism was further explored at the molecular level. METHODS This work selected the effective components and targets of Andrographis paniculata against the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Targets related to lung cancer were searched for in the GEO database (accession number GSE136043). The volcanic and thermal maps of differential expression genes were produced using the software R. Then, the target genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG analysis using the software R. This also utilized the AutoDock tool to study the molecular docking of the active component structures downloaded from the PubChem database and the key target structures downloaded from the PDB database, and the docking results were visualized using the software PyMol. RESULTS The results of molecular docking show that wogonin, Mono-O-methylwightin, Deoxycamptothecine, andrographidine F_qt, Quercetin tetramethyl (3',4',5,7) ether, 14-deoxyandrographolide, andrographolide-19-β-D-glucoside_qt and 14-deoxy-11-oxo-andrographolide were potential active components, while AKT1, MAPK14, RELA and NCOA1 were key targets. CONCLUSION This study showed the main candidate components, targets, and pathways involved in the action of Andrographis paniculata against lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Li
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Dongwei Han
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Pengling Ge
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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Song F, Lu CL, Wang CG, Hu CW, Zhang Y, Wang TL, Han L, Chen Z. Uncovering the mechanism of Kang-ai injection for treating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro validation. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1129709. [PMID: 36937833 PMCID: PMC10017963 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1129709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Kang-ai injection (KAI) has been a popular adjuvant treatment for solid tumors, but its anti-tumor mechanism in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains poorly understood. This study applied a network pharmacology-based approach to unveil KAI's anti-tumor activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanism in ICC by integrating molecular docking and in vitro validation. Methods: The KAI-compound-target-ICC network was constructed to depict the connections between active KAI compounds and ICC-related targets based on the available data sources. The crucial ingredients, potential targets, and signaling pathways were screened using GO, KEGG enrichment analysis, and the PPI network. Molecular docking was performed to visualize the interactions between hub targets and components. In vitro experiments were carried out to validate the findings. Results: Among the 87 active components of KAI and 80 KAI-ICC-related targets, bioinformatics analysis identified quercetin as a possible candidate. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway might be essential in ICC pharmacotherapy. The PPI network and its sub-networks screened 10 core target genes, including AKT1 and IL1β. Molecular docking results showed stable binding between AKT1 and IL1β with KAI active ingredients. The in vitro experiments confirmed that KAI might suppress the proliferation of ICC cell lines by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, consistent with the network pharmacology approach and molecular docking predictions. Conclusion: The study sheds light on KAI's biological activity, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms in treating ICC and provides a promising strategy for understanding the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanisms of herbal treatments for ICC. This research has important implications for developing new, targeted therapies for ICC and highlights the importance of network pharmacology-based approaches in investigating complex herbal formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chang-Liang Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Cheng-Gui Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chen-Wei Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Tian-Lun Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Lu Han
- Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- *Correspondence: Zhong Chen,
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ZHAO Q, DING R, Li S, WANG C, GU R. Identification of the active compounds and their mechanisms of medicinal and edible Heigen based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS and network pharmacology. FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1590/fst.123522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qian ZHAO
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Rong DING
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Si Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Chenghui WANG
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
| | - Rui GU
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China
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Li J, Tao Q, Xie Y, Wang P, Jin R, Huang X, Chen Y, Zeng C. Exploring the Targets and Molecular Mechanisms of Thalidomide in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:2721-2737. [PMID: 37961863 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128272502231101114727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, nonspecific, inflammatory disease of the intestine with an unknown cause. Thalidomide (THA) has been shown to be an effective drug for the treatment of UC. However, the molecular targets and mechanism of action of THA for the treatment of UC are not yet clear. OBJECTIVES Combining network pharmacology with in vitro experiments, this study aimed to investigate the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of THA for the treatment of UC. METHODS Firstly, relevant targets of THA against UC were obtained from public databases. Then, the top 10 hub targets and key molecular mechanisms of THA for UC were screened based on the network pharmacology approach and bioinformatics method. Finally, an in vitro cellular inflammation model was constructed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced intestinal epithelial cells (NCM460) to validate the top 10 hub targets and key signaling pathways. RESULTS A total of 121 relevant targets of THA against UC were obtained, of which the top 10 hub targets were SRC, LCK, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, EGFR, HRAS, JAK2, RAC1, STAT1, and MAP2K1. The PI3K-Akt pathway was significantly associated with THA treatment of UC. In vitro experiments revealed that THA treatment reversed the expression of HSP90AA1, EGFR, STAT1, and JAK2 differential genes. THA was able to up- regulate the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory factor IL-10 and decrease the mRNA levels of anti-inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α. Furthermore, THA also exerted anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. CONCLUSION THA may play a therapeutic role in UC by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway. HSP90AA1, EGFR, STAT1, and JAK2 may be the most relevant potential therapeutic targets for THA in the treatment of UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Qin Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ruiri Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xia Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Youxiang Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Chunyan Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
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Li H, Dong A, Li N, Ma Y, Zhang S, Deng Y, Chen S, Zhang M. Mechanistic Study of Schisandra chinensis Fruit Mixture Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Experimental Validation to Improve the Inflammatory Response of DKD Through AGEs/RAGE Signaling Pathway. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:613-632. [PMID: 36875720 PMCID: PMC9983444 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s395512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and inflammation is the main causative mechanism. Schisandra chinensis fruit Mixture (SM) is an herbal formulation that has been used for a long time to treat DKD. However, its pharmacological and molecular mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms of SM for the treatment of DKD through network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation. Methods The chemical components in SM were comprehensively identified and collected using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and database mining. The mechanisms were investigated using a network pharmacology, including obtaining SM-DKD intersection targets, completing protein-protein interactions (PPI) by Cytoscape to obtain key potential targets, and then revealing potential mechanisms of SM for DKD by GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. The important pathways and phenotypes screened by the network analysis were validated experimentally in vivo. Finally, the core active ingredients were screened by molecular docking. Results A total of 53 active ingredients of SM were retrieved by database and LC-MS, and 143 common targets of DKD and SM were identified; KEGG and PPI showed that SM most likely exerted anti-DKD effects by regulating the expression of AGEs/RAGE signaling pathway-related inflammatory factors. In addition, our experimental validation results showed that SM improved renal function and pathological changes in DKD rats, down-regulated AGEs/RAGE signaling pathway, and further down-regulated the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and up-regulated IL-10. Molecular docking confirmed the tight binding properties between (+)-aristolone, a core component of SM, and key targets. Conclusion This study reveals that SM improves the inflammatory response of DKD through AGEs/RAGE signaling pathway, thus providing a novel idea for the clinical treatment of DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongdian Li
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ao Dong
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Ma
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Sai Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Deng
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mianzhi Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Nephrology, Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
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Xie W, Yang H, Guo C, Xie R, Yu G, Li Y. Integrated Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation Approach to Investigate the Mechanisms of Stigmasterol in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:691-706. [PMID: 36915642 PMCID: PMC10007868 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s387570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints associated with systemic comorbidities. Sinomenium acutum is regarded as an effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of RA. Materials and Methods Based on network pharmacology and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, 33 RA-related differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) targeting active compounds of Sinomenium acutum were initially screened in our investigation. Results Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopaedia of genes and genome (KEGG) analyses found the important involvement of these DEGs in osteoclast differentiation, and finally 5 core DEGs, including NCF4, NFKB1, CYBA, IL-1β and NCF1 were determined through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We also identified the related active component of Sinomenium acutum include Stigmasterol. Finally, in order to experimentally verify these results, a rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was established, and subsequently treated with Stigmasterol solution. Conclusion Similar to the healing effect of Indomethacin, Stigmasterol was observed to reduce the levels of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and IL-1β) and osteoclast differentiation-related factors (RANKL, ACP5 and Cathepsin K), which can also reduce the arthritis index score and alleviate the degree of pathological injury of rat ankle joints. The predictions and experimental data uncover the involvement of Stigmasterol, an active component of Sinomenium acutum, in regulation of osteoclast differentiation, exerting great medicinal potential in the treatment of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendong Xie
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun Guo
- Medical Innovation Experiment Center, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Xie
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoliang Yu
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifu Li
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
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Cytotoxic alkaloids from the fruit pods of Macleaya microcarpa. Fitoterapia 2023; 164:105378. [PMID: 36511342 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2022.105378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
19 compounds, including seven previously undescribed alkaloids ((-)-macleayin K (1), (+)-macleayin K (2), macleayin M (3), macleayin N (4), macleayin L (5), macleayin O (6), oxohydrastinine A (7), one new natural product (8), and 11 known compounds, were isolated from the fruit pods of Macleaya microcarpa. Their structures were defined based on NMR, HRESIMS, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. A network pharmacology approach combined with molecular docking and in vitro validation was performed to determine the bioactivity, key targets of the 19 compounds against breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC). EGFR and PIK3CA could become potential therapeutic targets based a network pharmacology. Moreover, molecular docking suggested that the 19 compounds combined well with EGFR and PIK3CA, respectively. Their cytotoxicity of selected compounds was tested against the MCF-7 and HeLa cells, and the preliminary structure-activity relationship is discussed. Compounds 1 (IC50: 6.00 μM) and 2 (IC50: 6.82 μM) exhibited strong inhibitory activity against the HeLa cells and are worthy of further study.
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Xie RF, Song ZY, Xu-shao LY, Huang JG, Zhao T, Yang Z. The mechanism of Bai He Gu Jin Tang against non-small cell lung cancer revealed by network pharmacology and molecular docking. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e32555. [PMID: 36596057 PMCID: PMC9803515 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer-related burden and deaths, thus effective treatment strategies with lower side effects for NSCLC are urgently needed. To systematically analyze the mechanism of Bai He Gu Jin Tang (BHGJT) against NSCLC by network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS The active compounds of BHGJT were obtained by searching the Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Encyclopaedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Search tool for interactions of chemicals was used for acquiring the targets of BHGJT. The component-target network was mapped by Cytoscape. NSCLC-related genes were obtained by searching Genecards, DrugBank and Therapeutic Target Database. The protein-protein interaction network of intersection targets was established based on Search Tool for Recurring Instances of Neighboring Genes (STRING), and further, the therapeutic core targets were selected by topological parameters. The hub targets were transmitted to Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Finally, AutoDock Vina and MglTools were employed for molecular docking validation. RESULTS Two hundred fifty-six compounds and 237 putative targets of BHGJT-related active compounds as well as 1721potential targets of NSCLC were retrieved. Network analysis showed that 8 active compounds of BHGJT including kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, mairin and liquiritigenin as well as 15 hub targets such as AKR1B10 and AKR1C2 contribute to the treatment of BHGJT against NSCLC. GO functional enrichment analysis shows that BHGJT could regulate many biological processes, such as apoptotic process. Three modules of the endocrine related pathways including the inflammation, hypoxia related pathways as well as the other cancer related pathways based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis might explain the biological mechanisms of BHGJT in treating BHGJT. The results of molecular docking verified that AKR1B10 and AKR1C2 had the strongest binding activity with the 8 key compounds of NSCLC. CONCLUSION Our study reveals the mechanism of BHGJT in treating NSCLC involving multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways. The present study laid an initial foundation for the subsequent research and clinical application of BHGJT and its active compounds against NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-fei Xie
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Hangzhou Cancer Institute, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zi-yu Song
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu-yao Xu-shao
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jin-ge Huang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zi Yang
- The Third School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- * Correspondence: Zi Yang, The Third School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China (e-mail: )
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Nguyen TK, Phung HH, Choi WJ, Ahn HC. Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study on the Multi-Target Mechanisms of Aloe vera for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Treatment. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3585. [PMID: 36559697 PMCID: PMC9783676 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease with limited treatment options. The widely distributed plant Aloe vera has shown protective effects against NASH in animals, yet the precise mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-NASH effects of Aloe vera using a network pharmacology and molecular docking approach. By searching online databases and analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset, we obtained 260 Aloe vera-NASH common targets. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses showed that the common targets were strongly associated with the key pathological processes implicated in NASH, including lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and liver fibrosis. Four core proteins, AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), transcription factor c-Jun, and tumor suppressor protein p53, were identified from compound-target-pathway and protein-protein interaction networks. Molecular docking analysis verified that the active ingredients of Aloe vera were able to interact with the core proteins, especially AKT1 and TNFα. The results demonstrate the multi-compound, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms of Aloe vera against NASH. Our study has shown the scientific basis for further experiments in terms of the mechanism to develop Aloe vera-based natural products as complementary treatments for NASH. Furthermore, it identifies novel drug candidates based on the structures of Aloe vera's active compounds.
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Paeoniflorin Protects against Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury in Mice via JNK Signaling Pathway. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238534. [PMID: 36500627 PMCID: PMC9739375 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), represented by acetaminophen (APAP), is a common cause of acute liver failure in clinics. Paeoniflorin (PF) has been proven to demonstrate a significant hepatoprotective effect. However, it is still unclear whether it can be a potential agent against hepatotoxicity induced by APAP. This study aimed to explore the preventive and therapeutic effects and mechanisms of PF on APAP-induced liver injury. METHODS Different doses of PF (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) were given to C57BL/6 male mice for five consecutive days. After 12 h of APAP (250 mg/kg i.p.) treatment, blood and liver tissues were collected and isolated for detection. RESULTS The results showed that the therapeutic effects of PF on APAP mice were presented in the downregulation of the content of serum indices and significantly improved hepatic tissue edema and inflammatory infiltration. Meanwhile, PF reduces the level of the mitochondrial metabolic enzyme. Ulteriorly, it was found that PF has a downregulating effect on the apoptotic reaction and could inhibit the protein expression of CYP2E1/JNK signaling, which in turn reduces the damage of APAP. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that PF acted as a protective agent against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by inhibiting JNK-related signals, suggesting a novel insight into treating APAP-induced liver injury.
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Liu J, Sun T, Liu S, Liu J, Fang S, Tan S, Zeng Y, Zhang B, Li W. Dissecting the molecular mechanism of cepharanthine against COVID-19, based on a network pharmacology strategy combined with RNA-sequencing analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. Comput Biol Med 2022; 151:106298. [PMID: 36403355 PMCID: PMC9671524 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recently, it has been reported that cepharanthine (CEP) is highly likely to be an agent against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the present study, a network pharmacology-based approach combined with RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was performed to determine hub targets and potential pharmacological mechanism of CEP against COVID-19. METHODS Targets of CEP were retrieved from public databases. COVID-19-related targets were acquired from databases and RNA-seq datasets GSE157103 and GSE155249. The potential targets of CEP and COVID-19 were then validated by GSE158050. Hub targets and signaling pathways were acquired through bioinformatics analysis, including protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and enrichment analysis. Subsequently, molecular docking was carried out to predict the combination of CEP with hub targets. Lastly, MD simulation was conducted to further verify the findings. RESULTS A total of 700 proteins were identified as CEP-COVID-19-related targets. After the validation by GSE158050, 97 validated targets were retained. Enrichment results indicated that CEP acts on COVID-19 through multiple pathways, multiple targets, and overall cooperation. Specifically, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway is the most important pathway. Based on PPI network analysis, 9 central hub genes were obtained (ACE2, STAT1, SRC, PIK3R1, HIF1A, ESR1, ERBB2, CDC42, and BCL2L1). Molecular docking suggested that the combination between CEP and 9 central hub genes is extremely strong. Noteworthy, ACE2, considered the most important gene in CEP against COVID-19, binds to CEP most stably, which was further validated by MD simulation. CONCLUSION Our study comprehensively illustrated the potential targets and underlying molecular mechanism of CEP against COVID-19, which further provided the theoretical basis for exploring the potential protective mechanism of CEP against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Taoli Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, China
| | - Sa Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Senbiao Fang
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on Bioinformatics, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Shengyu Tan
- Department of Gerontology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Yucheng Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, 418000, China
| | - Bikui Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
| | - Wenqun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
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Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy and Molecular Mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction in the Treatment of COPD Based on Meta-Analysis and Network Pharmacology. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:2615580. [PMID: 36479314 PMCID: PMC9720234 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2615580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is becoming a major public health burden worldwide. It is urgent to explore more effective and safer treatment strategy for COPD. Notably, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) is widely used to treat respiratory system diseases, including COPD, in China. Objective This study is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanism of XFZYD on COPD. Methods Original clinical studies were searched from eight literature databases. Meta-analysis was conducted using the Review Manager software (version 5.4.1). Network pharmacology and molecular docking experiments were utilized to explore the mechanisms of action of XFZYD. Results XFZYD significantly enhanced the efficacy of clinical treatment and improved the pulmonary function and hypoventilation of COPD patients. In addition, XFZYD significantly improved the hypercoagulability of COPD patients. The subgroup analysis suggested that XFZYD exhibited therapeutic effects on both stable and acute exacerbation of COPD. XFZYD exerted its therapeutic effects on COPD through multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway characteristics. The intervention of the PI3K-AKT pathway may be the critical mechanism. Conclusion The application of XFZYD based on symptomatic relief and supportive treatment is a promising clinical decision. More preclinical and clinical studies are still needed to evaluate the safety and therapeutic effects of long-term use of XFZYD on COPD.
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Wu Y, Ren Y, Liu L, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Zhao R, Lu C. Integrating pharmacokinetics and network pharmacology to identify and validate targets of Guben Xiaozhen prescription for the treatment of chronic urticaria. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 298:115628. [PMID: 35970316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Guben Xiaozhen prescription (GXP), a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat skin diseases for a long history and achieved satisfactory therapeutic effects. However, its active ingredients and targets remain to be further elucidated. AIM OF THIS STUDY Identify activity ingredients of GXP for the treatment of chronic urticaria (CU) and further validate the efficacy and targets of the selected component. MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, the pharmacokinetics of different disassemble groups of GXP was investigated to screen for active ingredients with improved bioavailability. Then, shared targets between active ingredients and CU were performed by network pharmacology. Finally, the ovalbumin (OVA) induced CU model was used to verify the efficacy and targets of the screened active ingredient. RESULTS Pharmacokinetic results showed that, compared with sub-division groups, the maximum concentration (Cmax) and blood concentration-time curve (AUC0-t) of eight ingredients, including 6-shogaol, 6-gingerol, calycosin, dictamnine, fraxinellone, schizandrin, cimifugin, and sec-o-glucosylhamaudol were increased in the GXP group. Then, 218 CU-related targets and 20 shared targets with six potential active compounds were screened by network pharmacology. Further analysis found that fraxinellone was not reported to be associated with CU in the literature. Therefore, the present study employed an OVA-induced CU model and found that fraxinellone could dose-dependently inhibit the locus coeruleus reaction, mast cell degranulation, and pathological skin damage. Moreover, we further verified the ADRB2 and its downstream target caspase3 predicted by network pharmacology, and fraxinellone inhibited the expression of ADRB2 and caspase3 in high dose group, suggesting that fraxinellone may play an anti-CU role by inhibiting inflammation and cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION In this study, integrated pharmacokinetics and network pharmacology methods were established to screen out six effective active ingredients in GXP for the treatment of CU. This study provides a new idea for screening active substances in traditional Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayun Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, 510120, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yuanxin Ren
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; School of Pharmacy, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Ya Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruizhi Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, 510120, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| | - Chuanjian Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, 510120, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, 510120, China; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Lab on Chinese Medicine and Immune Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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Wu J, Luo Y, Shen Y, Hu Y, Zhu F, Wu J, Liu Y. Integrated Metabonomics and Network Pharmacology to Reveal the Action Mechanism Effect of Shaoyao Decoction on Ulcerative Colitis. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:3739-3776. [PMID: 36324421 PMCID: PMC9620839 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s375281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the advantage of multi-component and multi-target, which becomes a hot spot in the treatment of numerous diseases. Shaoyao decoction (SYD) is a TCM prescription, which is mainly used to treat damp-heat dysentery clinically, with small side effects and low cost. However, its mechanism remains elusive. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of SYD in the treatment of mice with ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) through metabolomics and network pharmacology, and verify through molecular docking and immunohistochemistry, so as to provide a scientific basis for the role of SYD in the treatment of UC. Materials and Methods Firstly, DSS-induced UC models were established and then untargeted metabolomics analysis of feces, livers, serum and urine was performed to determine biomarkers and metabolic pathways closely related to the role of SYD. Besides, network pharmacology was applied to screen the active components and UC-related targets, which was verified by molecular docking. Finally, metabonomics and network pharmacology were combined to draw the metabolite-pathway-target network and verified by immunohistochemistry. Results Metabolomics results showed that a total of 61 differential metabolites were discovered in SYD-treated UC with 3 main metabolic pathways containing glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, as well as 8 core targets involving STAT3, IL1B, IL6, IL2, AKT1, IL4, ICAM1 and CCND1. Molecular docking demonstrated that the first five targets had strong affinity with quercetin, wogonin, kaempferol and baicalein. Combined with metabolomics and network pharmacology, sphingolipid signaling pathway, PI3K/AKT-mTOR signaling pathway and S1P3 pathway were identified as the main pathways. Conclusion SYD can effectively ameliorate various symptoms and alleviate intestinal mucosal damage and metabolic disorder in DSS induced UC mice. Its effect is mainly related to sphingolipid metabolism, PI3K/AKT-mTOR signaling pathway and S1P3 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiting Luo
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310005, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuyao Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310005, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fangyuan Zhu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaqian Wu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yingchao Liu
- Academic Affairs Office, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Yingchao Liu, Academic Affairs Office, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China, Email
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92
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Mechanisms of Xiaochaihu Decoction on Treating Hepatic Fibrosis Explored by Network Pharmacology. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:8925637. [PMID: 36246566 PMCID: PMC9553551 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8925637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose. To explore the material basis and pharmacological mechanism of Xiaochaihu Decoction (XCHD), the classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula in inhibiting hepatic fibrosis (HF). Methods. The main components in XCHD were screened from the TCMSP database, ETCM database, and literature, and their potential targets were detected and predicted using the Swiss Target Prediction platform. The HF-related targets were retrieved and screened through GeneCard database and OMIM database, combined with GEO gene chips. The XCHD targets and HF targets were mapped to search common targets. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was acquired via the STRING11.0 database and analyzed visually using Cytoscape 3.8.0 software. The potential mechanisms of the common targets identified through GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were analyzed by using Metascape database. The results were visualized through OmicShare Tools. The “XCHD compound-HF target” network was visually constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.0 software. AutoDockVina1.1.2 and PyMoL software were used to verify the molecular docking of XCHD main active compounds and HF key targets. Results. A total of 164 potential active compounds from XCHD were screened to act on 95 HF-related targets. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that quercetin, β-sitosterol, and kaempferol may be candidate agents, which acted on multiple targets like PTGS2, HSP90AA1, and PTGS1 and regulate multiple key biological pathways like IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to relieve HF. Moreover, molecular docking suggested that quercetin and PTGS2 could statically bind and interact with each other through amino acid residues val-349, LEU-352, PHE-381, etc. Conclusion. This work provides a systems perspective to study the relationship between Chinese medicines and diseases. The therapeutic efficacy of XCHD on HF was the sum of multitarget and multi-approach effects from the bioactive ingredients. This study could be one of the cornerstones for further research.
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93
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Zheng S, Xue T, Wang B, Guo H, Liu Q. Application of network pharmacology in the study of mechanism of Chinese medicine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: A review. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 2:928116. [PMID: 36304327 PMCID: PMC9580908 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2022.928116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Network pharmacology is a research method based on a multidisciplinary holistic analysis of biological systems, which coincides with the idea of the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine. In this review, we summarized the use of network pharmacology technology through studying Chinese medicine single medicine or Chinese medicine compound research ideas and methods for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, based on the application of the current network pharmacology in Chinese medicine research, including the important role in the mechanism of the prediction and verification, to search for new ideas for disease diagnosis and treatment, this study summarizes the application of network pharmacology in the treatment of ulcerative colitis in traditional Chinese medicine, including monotherapy and compound therapy, and considers that relevant research studies have fully demonstrated the function characteristics of the multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway of traditional Chinese medicine, and can also explain the connotation of “selecting appropriate treatment methods according to the differences and similarities of pathogenesis” of traditional Chinese medicine. Finally, we raised important questions about the prospects and limitations of network pharmacology, such as differences caused by different data collection methods, a considerable lag, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Zheng
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Tianyu Xue
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Haolin Guo
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Qiquan Liu
- Graduate School, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Spleen and Stomach, First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
- *Correspondence: Qiquan Liu,
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94
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Exploration of the Potential Targets and Molecular Mechanism of Carthamus tinctorius L. for Liver Fibrosis Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Strategy. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10091735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Carthamus tinctorius L. (Honghua, HH) is an herbal medicine and functional food widely used to treat chronic liver diseases, including liver fibrosis. By using network pharmacology and molecular docking experiments, the present study aims to determine the bioactive components, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms of HH for treating liver fibrosis. The components of HH were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and literature, and the SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict the treatment targets of HH. Genecards and DisGeNET databases contained targets for liver fibrosis, and the STRING database provided networks of protein–protein interactions. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database of Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The protein–protein interactive network and drug–component–major target–pathway interactive network were visualized and analyzed by Cytoscape software. Finally, Autodock Vina and Discovery Studio software were used for molecular docking Validation. A total of 23 candidate bioactive compounds with 187 treatment targets of HH were acquired from the databases and literature. A total of 121 overlapping targets between HH and liver fibrosis were found to provide the molecular basis for HH on liver fibrosis. Quercetin, beta carotene, and lignan were identified as key components with targeting to ESR1, PIK3CA, and MTOR. HH is engaged in the intervention of various signaling cascades associated with liver fibrosis, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, MAPK pathway, and PPAR pathway. In conclusion, HH treats liver fibrosis through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms.
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95
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Wang Y, Sun Y, Wang R, Du J, Wang Q. Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Modified Sanmiaosan in Treating Ulcerative Colitis. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:2556521. [PMID: 35966251 PMCID: PMC9371879 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2556521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Modified Sanmiaosan is an effective cure in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, but its mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study revealed the pharmacological mechanisms of Modified Sanmiaosan acting on ulcerative colitis through a pharmacology approach. Materials and Methods The active compounds and the targets of Modified Sanmiaosan were selected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database according to the absorption and metabolism. The UC-related therapeutic targets were collected from the PharmGKB database, the GeneCards database, the GADA database, and the OMIM database. The networks of "drug-component-target-disease" and "herbal-component-target" were constructed by the Cytoscape software. Protein-protein interaction network was generated by the STRING database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed by the R software. Molecular docking technology was used to identify the affinity and activity between active compounds and targets. Results The 80 effective ingredients of MSM were collected. A total of 5180 UC-related genes and the 153 key targets of MSM and UC-related were obtained. JUN, Akt1, and MAPK1 were identified as the "hub targets" involved in the effects of Modified Sanmiaosan on ulcerative colitis. Hub targets were mainly involved in inflammatory response and oxidative stress. As the results of GO analysis, biological processes such as DNA-binding transcription and RNA polymerization may participate in the treatment process; KEGG pathway analysis showed that hub targets were mainly involved in IL-17 signal pathway and TNF signal pathway of ulcerative colitis. The high affinity and activity of the active compounds and targets were verified through molecular docking. Conclusion These findings demonstrate the active ingredients in Modified Sanmiaosan reduce inflammatory response by TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways to treat ulcerative colitis. Anti-inflammation and immune regulation may be the main mechanism of Modified Sanmiaosan in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. This study not only provide new insights into the development of a natural therapy for the prevention and treatment of ulcerative colitis but also proves a feasible method for discovering potential activated compounds from Chinese herbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Institute, Tai'an Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Tai'an 271000, China
| | - Ruoran Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Jisha Du
- Department of Nephrology, PLA Naval Medical Center, Shanghai 200052, China
| | - Qingqing Wang
- Department of Neurology, PLA Naval Medical Center, Shanghai 200052, China
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96
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Jiang H, Mao T, Liu Y, Tan X, Sun Z, Cheng Y, Han X, Zhang Y, Wang J, Shi L, Guo Y, Li J, Han H. Protective Effects and Mechanisms of Yinchen Linggui Zhugan Decoction in HFD-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rats Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:908128. [PMID: 35721171 PMCID: PMC9202027 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.908128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease, characterized by excessive accumulation of hepatocyte fat. However, there is no exact and effective pharmacotherapy for NAFLD. Yinchen linggui zhugan decoction (YLZD) has been widely used to treat NAFLD. Nevertheless, its pharmacological and molecular mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. This study was carried out to investigate the active components of YLZD and explore its potential mechanisms for treating NAFLD by network pharmacology and experimental verification. The results showed that a total of 120 active components of YLZD and 365 targets were retrieved through databases, and the main active ingredients of YLZD consisted of chlorogenic acid, emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein, and geniposide. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed fundamental roles of TNF, PI3K/AKT, HIF-1α, and insulin resistance signaling pathways in the treatment of NAFLD by YLZD. Moreover, our experimental verification results showed that YLZD improved the liver pathological and cholesterol level, and reduced the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, NF-κB, CCL2, and CXCL10 in NAFLD rats, which all belonged to TNF signaling pathway. The molecular docking confirmed the correlation between the four core components (chlorogenic acid, emodin, rhein, and geniposide) and key factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κB) in TNF signaling pathway. In conclusion, the present study systematically clarified the protective mechanisms of YLZD against NAFLD through targeting the TNF signaling pathway, and provided new ideas for the drug research of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Jiang
- School of Graduate, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Tangyou Mao
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuyue Liu
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Tan
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhongmei Sun
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Cheng
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Wang
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Junxiang Li
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Haixiao Han
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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97
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Sun T, Quan W, Peng S, Yang D, Liu J, He C, Chen Y, Hu B, Tuo Q. Network Pharmacology-Based Strategy Combined with Molecular Docking and in vitro Validation Study to Explore the Underlying Mechanism of Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan in Treating Atherosclerosis. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:1621-1645. [PMID: 35669282 PMCID: PMC9166517 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s357483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan (HLXLD), a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) classical formula, possesses anti-atherosclerosis (AS) activity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Aim The network pharmacology approach, molecular docking strategy, and in vitro validation experiment were performed to explore the potential active compounds, key targets, main signaling pathways, and underlying molecular mechanisms of HLXLD in treating AS. Methods Several public databases were used to search for active components and targets of HLXLD, as well as AS-related targets. Crucial bioactive ingredients, potential targets, and signaling pathways were acquired through bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, the molecular docking strategy and molecular dynamics simulation were carried out to predict the affinity and stability of active compounds and key targets. In vitro cell experiment was performed to verify the findings from bioinformatics analysis. Results A total of 108 candidate compounds and 321 predicted target genes were screened. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that quercetin, dihydrotanshinone I, pelargonidin, luteolin, guggulsterone, and β-sitosterol may be the main ingredients. STAT3, HSP90AA1, TP53, and AKT1 could be the key targets. MAPK signaling pathway might play an important role in HLXLD against AS. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation results suggested that the active compounds bound well and stably to their targets. Cell experiments showed that the intracellular accumulation of lipid and increased secretory of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in ox-LDL treated RAW264.7 cells, which can be significantly suppressed by pretreating with dihydrotanshinone I. The up-regulation of STAT3, ERK, JNK, and p38 phosphorylation induced by ox-LDL can be inhibited by pretreating with dihydrotanshinone I. Conclusion Our findings comprehensively demonstrated the active compounds, key targets, main signaling pathways, and underlying molecular mechanisms of HLXLD in treating AS. These findings would provide a scientific basis for the study of the complex mechanisms underlying disease and drug action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taoli Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjuan Quan
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sha Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongmei Yang
- School of Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaqin Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chaoping He
- School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Chen
- School of Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Hu
- School of Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qinhui Tuo
- School of Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China
- The First hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410007, People’s Republic of China
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98
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Li L, Lu Y, Liu Y, Wang D, Duan L, Cheng S, Liu G. Network Pharmacology Analysis of Huangqi Jianzhong Tang Targets in Gastric Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:882147. [PMID: 35462892 PMCID: PMC9024123 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.882147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The Chinese medicine, Huangqi Jianzhong Tang (HJT), is widely used to treat gastric cancer (GC). In this study, network pharmacological methods were used to analyze the potential therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanisms of HJT in GC. Methods: Bioactive components and targets of HJT and GC-related targets were identified using public databases. The protein-protein interaction network of potential targets of HJT in GC was constructed using the Cytoscape plug-in (v3.8.0), CytoHubba. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed, in addition to molecular docking and animal experiments to verify the results of network pharmacology analysis. Results: A total of 538 GC-related targets were identified. The bioactive components of HJT were selected for drug-likeness evaluation and binomial statistical model screening, which revealed 63 bioactive components and 72 targets. Based on GO enrichment analysis, all targets in the protein-protein interaction network were mainly involved in the response to oxidative stress and neuronal death. Further, KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that the treatment of GC with HJT mainly involved the Wnt signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway, thereby providing insights into the mechanism of the effects of HJT on GC. Conclusion: This study revealed the potential bioactive components and molecular mechanisms of HJT, which may be useful for the treatment of GC, and provided insights into the development of new drugs for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Li
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yizhuo Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Institute of Gastrointestinal Oncology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanling Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Dan Wang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Linshan Duan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shuyu Cheng
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Guoyan Liu
- Institute of Gastrointestinal Oncology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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99
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Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking-based strategy to explore the potential mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against sepsis. Comput Biol Med 2022; 144:105389. [PMID: 35303581 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJDD) is a classical herbal formula with potential efficacy in the treatment of sepsis. However, the main components and potential mechanisms of HLJDD remain unclear. This study aims to initially clarify the potential mechanism of HLJDD in the treatment of sepsis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. METHODS The principal components and corresponding protein targets of HLJDD were searched on TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM and ETCM and the compound-target network was constructed by Cytoscape3.8.2. Sepsis targets were searched on OMIM and DisGeNET databases. The intersection of compound target and disease target was obtained and the coincidence target was imported into STRING database to construct a PPI network. We further performed GO and KEGG enrichment analysis on the targets. Finally, molecular docking study was approved for the core target and the active compound. RESULTS There are 257 nodes and 792 edges in the component target network. The compounds with a higher degree value are quercetin, kaempferol, and wogonin. The protein with a higher degree in the PPI network is JUN, RELA, TNF. GO and KEGG analysis showed that HLJDD treatment of sepsis mainly involves positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, negative regulation of apoptosis process, response to hypoxia and other biological processes. The signaling pathways mainly include PI3K-AKT, MAPK, TNF signaling pathway. The molecular docking results showed that quercetin, kaempferol and wogonin have higher affinity with JUN, RELA and TNF. CONCLUSION This study reveals the active ingredients and potential molecular mechanism of HLJDD in the treatment of sepsis, and provides a reference for subsequent basic research.
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100
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Shou X, Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Duan C, Yang Y, Jia Q, Yuan G, Shi J, Shi S, Cui H, Hu Y. Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analysis on Molecular Mechanism of Qingzi Zhitong Decoction in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:727608. [PMID: 35237152 PMCID: PMC8883437 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.727608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease with complex pathological mechanisms. We explored the potential molecular mechanisms behind the therapeutic functions of Qingzi Zhitong decoction (QZZTD) in the treatment of UC by network pharmacology and molecular docking. QZZTD is a formula of Chinese traditional medicine consisting of 10 herbs. The potential active ingredients of QZZTD and their target genes were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform database, and UC-related target genes were obtained from GeneCards and OMIM databases. A total of 138 co-identified target genes were obtained by plotting the intersection target Venn diagram, and then the STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to establish protein-protein interaction networks and herb-ingredient-target networks. Four key active compounds and nine key proteins were identified. Then, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses showed that the biological functions of potential target genes were associated with DNA transcription, signaling receptor and ligand activity, cytokine activity, cellular autophagy, and antioxidant pathways, with related pathways involving the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway, advanced glycosylation end product (AGE)-RAGE signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Moreover, the binding activities of key target genes and essential active compounds of Chinese herbal medicines in QZZTD were further validated by molecular docking. This demonstrated that quercetin, luteolin, hyndarin, and beta-sitosterol had good binding to eight key proteins, and Akt1 was the target protein with the best binding activity, suggesting that Akt1 could be the essential mediator responsible for signaling transduction after QZZTD administration. The rat experiment verified that QZZTD inhibited PI3K-Akt pathway activation and reduced inflammation in UC. In conclusion, our study suggested four potential key active components, including quercetin, were identified in QZZTD, which could interact with Akt1 and modulate the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. The other three pathways may also be involved in the signaling transduction induced by QZZTD in the treatment of UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintian Shou
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xuesong Zhang
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanju Zhang
- National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Yang
- National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenglin Duan
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yihan Yang
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qiulei Jia
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Guozhen Yuan
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjing Shi
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shuqing Shi
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China.,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hanming Cui
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanhui Hu
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing, China
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