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Liu X, Zhang S, Wang D, Lv K, Wang Y, Peng L. The expression and clinical significance of ARHGAP25 in osteosarcoma based on bioinformatics analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18720. [PMID: 39134572 PMCID: PMC11319463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68318-6] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
ARHGAP25, a member of the ARHGAP family, encodes a negative regulator of Rho-GTPase that is important for actin remodeling, cell polarity, and cell migration. ARHGAP25 is down-regulated in a variety of solid tumors and promotes cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. However, nothing is understood about ARHGAP25's biological function in osteosarcoma. This work used qPCR and WB to confirm the expression of ARHGAP25 in osteosarcoma following the initial analysis of its expression in pan-cancer. For GO and KEGG analysis, we have chosen 300 genes from the TARGET osteosarcoma data that had the strongest positive correlation with ARHGAP25, and we created nomogram and calibration charts. We simultaneously overexpressed ARHGAP25 in osteosarcoma cells to examine its impact on apoptosis and proliferation. By using MSP, we determined their methylation status in osteosarcoma cells and normal bone cells. We observed that ARHGAP25 was significantly downregulated in a range of malignancies, including osteosarcoma, and was associated with poor patient outcomes. The decrease of ARHGAP25 expression in osteosarcoma is related to DNA methylation. Overexpression of ARHGAP25 induced apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells in vitro. In addition, ARHGAP25 is also associated with immune-related pathways in osteosarcoma. These findings suggest that ARHGAP25 is a valuable prognostic biomarker in osteosarcoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital Trauma Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital Trauma Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Dong Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital Trauma Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Kaili Lv
- Second Affiliated Hospital Gynecology Department, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yonggui Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital Trauma Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China.
| | - Lei Peng
- First Affiliated Hospital Trauma Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China.
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2
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Liu W, Xia K, Zheng D, Huang X, Wei Z, Wei Z, Guo W. Construction of a prognostic risk score model based on the ARHGAP family to predict the survival of osteosarcoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1179. [PMID: 38041020 PMCID: PMC10693137 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11673-w] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignancy of bone tumors. More and more ARHGAP family genes have been confirmed are to the occurrence, development, and invasion of tumors. However, its significance in osteosarcoma remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between ARHGAP family genes and prognosis in patients with OS. METHODS OS samples were retrieved from the TCGA and GEO databases. We then performed LASSO regression analysis and multivariate COX regression analysis to select ARHGAP family genes to construct a risk prognosis model. We then validated this prognostic model. We utilized ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms to calculate the stroma and immune scores of samples, as well as the proportions of tumor infiltrating immune cells (TICs). Finally, we conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments to investigate the effect of ARHGAP28 on osteosarcoma. RESULTS We selected five genes to construct a risk prognosis model. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups and the survival time of the high-risk group was lower than that of the low-risk group. The high-risk group in the prognosis model constructed had relatively poor immune function. GSEA and ssGSEA showed that the low-risk group had abundant immune pathway infiltration. The overexpression of ARHGAP28 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells and tumor growth in mice, and IHC showed that overexpression of ARHGAP28 could inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. CONCLUSION We constructed a risk prognostic model based on five ARHGAP family genes, which can predict the overall survival of patients with osteosarcoma, to better assist us in clinical decision-making and individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenda Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Kezhou Xia
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Di Zheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Xinghan Huang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Zhun Wei
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Zicheng Wei
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province
| | - Weichun Guo
- Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China, Hubei Province.
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Kapoor S, Padwad YS. Phloretin induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis by suppressing the β-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal carcinoma cells. Apoptosis 2023; 28:810-829. [PMID: 36884140 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-023-01826-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer, causing a significant mortality worldwide. Present available therapies are surgery, chemotherapy including radiotherapy, and these are known to be associated with heavy side effects. Therefore, nutritional intervention in the form of natural polyphenols has been well recognised to prevent CRC. Phloretin, a known dihydrochalcone is present in apple, pear and strawberry. This has been proven to induce apoptosis in cancer cells and also exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, thus can be explored as a potential anticancer nutraceutical agent. This study demonstrated phloretin's significant in vitro anticancer activity against CRC. Phloretin suppressed cell proliferation, colony forming ability and cellular migration in human colorectal cancer HCT-116 and SW-480 cells. Results also revealed that phloretin generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) which provoked depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and further contributed to cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells. Phloretin also modulated the cell cycle regulators including cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and halted cell cycle at G2/M phase. Moreover, it also induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bax and BCl-2. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is inactivated by phloretin by targeting the downstream oncogenes namely CyclinD1, c-Myc and Survivin which are involved in the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells. In our study we showed that lithium chloride (LiCl) induced the expression of β-catenin and its target genes and the co-treatment of phloretin circumvent its effect and downregulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, our results strongly suggested that phloretin can be utilized as a nutraceutical anticancer agent for combating CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Kapoor
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Lab, Dietetics & Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Himachal Pradesh, Palampur, 176 061, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Yogendra S Padwad
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Lab, Dietetics & Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Himachal Pradesh, Palampur, 176 061, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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Chen JF, Wu SW, Shi ZM, Hu B. Traditional Chinese medicine for colorectal cancer treatment: potential targets and mechanisms of action. Chin Med 2023; 18:14. [PMID: 36782251 PMCID: PMC9923939 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00719-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease with complex pathogenesis, it is prone to metastasis, and its development involves abnormalities in multiple signaling pathways. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, target therapy, and immunotherapy remain the main treatments for CRC, but improvement in the overall survival rate and quality of life is urgently needed. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of preventing and treating CRC. It could affect CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, invasion, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance by regulating multiple signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, epidermal growth factor receptors, p53, TGF-β, mTOR, Hedgehog, and immunomodulatory signaling pathways. In this paper, the main signaling pathways and potential targets of TCM and its active ingredients in the treatment of CRC were systematically summarized, providing a theoretical basis for treating CRC with TCM and new ideas for further exploring the pathogenesis of CRC and developing new anti-CRC drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Fang Chen
- grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China ,grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shi-Wei Wu
- grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China ,grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zi-Man Shi
- grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China ,grid.412540.60000 0001 2372 7462Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Hu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200032, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Wisniewski É, Czárán D, Kovács F, Bahurek E, Németh A, Sasvári P, Szanda G, Pettkó-Szandtner A, Klement E, Ligeti E, Csépányi-Kömi R. A novel BRET-Based GAP assay reveals phosphorylation-dependent regulation of the RAC-specific GTPase activating protein ARHGAP25. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22584. [PMID: 36190314 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200689r] [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: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
ARHGAP25, a RAC-specific GTPase activating protein (GAP), is an essential regulator of phagocyte effector functions such as phagocytosis, superoxide production, and transendothelial migration. Furthermore, its complex role in tumor behavior has recently been recognized. We previously demonstrated that phosphorylation of serine 363 in ARHGAP25 regulates hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells in mouse bone marrow. However, the significance of other potential phosphorylation sites of ARHGAP25 remained unknown. Now, we developed a novel, real-time bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assay to monitor the GAP activity of ARHGAP25 in vitro. Using this approach, we revealed that phosphorylation of S363 and S488, but not that of S379-380, controls ARHGAP25's RACGAP activity. On the other hand, we found in granulocyte-differentiated human PLB-985 cells that superoxide production and actin depolymerization are regulated by residues S363 and S379-380. The present data demonstrate the value of our BRET-GAP assay and show that different phosphorylation patterns regulate ARHGAP25's GAP activity and its effect on superoxide production and phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva Wisniewski
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Domonkos Czárán
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Kovács
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Bahurek
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Afrodité Németh
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Sasvári
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergő Szanda
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Eva Klement
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Single Cell Omics ACF, Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Erzsébet Ligeti
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Alba J, Barcia R, Gutiérrez-Berzal J, Ramos-Martínez JI. Could inhibition of metalloproteinases be used to block the process of metastasis? Cell Biochem Funct 2022; 40:600-607. [PMID: 35789101 PMCID: PMC9544369 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is a multisequential process that allows tumor cells to migrate to tissues distant from the primary tumor. Only a small number of cells escape from the primary tumor; however, the metastases generated are responsible for more than 90% of cancer deaths. Many metastatic processes initially require the total or partial start‐up of a program for the transformation of tumor epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells (EMT). The launching of the EMT program is stimulated by cytokines and other elements produced by the diverse types of cells composing the tumor stroma. In parallel, a process of destabilization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) takes place by means of the synthesis of proteases of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) family. EMC degradation allows the exportation of some tumor cells as mesenchymal cells to the circulatory system and their subsequent implantation in a tissue distant from the primary tumor. The blocking of these both processes appears as a hypothetical stop point in the metastatic mechanism. The present review deals with the different options to achieve the inhibition of MMPs, focusing on MMP7 as a target given its involvement in the metastatic processes of a wide variety of tumors. The simultaneous implantation of the epithelial–mesenchymal program and the synthesis and activation of matrix metalloproteinases during the first phases of the metastasis process is known. The inhibition of proteases could constitute a possible blockage of the process. The review describes the evolution of the different inhibition mechanisms that could inform applicable therapeutic mechanisms for the paralysis of the metastatic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Alba
- Histobiomol, Hospital POLUSA, Lugo, Spain
| | - Ramiro Barcia
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | | | - Juan I Ramos-Martínez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
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Fixing the GAP: the role of RhoGAPs in cancer. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151209. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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Ding FP, Tian JY, Wu J, Han DF, Zhao D. Identification of key genes as predictive biomarkers for osteosarcoma metastasis using translational bioinformatics. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:640. [PMID: 34856991 PMCID: PMC8638136 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Osteosarcoma (OS) metastasis is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality, however, no sufficient clinical biomarkers have been identified. In this study, we identified five genes to help predict metastasis at diagnosis. Methods We performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the most relevant gene modules associated with OS metastasis. An important machine learning algorithm, the support vector machine (SVM), was employed to predict key genes for classifying the OS metastasis phenotype. Finally, we investigated the clinical significance of key genes and their enriched pathways. Results Eighteen modules were identified in WGCNA, among which the pink, red, brown, blue, and turquoise modules demonstrated good preservation. In the five modules, the brown and red modules were highly correlated with OS metastasis. Genes in the two modules closely interacted in protein–protein interaction networks and were therefore chosen for further analysis. Genes in the two modules were primarily enriched in the biological processes associated with tumorigenesis and development. Furthermore, 65 differentially expressed genes were identified as common hub genes in both WGCNA and protein–protein interaction networks. SVM classifiers with the maximum area under the curve were based on 30 and 15 genes in the brown and red modules, respectively. The clinical significance of the 45 hub genes was analyzed. Of the 45 genes, 17 were found to be significantly correlated with survival time. Finally, 5/17 genes, including ADAP2 (P = 0.0094), LCP2 (P = 0.013), ARHGAP25 (P = 0.0049), CD53 (P = 0.016), and TLR7 (P = 0.04) were significantly correlated with the metastatic phenotype. In vitro verification, western blotting, wound healing analyses, transwell invasion assays, proliferation assays, and colony formation assays indicated that ARHGAP25 promoted OS cell migration, invasion, proliferation, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Conclusion We identified five genes, namely ADAP2, LCP2, ARHGAP25, CD53, and TLR7, as candidate biomarkers for the prediction of OS metastasis; ARHGAP25 inhibits MG63 OS cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro, indicating that ARHGAP25 can serve as a promising specific and prognostic biomarker for OS metastasis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02308-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Peng Ding
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jia-Yi Tian
- Department of Reproductive Medicine and Center for Prenatal Diagnosis, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of General Practice, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China
| | - Dong-Feng Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Ding Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Chang J, Xavier HW, Chen D, Liu Y, Li H, Bian Z. Potential Role of Traditional Chinese Medicines by Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Compared With Targeted Small Molecules in Colorectal Cancer Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:690501. [PMID: 34381360 PMCID: PMC8350388 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.690501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) has become a global public health problem because of its high incidence and mortality rate worldwide. The previous clinical treatment for CRC mainly involves conventional surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. With the development of tumor molecular targeted therapy, small molecule inhibitors present a great advantage in improving the survival of patients with advanced CRC. However, various side effects and drug resistance induced by chemotherapy are still the major obstacles to improve the clinical benefit. Thus, it is crucial to find new and alternative drugs for CRC treatment. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been proved to have low toxicity and multi-target characteristics. In the last few decades, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that TCMs exhibit strong anticancer effects in both experimental and clinical models and may serve as alternative chemotherapy agents for CRC treatment. Notably, Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a vital role in the initiation and progression of CRC by modulating the stability of β-catenin in the cytoplasm. Targeting Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a novel direction for developing therapies for CRC. In this review, we outlined the anti-tumor effects of small molecular inhibitors on CRC through Wnt/β-catenin pathway. More importantly, we focused on the potential role of TCMs against tumors by targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling at different stages of CRC, including precancerous lesions, early stage of CRC and advanced CRC. Furthermore, we also discussed perspectives to develop potential new drugs from TCMs via Wnt/β-catenin pathway for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinrong Chang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Dongfeng Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yamei Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Bian
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
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Chen Y, Chu F, Lin J, Su Z, Liao M, Li T, Li Y, Johnson N, Zheng H, Ding X. The mechanisms of action of WeiChang'An Pill (WCAP) treat diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) using network pharmacology approach and in vivo studies. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 275:114119. [PMID: 33862102 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE WeiChang'An Pill (WCAP) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to clinically treat diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D); however, the underlying pharmacological mechanisms are unclear to date. AIM OF THE STUDY To explore the mechanism underlying the therapeutic action of WCAP in IBS-D using a network pharmacology approach and in vivo experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS The active compounds of WCAP were selected from the TCM Systems Pharmacology Database and TCM Integrated Database, and the potential targets were identified using the Swiss Target Prediction and Similarity Ensemble Approach (SEA) databases. The targets related to IBS-D were mined from the Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), National Center for Biotechnology Information Search database (NCBI), DrugBank database, and DisGeNET database. The intersecting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of the drug-disease crossover genes were analysed, and the central PPI network was constructed using the String database, version 11.0, and Cytoscape version 3.7.2. Following Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses, the gene-pathway network was constructed for identifying the key target genes and pathways. Based on the results and existing evidence, it was selected the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signalling pathway for further validation using in vivo experiments. RESULTS A total of 872 targets were identified from the 77 active compounds in WCAP, which shared 78 targets that were predicted to be related to IBS-D. Twenty-one core targets were identified from the PPI network, which was constructed from the common targets. The results of enrichment analysis revealed that HRT2B, ADRA1A, ADRA1D, and CHRM2 could be the key targets of WCAP in IBS-D, and 11 signalling pathways, including the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, calcium signalling, and cAMP signalling pathways, were identified as crucial for the therapeutic activity of WCAP in IBS-D. We also identified the possibility of several interactions and crosstalk between the different pathways. Subsequent molecular biology experiments revealed that the expression levels of cAMP, phospho-(Ser/Thr) protein kinase A substrates (p-PKA), 5-hydroxytryptamine, and proteins in the cAMP signalling pathway, including G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), adenylyl cyclase 5 (AC5), and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), were significantly upregulated in rat models of IBS-D following treatment with WCAP (P < 0.05). However, a reverse trend was observed in the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) (P < 0.05), which could be attributed to the low-grade inflammation that occurs in IBS-D. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that WCAP may alleviate the symptoms of diarrhoea and visceral sensitivity in IBS-D by regulating the cAMP signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Fuhao Chu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Institute of Regulatory Science for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Jie Lin
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Zeqi Su
- Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Mengting Liao
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Tao Li
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Yuan Li
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Nadia Johnson
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Haocheng Zheng
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Xia Ding
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
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