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Zhang ZY, You LY, Liu YF, Zhang SJ, Ruan YP, Zhang X, Hu LL. Mechanism of action of the Banxia-Xiakucao herb pair in sleep deprivation: New comprehensive evidence from network pharmacology, transcriptomics and molecular biology experiments. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 334:118534. [PMID: 38986753 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118534] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Chinese herb pairs are the most basic and compressed examples of Chinese herbal combinations and can be used to effectively explain the fundamental concepts of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. These pairings have gained significant interest due to their subtle therapeutic benefits, minimal side effects, and efficacy in treating complicated chronic conditions. The Banxia-Xiakucao Chinese herb pair (BXHP) consists of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit. (Banxia) and Prunella vulgaris L. (Xiakucao). This formula was documented in The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor approximately 2000 years ago,and clinical research has demonstrated that BXHP effectively treats insomnia. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and therapeutic mechanism of the BXHP through a comprehensive strategy involving network pharmacology, molecular docking, transcriptomics, and molecular biology experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The composition of BXHP was characterized using the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The active compounds were screened to find drug-likeness compounds by analyzing the ADME data. To predict the molecular mechanism of BXHP in sleep deprivation (SD) by network pharmacology and molecular docking. We established a rat model of SD and the in vivo efficacy of BXHP was verified through the pentobarbital sodium righting reflex test, behavioral assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, transmission electron microscopy, HE staining, and Nissl staining, and the underlying molecular mechanism of BXHP in SD was revealed through transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses in conjunction with quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS In the present study, we showed for the first time that BXHP reduced sleep latency, prolongs sleep duration, and improves anxiety; lowered serum CORT, IL6, TNF-α and MDA levels; decreased hypothalamic Glu levels; and elevated hypothalamic GABA and 5-HT levels in SD rats. We found 16 active compounds that acted on 583 targets, 145 of which are related to SD. By modularly dissecting the PPI network, we discovered three critical targets, Akt1, CREB1, and PRKACA, all of which play important roles in the effects of BXHP on SD. Molecular docking resulted in the identification of 16 active compounds that strongly bind to key targets. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of network pharmacology and transcriptomics focused on both the regulation of circadian rhythm and the cAMP signaling pathway, which strongly demonstrated that BXHP affects SD via the cAMP-PKA-CREB-Circadian rhythm pathway. Molecular biology experiments verified this hypothesis. Following BXHP administration, PKA and CREB phosphorylation levels were elevated in SD rats, the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway was activated, the expression levels of the biological clock genes CLOCK, p-BMAL1/BMAL1, and PER3 were increased, and the rhythmicity of the biological clock was improved. CONCLUSIONS The active compounds in BXHP can activate the cAMP-PKA-CREB-Circadian rhythm pathway, improve the rhythmicity of the biological clock, promote sleep and ameliorate anxiety, which suggests that BXHP improves SD through a multicomponent, multitarget, multipathway mechanism. This study is important for the development of herbal medicines and clinical therapies for improving sleep deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Yu Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Li-Yan You
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Yu-Fei Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Si-Jia Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Ye-Ping Ruan
- Chinese Medicine Plant Essential Oil Zhejiang Engineering Research Center, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China; Chinese Medicine Plant Essential Oil Zhejiang Engineering Research Center, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Lin-Lin Hu
- Sleep Medicine Center, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310007, China.
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Xiang Z, Guan H, Zhao X, Xie Q, Hu X, Liu W, Sun X, Zhang S, Li M, Wang C. Characterization of active alkaloids and metabolites in rats after oral administration of Zuojin Pill using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with bioinformatics and molecular docking analyses. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 249:116340. [PMID: 38986349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116340] [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: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Zuojin Pill (ZJP), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription composed of Rhizoma Coptidis and Euodiae Fructus in the ratio of 6:1 (w/w), has been widely used for the treatment of gastric disorders. However, an in-depth understanding of in vivo metabolism and distribution profiles of protoberberine alkaloids (PBAs) and indole alkaloids (IDAs) in ZJP is lacking. In this study, a method using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was developed to systematically screen the alkaloids and their metabolites in rat plasma and various tissues after oral administration of ZJP. Furthermore, bioinformatics and molecular docking analyses were conducted to elucidate the contribution of the alkaloids and metabolites enriched in the stomach to the therapeutic effect of ZJP on gastritis. A total of 33 compounds, including 7 prototype alkaloids and 26 metabolites, were chemically defined or tentatively identified in this work. The metabolic pathways of PBAs (hydroxylation, oxidation, reduction, demethylation, demethylenation, glucuronide conjugation, sulfate conjugation) and IDAs (hydroxylation, glucuronide conjugation) were revealed. Notably, 7 prototype alkaloids and 18 metabolites were detected in the stomach, indicating their propensity for gastric distribution. These alkaloids and metabolites showed strong affinities with the 7 hub targets associated with gastritis, such as CCR7, CXCR4, IL6, IFNG, CCL2, TNF, and PTPRC, and could be considered the potential active substances of ZJP for treating gastritis. In conclusion, this study clarified the gastric distribution propensity of PBAs and IDAs and their metabolites, as well as their favorable binding interactions with gastritis-related targets, which could provide essential data for the further study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and gastroprotective mechanism of ZJP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zedong Xiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Huida Guan
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Qi Xie
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Xianrun Hu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Wenkang Liu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Xin Sun
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Sitong Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China
| | - Manlin Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China.
| | - Changhong Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The MOE Laboratory of Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, 1200 Cailun Road, 201203, China.
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Lv J, Shi S, Fu Z, Wang Y, Duan C, Hu S, Wu H, Zhang B, Li Y, Song Q. Exploring the inflammation-related mechanisms of Lingguizhugan decoction on right ventricular remodeling secondary to pulmonary arterial hypertension based on integrated strategy using UPLC-HRMS, systems biology approach, and experimental validation. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 132:155879. [PMID: 39032277 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155879] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and the consequent right heart dysfunction persist with high morbidity and mortality, and the mechanisms and pharmacologic interventions for chronic right-sided heart failure (RHF) have not been adequately investigated. Research has shown that prolonged inflammation is critical in precipitating the progression of PAH-associated right heart pathology. Some research demonstrated that Lingguizhugan decoction (LGZGD), as a classical Chinese medicine formula, had beneficial effects in alleviating PAH and RHF, while its underlying mechanisms involved are not fully elucidated. PURPOSE Based on that, this study aims to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of LGZGD on PAH-induced RHF. STUDY DESIGN In this study, we identified the serum constituents and deciphered the potential anti-inflammatory mechanism and crucial components of LGZGD using combined approaches of UPLC-HRMS, transcriptomic analysis, and molecular docking techniques. Finally, we used in vivo experiments to verify the expression of key targets in the monocrotaline (MCT)-induced RHF model and the intervene effect of LGZGD. RESULTS Integrated strategies based on UPLC-HRMS and systems biology approach combined with in vivo experimental validation showed that LGZGD could improve right heart fibrosis and dysfunction via regulating diverse inflammatory signaling pathways and the activity of immune cells, including chemokine family CCL2, CXCR4, leukocyte integrins family ITGAL, ITGB2, and M2 macrophage infiltration, as well as lipid peroxidation-associated HMOX1, NOX4, and 4-HNE. CONCLUSION The present research demonstrated for the first time that LGZGD might improve PAH-induced RHF through multiple anti-inflammatory signaling and inhibition of ferroptosis, which could provide certain directions for future research in related fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Lv
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuqing Shi
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyue Fu
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yajiao Wang
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenglin Duan
- Department of Cardiology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shaowei Hu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Huaqin Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bingxuan Zhang
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yumeng Li
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Qingqiao Song
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Cheng KW, Shi J, Huang C, Tan HY, Ning Z, Lyu C, Xu Y, Mok HL, Zhai L, Xiang L, Qin H, Lin C, Zhu L, Bian Z. Integrated metabolomics and serum-feces pharmacochemistry-based network pharmacology to reveal the mechanisms of an herbal prescription against ulcerative colitis. Comput Biol Med 2024; 178:108775. [PMID: 38941901 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108775] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CDD-2103 is an herbal prescription used to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to uncover its mechanism by integrating metabolomics and serum-feces pharmacochemistry-based network pharmacology. METHODS A DSS-induced chronic colitis mice model was used to evaluate the anti-colitis effect of CDD-2103. Serum and feces metabolomics were conducted to identify differential metabolites and pathways. In the serum-feces pharmacochemistry study, biological samples were collected from rats treated with CDD-2103. Then, network pharmacology was utilized to predict the targets of the identified compounds. Critical genes were extracted through the above-integrated analysis. The interactions between targets, CDD-2103, and its compounds were validated through molecular docking, immunoblotting, and enzyme activity assays. RESULTS CDD-2103 alleviated ulcerous symptoms and colonic injuries in colitis mice. Metabolomics study identified differential metabolites associated with tryptophan, glycerophospholipid, and linoleic acid metabolisms. The serum-feces pharmacochemistry study revealed twenty-three compounds, which were subjected to network pharmacology analysis. Integration of these results identified three key targets (AHR, PLA2, and PTGS2). Molecular docking showed strong affinities between the compounds and targets. PTGS2 was identified as a hub gene targeted by most CDD-2103 compounds. Immunoblotting and enzyme activity assays provided further evidence that CDD-2103 alleviates UC, potentially through its inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, encoded by PTGS2), with alkaloids and curcuminoids speculated as crucial anti-inflammatory compounds. CONCLUSION This integrated strategy reveals the mechanism of CDD-2103 and provides insights for developing herbal medicine-based therapies for UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Wing Cheng
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jingchun Shi
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chunhua Huang
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hor Yue Tan
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ziwan Ning
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cheng Lyu
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yiqi Xu
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Heung Lam Mok
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lixiang Zhai
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Li Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hongyan Qin
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Pharmacy, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chengyuan Lin
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Zhaoxiang Bian
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Wu T, Zhang H, Jin Y, Zhang M, Zhao Q, Li H, Wang S, Lu Y, Chen S, Du H, Liu T, Guo W, Liu W. The active components and potential mechanisms of Wuji Wan in the treatment of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer: An integrated metabolomics, network pharmacology and experimental validation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 326:117901. [PMID: 38341112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117901] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Wuji Wan (WJW) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that can be found in the "Prescriptions of Taiping Benevolent Dispensary" that has been employed in treating gastric discomfort, burning epigastric pain, and gastric reflux for hundreds of years and has shown promise for treating gastric ulcers (GUs). However, the active components and mechanism of action against GUs remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to explore the active components of WJW and elucidate the underlying mechanism involved in treating GUs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Initially, cell viability was measured by a cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay to evaluate the efficacy of WJW-containing serum in vitro. The gastric ulcer index, ulcer inhibition rate, hematoxylin and staining (H&E), and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of WJW in vivo. Subsequently, the levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress factors were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) on in vitro and in vivo samples. Additionally, UPLC-Q Exactive Plus Orbitrap HRMS was used to analyze the components that were absorbed into the blood of WJW and its metabolites. Network pharmacology and metabolomics were subsequently used to identify the targets and pathways. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT‒qPCR) and Western blotting were used to verify the mRNA and protein levels of the key targets and pathways. Finally, the active components were identified by molecular docking to verify the binding stability of the components and key targets. RESULTS WJW-containing serum ameliorated ethanol-induced damage in GES-1 cells and promoted cell healing. WJW-containing serum reduced IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, and LDH levels while increasing IL-10, SOD, and T-AOC levels in the cells. Moreover, WJW treatment resulted in decreased IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA levels and increased IL-10, SOD, PGE2, and NO levels in GUs rats. In addition, eight components of WJW were absorbed into the blood. The network pharmacology results revealed 192 common targets for blood entry components and GUs, and KEGG analysis revealed that apoptosis signaling pathways were the main pathways involved in WJW activity against GUs. Metabolomic screening was used to identify 13 differential metabolites. There were 23 common targets for blood entry components, GUs, and differential metabolites, with the key targets TNF (TNF-α), AKT1, PTGS2 (COX2) and MAPK1. WJW significantly inhibited the expression of Bax, Caspase-9, Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, cleaved Caspase-3, TNF-α, COX2, and p-p44/42 MAPK while promoting the expression of Bcl-2 and p-AKT1. Molecular docking revealed that the active components of WJW for the treatment of GUs are berberine, palmatine, coptisine, evodiamine, rutaecarpine, evocarpine, and paeoniflorin. CONCLUSIONS WJW treatment reduces inflammation and oxidative stress injury and inhibits apoptosis signaling pathways. The main active components are berberine, palmatine, coptisine, evodiamine, rutaecarpine, evocarpine, and paeoniflorin. In this paper, we provide a new strategy for exploring the active components of traditional Chinese medicine formulas for the treatment of diseases based on target mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantai Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Yang Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China; State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China; Natural Products Research Center of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550014, China
| | - Qing Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Herong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Shouli Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Shuaishuai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Huakang Du
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Ting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Weiyu Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Wen Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China; School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China.
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Ma S, Guo X, Han R, Meng Q, Zhang Y, Quan W, Miao S, Yang Z, Shi X, Wang S. Elucidation of the mechanism of action of ailanthone in the treatment of colorectal cancer: integration of network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1355644. [PMID: 38384287 PMCID: PMC10880095 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1355644] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Ailanthone, a small compound derived from the bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, has several anti-tumour properties. However, the activity and mechanism of ailanthone in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain to be investigated. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the mechanism of ailanthone in the treatment of CRC by employing a combination of network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and molecular biological technique. Methods: The druggability of ailanthone was examined, and its targets were identified using relevant databases. The RNA sequencing data of individuals with CRC obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed. Utilizing the R programming language, an in-depth investigation of differentially expressed genes was carried out, and the potential target of ailanthone for anti-CRC was found. Through the integration of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment studies to search for the key pathway of the action of Ailanthone. Then, by employing molecular docking verification, flow cytometry, Transwell assays, and Immunofluorescence to corroborate these discoveries. Results: Data regarding pharmacokinetic parameters and 137 target genes for ailanthone were obtained. Leveraging The Cancer Genome Atlas database, information regarding 2,551 differentially expressed genes was extracted. Subsequent analyses, encompassing protein-protein interaction network analysis, survival analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and molecular docking verification, revealed the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as pivotal mediators of ailanthone against CRC. Additionally, the in vitro experiments indicated that ailanthone substantially affects the cell cycle, induces apoptosis in CRC cells (HCT116 and SW620 cells), and impedes the migration and invasion capabilities of these cells. Immunofluorescence staining showed that ailanthone significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT protein and suppressed the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells. Conclusion: Therefore, our findings indicate that Ailanthone exerts anti-CRC effects primarily by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Additionally, we propose that Ailanthone holds potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of human CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanbo Ma
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaodi Guo
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruisi Han
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qian Meng
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Quan
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Miao
- Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaopeng Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Siwang Wang
- The College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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