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Yu M, Shen Z, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Zhao H, Zhang L. The active components of Erzhi wan and their anti-Alzheimer's disease mechanisms determined by an integrative approach of network pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33761. [PMID: 39027618 PMCID: PMC11255520 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33761] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Erzhi Wan (EZW), a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, has shown promise as a potential therapeutic option for Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet its mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we employed an integrative in-silico approach to investigate the active components and their mechanisms against AD. We screened four active components with blood-brain barrier permeabilities from TCMSP, along with 307 corresponding targets predicted by SwissTargetPrediction, PharmMapper, and TCMbank websites. Then, we retrieved 2260 AD-related targets from Genecards, OMIM, and NCBI databases. Furthermore, we constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the intersected targets via the STRING database and performed the GO and KEGG enrichment analyses using the "clusterProfiler" R package. The results showed that the intersected targets were intimately related to the p53/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, serotonergic synapse, and response to oxygen level. Subsequently, 25 core targets were found differentially expressed in brain regions by bioinformatics analyses of GEO datasets of clinical samples from the Alzdata database. The binding sites and stabilities between the active components and the core targets were investigated by the molecular docking approach using Autodock 4.2.6 software, followed by pocket detection and druggability assessment via the DoGSiteScorer server. The results showed that acacetin, β-sitosterol, and 3-O-acetyldammarenediol-II strongly interacted with the druggable pockets of AR, CASP8, POLB, and PREP. Eventually, the docking results were further cross-referenced with the literature research and validated by 100 ns of molecular dynamics simulations using GROMACS software. Binding free energies were calculated via MM/PBSA strategy combined with interaction entropy. The simulation results indicated stable bindings between four docking pairs including acacetin-AR, acacetin-CASP8, β-sitosterol-POLB, and 3-O-acetyldammarenediol-II-PREP. Overall, our study demonstrated a theoretical basis for how three active components of EZW confer efficacy against AD. It provides a promising reference for subsequent research regarding drug discoveries and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Zhongqi Shen
- Institute of Chinese Medical Literature and Culture, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Shaozhi Zhang
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
| | - Longfei Zhang
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China
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Tang S, Buchman AS, Wang Y, Avey D, Xu J, Tasaki S, Bennett DA, Zheng Q, Yang J. Differential gene expression analysis based on linear mixed model corrects false positive inflation for studying quantitative traits. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16570. [PMID: 37789141 PMCID: PMC10547771 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43686-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis has been widely employed to identify genes expressed differentially with respect to a trait of interest using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data. Recent RNA-Seq data with large samples pose challenges to existing DGE methods, which were mainly developed for dichotomous traits and small sample sizes. Especially, existing DGE methods are likely to result in inflated false positive rates. To address this gap, we employed a linear mixed model (LMM) that has been widely used in genetic association studies for DGE analysis of quantitative traits. We first applied the LMM method to the discovery RNA-Seq data of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tissue (n = 632) with four continuous measures of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) cognitive and neuropathologic traits. The quantile-quantile plots of p-values showed that false positive rates were well calibrated by LMM, whereas other methods not accounting for sample-specific mixed effects led to serious inflation. LMM identified 37 potentially significant genes with differential expression in DLPFC for at least one of the AD traits, 17 of which were replicated in the additional RNA-Seq data of DLPFC, supplemental motor area, spinal cord, and muscle tissues. This application study showed not only well calibrated DGE results by LMM, but also possibly shared gene regulatory mechanisms of AD traits across different relevant tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen Tang
- Department of Human Genetics, Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Aron S Buchman
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Yanling Wang
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Denis Avey
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jishu Xu
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Shinya Tasaki
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Qi Zheng
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, University of Louisville, 485 E. Gray St, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
| | - Jingjing Yang
- Department of Human Genetics, Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Lutshumba J, Wilcock DM, Monson NL, Stowe AM. Sex-based differences in effector cells of the adaptive immune system during Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 184:106202. [PMID: 37330146 PMCID: PMC10481581 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) present with many challenges due to the heterogeneity of the related disease(s), making it difficult to develop effective treatments. Additionally, the progression of ADRD-related pathologies presents differently between men and women. With two-thirds of the population affected with ADRD being women, ADRD has presented itself with a bias toward the female population. However, studies of ADRD generally do not incorporate sex-based differences in investigating the development and progression of the disease, which is detrimental to understanding and treating dementia. Additionally, recent implications for the adaptive immune system in the development of ADRD bring in new factors to be considered as part of the disease, including sex-based differences in immune response(s) during ADRD development. Here, we review the sex-based differences of pathological hallmarks of ADRD presentation and progression, sex-based differences in the adaptive immune system and how it changes with ADRD, and the importance of precision medicine in the development of a more targeted and personalized treatment for this devastating and prevalent neurodegenerative condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Lutshumba
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America
| | - Donna M Wilcock
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America; Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America
| | - Nancy L Monson
- Department of Neurology and Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Ann M Stowe
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America; Center for Advanced Translational Stroke Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States of America.
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Miller KJ, Henry I, Maylin Z, Smith C, Arunachalam E, Pandha H, Asim M. A compendium of Androgen Receptor Variant 7 target genes and their role in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1129140. [PMID: 36937454 PMCID: PMC10014620 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1129140] [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: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent androgen receptor (AR) signalling is the main driver of prostate cancer (PCa). Truncated isoforms of the AR called androgen receptor variants (AR-Vs) lacking the ligand binding domain often emerge during treatment resistance against AR pathway inhibitors such as Enzalutamide. This review discusses how AR-Vs drive a more aggressive form of PCa through the regulation of some of their target genes involved in oncogenic pathways, enabling disease progression. There is a pressing need for the development of a new generation of AR inhibitors which can repress the activity of both the full-length AR and AR-Vs, for which the knowledge of differentially expressed target genes will allow evaluation of inhibition efficacy. This review provides a detailed account of the most common variant, AR-V7, the AR-V7 regulated genes which have been experimentally validated, endeavours to understand their relevance in aggressive AR-V driven PCa and discusses the utility of the downstream protein products as potential drug targets for PCa treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zoe Maylin
- *Correspondence: Zoe Maylin, ; Mohammad Asim,
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Cunliffe G, Lim YT, Chae W, Jung S. Alternative Pharmacological Strategies for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on Neuromodulator Function. Biomedicines 2022; 10:3064. [PMID: 36551821 PMCID: PMC9776382 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, comprising 70% of dementia diagnoses worldwide and affecting 1 in 9 people over the age of 65. However, the majority of its treatments, which predominantly target the cholinergic system, remain insufficient at reversing pathology and act simply to slow the inevitable progression of the disease. The most recent neurotransmitter-targeting drug for AD was approved in 2003, strongly suggesting that targeting neurotransmitter systems alone is unlikely to be sufficient, and that research into alternate treatment avenues is urgently required. Neuromodulators are substances released by neurons which influence neurotransmitter release and signal transmission across synapses. Neuromodulators including neuropeptides, hormones, neurotrophins, ATP and metal ions display altered function in AD, which underlies aberrant neuronal activity and pathology. However, research into how the manipulation of neuromodulators may be useful in the treatment of AD is relatively understudied. Combining neuromodulator targeting with more novel methods of drug delivery, such as the use of multi-targeted directed ligands, combinatorial drugs and encapsulated nanoparticle delivery systems, may help to overcome limitations of conventional treatments. These include difficulty crossing the blood-brain-barrier and the exertion of effects on a single target only. This review aims to highlight the ways in which neuromodulator functions are altered in AD and investigate how future therapies targeting such substances, which act upstream to classical neurotransmitter systems, may be of potential therapeutic benefit in the sustained search for more effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Cunliffe
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Yi Tang Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore
- Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Woori Chae
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyong Jung
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117593, Singapore
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Assessing the Mechanism of Action of “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” in Prostate Cancer Treatment Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:7543619. [PMID: 36330452 PMCID: PMC9626213 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7543619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Objective To explore the mechanism of action of “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” in the treatment of prostate cancer using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods The active ingredients and targets of “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” were obtained by searching the TCMSP and DrugBank databases. These were matched and corrected using the UniProt platform. A drug “active ingredient-target” network map was constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.0. Prostate cancer-related targets were acquired from GeneCards, Disgenet, DrugBank, and other databases. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network between the drug and prostate cancer was constructed with BioGenet; the crossover network of the two targets was extracted derive the key targets of “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” for prostate cancer treatment. We used the Metascape platform for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the key targets. AutoDockTools1.5.6 and PyMOL software were used to perform molecular docking. Results We obtained 13 active ingredients, 221 drug targets, 1511 prostate cancer targets (including 221 key targets), and 305 KEGG pathways from “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen.” Paclitaxel, quercetin, kaempferol, TP53, β-sitosterol, EGFR, and ESR1 in “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” showed good docking activity. Conclusion “Fructus Ligustri Lucidi-Cuscutae Semen” is a valuable clinical guide for the treatment of prostate cancer with multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway characteristics.
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Deng C, Chen H, Meng Z, Meng S. Roles of traditional chinese medicine regulating neuroendocrinology on AD treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:955618. [PMID: 36213283 PMCID: PMC9533021 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.955618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing in recent years. Studies have shown that in addition to some genetic abnormalities, the majority of AD patients has a history of long-term exposure to risk factors. Neuroendocrine related risk factors have been proved to be strongly associated with AD. Long-term hormone disorder can have a direct detrimental effect on the brain by producing an AD-like pathology and result in cognitive decline by impairing neuronal metabolism, plasticity and survival. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) may regulate the complex process of endocrine disorders, and improve metabolic abnormalities, as well as the resulting neuroinflammation and oxidative damage through a variety of pathways. TCM has unique therapeutic advantages in treating early intervention of AD-related neuroendocrine disorders and preventing cognitive decline. This paper reviewed the relationship between neuroendocrine and AD as well as the related TCM treatment and its mechanism. The advantages of TCM intervention on endocrine disorders and some pending problems was also discussed, and new insights for TCM treatment of dementia in the future was provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujun Deng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Huize Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyu Meng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Shengxi Meng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
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