1
|
Koumprentziotis IA, Theocharopoulos C, Foteinou D, Angeli E, Anastasopoulou A, Gogas H, Ziogas DC. New Emerging Targets in Cancer Immunotherapy: The Role of B7-H3. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:54. [PMID: 38250867 PMCID: PMC10820813 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010054] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints (ICs) are molecules implicated in the fine-tuning of immune response via co-inhibitory or co-stimulatory signals, and serve to secure minimized host damage. Targeting ICs with various therapeutic modalities, including checkpoint inhibitors/monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and CAR-T cells has produced remarkable results, especially in immunogenic tumors, setting a paradigm shift in cancer therapeutics through the incorporation of these IC-targeted treatments. However, the large proportion of subjects who experience primary or secondary resistance to available IC-targeted options necessitates further advancements that render immunotherapy beneficial for a larger patient pool with longer duration of response. B7-H3 (B7 Homolog 3 Protein, CD276) is a member of the B7 family of IC proteins that exerts pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects both in physiologic and pathologic contexts. Mounting evidence has demonstrated an aberrant expression of B7-H3 in various solid malignancies, including tumors less sensitive to current immunotherapeutic options, and has associated its expression with advanced disease, worse patient survival and impaired response to IC-based regimens. Anti-B7-H3 agents, including novel mAbs, bispecific antibodies, ADCs, CAR-T cells, and radioimmunotherapy agents, have exhibited encouraging antitumor activity in preclinical models and have recently entered clinical testing for several cancer types. In the present review, we concisely present the functional implications of B7-H3 and discuss the latest evidence regarding its prognostic significance and therapeutic potential in solid malignancies, with emphasis on anti-B7-H3 modalities that are currently evaluated in clinical trial settings. Better understanding of B7-H3 intricate interactions in the tumor microenvironment will expand the oncological utility of anti-B7-H3 agents and further shape their role in cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
|
2
|
Fabrizio FP, Muscarella LA, Rossi A. B7-H3/CD276 and small-cell lung cancer: What's new? Transl Oncol 2024; 39:101801. [PMID: 37865049 PMCID: PMC10728701 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101801] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy revolutionized the treatment landscape of several cancers, including small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), with a huge number of practice-changing trials, and becoming a new frontier for their management. The addition of an anti-PD-L1, atezolizumab or durvalumab, to platinum/etoposide regimen became the standard of care for first-line therapy of extensive-stage (ES)-SCLC with the 12 months median survival exceeded for the first time. Nevertheless, most patients show primary or acquired resistance to anti-PD-L1 therefore new promising therapeutic immune-targets are under clinical investigation in several solid tumors. Among these, B7-H3, also known as CD276, is a member of the B7 family overexpressed in tumor tissues, including SCLC, while showing limited expression in normal tissues becoming an attractive and promising target for cancer immunotherapy. B7-H3 plays a dual role in the immune system during the T-cell activation, acting as a T-cell costimulatory/coinhibitory immunoregulatory protein, and promoting pro-tumorigenic functions such as tumor migration, invasion, metastases, resistance, and metabolism. Immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence were the most used methods to assess B7-H3 expression levels and validate a possible relationship between B7-H3 staining patterns and clinicopathological features in lung cancer patients. To date, there are no clinically available therapeutics/drugs targeting B7-H3 in any solid tumors. The most promising preliminary clinical results have been reported by DS7300a and HS-20093, both are antibody-drug conjugates, that are under investigation in ongoing trials for the treatment of pretreated SCLC. This review will provide an overview of B7-H3 and corresponding inhibitors and the clinical development in the management of SCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Pio Fabrizio
- Laboratory of Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
| | - Lucia Anna Muscarella
- Laboratory of Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Oncology Centre of Excellence, Therapeutic Science & Strategy Unit, IQVIA, Milan 20019, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yamada Y, Venkadakrishnan VB, Mizuno K, Bakht M, Ku SY, Garcia MM, Beltran H. Targeting DNA methylation and B7-H3 in RB1-deficient and neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadf6732. [PMID: 37967200 PMCID: PMC10954288 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adf6732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant DNA methylation has been implicated as a key driver of prostate cancer lineage plasticity and histologic transformation to neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are highly expressed, and global DNA methylation is dysregulated in NEPC. We identified that deletion of DNMT genes decreases expression of neuroendocrine lineage markers and substantially reduced NEPC tumor development and metastasis in vivo. Decitabine, a pan-DNMT inhibitor, attenuated tumor growth in NEPC patient-derived xenograft models, as well as retinoblastoma gene (RB1)-deficient castration-resistant prostate adenocarcinoma (CRPC) models compared with RB1-proficient CRPC. We further found that DNMT inhibition increased expression of B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3), an emerging druggable target, via demethylation of B7-H3. We tested DS-7300a (i-DXd), an antibody-drug conjugate targeting B7-H3, alone and in combination with decitabine in models of advanced prostate cancer. There was potent single-agent antitumor activity of DS-7300a in both CRPC and NEPC bearing high expression of B7-H3. In B7-H3-low models, combination therapy of decitabine plus DS-7300a resulted in enhanced response. DNMT inhibition may therefore be a promising therapeutic target for NEPC and RB1-deficient CRPC and may sensitize B7-H3-low prostate cancer to DS-7300a through increasing target expression. NEPC and RB1-deficient CRPC represent prostate cancer subgroups with poor prognosis, and the development of biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies for these populations may ultimately help improve patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasutaka Yamada
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Varadha Balaji Venkadakrishnan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kei Mizuno
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Martin Bakht
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sheng-Yu Ku
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Maria Mica Garcia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Himisha Beltran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fan X, Huang J, Hu B, Zhou J, Chen L. Tumor-expressed B7-H3 promotes vasculogenic mimicry formation rather than angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023:10.1007/s00432-023-04790-3. [PMID: 37129607 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04790-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), an alternative microvascular circulation independent of angiogenesis, is formed by aggressive cancer cells. Tumor-expressed B7-H3 has been reported to promote VM formation in hepatocellular carcinoma and modulate angiogenesis in breast cancer and colorectal cancer. However, its effects on VM generation and angiogenesis in non-small cell Lung cancer (NSCLC) remained to be elucidated. METHODS CRISPR/Cas9-mediated B7-H3 knockout (KO) was conducted in NSCLC A549 and H3255 cells. The expression of VM-related proteins, including vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14), and the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by western blotting and chemiluminescence assay in both B7-H3 KO and mock-edited A549 and H3255 cells. To examine VM formation, a three-dimensional (3D) culture model was used for B7-H3 KO and mock A549 and H3255 cells. For in vivo analysis, xenograft mice models were established using B7-H3 KO and mock-edited A549 cells, and immunohistochemical (CD31) and histochemical (periodic acid-Schiff, PAS) double staining were performed to identify VM and endothelial vessels in tumor tissues. Finally, specific signaling inhibitors were used to analyze B7-H3-induced signaling pathway responsible for VE-cadherin and MMP14 expression and VM generation. RESULTS Higher expression of B7-H3 was associated with a worse prognosis and more advanced T-category in NSCLC. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated B7-H3 KO in A549 and H3255 cells led to decreased expression of VE-cadherin and MMP14; however, the secretion of VEGF by the two cell lines remained unchanged. In the 3D cell culture model, both B7-H3 KO A549 and H3255 cells showed a significant reduction in the formation of capillary-like tubular structures compared to mock-edited cells. In the in vivo xenograft model, mock-edited A549 cells formed excessive PAS+ CD31- VM channels, while B7-H3 KO restrained VM formation in the xenograft tumors. However, no significant differences were found in CD31+ endothelial vessels between xenografts formed by B7-H3 KO and mock-edited A549 cells. Finally, we analyzed the signaling pathway responsible for B7-H3-induced VM formation and found that selective inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) hyperactivation by LY294002 was associated with decreased expression of MMP14 and VE-cadherin, and in vitro VM formation by both A549 and H3255 cells. CONCLUSIONS Tumor-expressed B7-H3 acts via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote VM formation by NSCLC cells while bears no effects on angiogenesis in NSCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Fan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Junfeng Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Bingqi Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Liwen Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hu BQ, Huang JF, Niu K, Zhou J, Wang NN, Liu Y, Chen LW. B7-H3 but not PD-L1 is involved in the antitumor effects of Dihydroartemisinin in non-small cell lung cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 950:175746. [PMID: 37105515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175746] [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: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), an active antimalaria metabolite derived from artemisinin, has received increasing attention for its anticancer activities. However, little is known about the anticancer mechanisms of DHA, although the existing data define its antimalaria effects by producing excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we showed that DHA effectively suppresses in vitro and in vivo tumor growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without perceptible toxicity on heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissues. Of note, DHA inhibited the expression of B7-H3 rather than PD-L1, whereas overexpression of B7-H3 completely rescued DHA's inhibition on cell proliferation and migration of NSCLC A549 and HCC827 cells. B7-H3 overexpression also largely inhibited DHA's induction on the apoptosis of the two cell lines. Furthermore, DHA treatment led to increased infiltration of CD8+ T Lymphocytes in the xenografts as compared with that of negative controls. Taken together, our results suggest that B7-H3 but not PD-L1 is involved in the antitumor effects of DHA in NSCLC, which may be indicative of an effective B7-H3 blockade and further combination with anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Qi Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Jun-Feng Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Ke Niu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Nan-Nan Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Li-Wen Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China; Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Omori S, Muramatsu K, Kawata T, Miyawaki E, Miyawaki T, Mamesaya N, Kawamura T, Kobayashi H, Nakashima K, Wakuda K, Ono A, Kenmotsu H, Naito T, Murakami H, Sugino T, Takahashi T. Immunohistochemical analysis of B7-H3 expression in patients with lung cancer following various anti-cancer treatments. Invest New Drugs 2023; 41:356-364. [PMID: 37036580 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-023-01353-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3), an immune checkpoint molecule belonging to the B7 family, has been studied as a target for the development of anti-cancer treatment; however, changes in B7-H3 expression during the clinical course remain unknown. This retrospective study aimed to investigate changes in B7-H3 expression of lung cancer specimens in patients with advanced lung cancer following various anti-cancer treatments. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) score was evaluated on a 0-3 scale, and B7-H3 expression was considered positive for grade ≥ 2. The difference in IHC scores before and after anti-cancer treatment was defined as the change in B7-H3 expression. Among 160 patients with lung cancer who received anti-cancer treatment, 88 (55%) and 101 (63%) had B7-H3 expression before and after anti-cancer treatment, respectively. Before treatment, B7-H3 expression was significantly more common in squamous cell carcinoma specimens than in adenocarcinoma specimens (95% vs. 49%, P < 0.001). Of the 19 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 18 (95%) continued to have high (IHC score: 3) B7-H3 expression following treatment. In contrast, of the 130 patients with adenocarcinoma, 46 (35%) and 17 (13%) showed an increased and a decreased expression, respectively. Patients who received targeted therapy had a significant increase in B7-H3 expression compared with those who received chemotherapy alone (P = 0.015). Overall, squamous cell carcinoma specimens maintained high B7-H3 expression during the clinical course, whereas adenocarcinoma specimens showed changes in expression following anti-cancer treatments. Our results provide the basis for further studies on the development of anti-cancer treatments targeting B7-H3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shota Omori
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan.
| | - Koji Muramatsu
- Division of Pathology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Takuya Kawata
- Division of Pathology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Eriko Miyawaki
- Division of Early Clinical Development for Cancer, Advanced Medical Development Center, The Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taichi Miyawaki
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine & Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Mamesaya
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Takahisa Kawamura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Haruki Kobayashi
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Nakashima
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology & Respiratory Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Shimane, Japan
| | - Kazushige Wakuda
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Akira Ono
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Kenmotsu
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Tateaki Naito
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Haruyasu Murakami
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| | - Takashi Sugino
- Division of Pathology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Takahashi
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, 1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Suntou-gun, Shizuoka, 411-8777, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Malapelle U, Parente P, Pepe F, Di Micco MC, Russo A, Clemente C, Graziano P, Rossi A. B7-H3/CD276 Inhibitors: Is There Room for the Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416077. [PMID: 36555714 PMCID: PMC9788608 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The striking clinical outcomes of antibody-based immunotherapy, through the inhibitors of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) axis, have driven research aimed at identifying further clinically relevant tumor antigens that can serve as targets in solid tumors. B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3, also known as CD276) is a member of the B7 family overexpressed in tumor tissues, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), while showing limited expression in normal tissues, becoming an attractive and promising target for cancer immunotherapy. B7-H3 expression in tumors has been demonstrated to be associated with poor prognosis. In addition to its role in immune modulation, B7-H3 also promotes pro-tumorigenic functions such as tumor migration, invasion, metastases, resistance, and metabolism. In this review, we will provide an overview of this newly characterized immune checkpoint molecule and its development in the management of metastatic NSCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Parente
- Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale Cappuccini, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Francesco Pepe
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Concetta Di Micco
- Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale Cappuccini, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | | | - Celeste Clemente
- Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale Cappuccini, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Paolo Graziano
- Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale Cappuccini, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Oncology Centre of Excellence, Therapeutic Science & Strategy Unit, IQVIA, 20019 Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hu X, Zhao S, Cai Y, Swain SS, Yao L, Liu W, Yan T. Network Pharmacology-Integrated Molecular Docking Reveals the Expected Anticancer Mechanism of Picrorhizae Rhizoma Extract. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:3268773. [PMID: 36158891 PMCID: PMC9507705 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3268773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study sought to explore the anticancer mechanism of Picrorhizae Rhizoma (PR) extract based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The potential chemicals of PR were screened through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database and relevant literatures. Corresponding targets of active ingredients were found with the help of the UniProtKB database, and therapeutic targets for cancer action were screened with the help of the GeneCards database. We used Cytoscape software to construct the compound-target-pathway network of PR extract. We utilized the STRING database to obtain the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We used DAVID database combining Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, molecular docking was employed for initial efficacy checking. We have identified 16 potential active components of PR through screening, involving 112 disease action targets. Utilizing the GeneCards database, 112 intersecting targets between PR extract and cancer were found, which mainly exerts anticancer effects by regulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF), recombinant caspase 3 (CASP3), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)/JUN, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and estrogen receptor-1 (ESR1) with some other target genes and pathways associated with cancer. The major anticancer species are prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, small cell lung cancer, etc. In the molecular docking study, herbactin had a strong affinity for TNF. Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking studies, PR and their compounds have demonstrated potential anticancer activities against several key targets. Our preliminary findings provide a strong foundation for further experiments with PR constituents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Hu
- University and College Key Lab of Natural Product Chemistry and Application in Xinjiang, School of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
| | - Shengchao Zhao
- University and College Key Lab of Natural Product Chemistry and Application in Xinjiang, School of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yi Cai
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, The NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Shasank S. Swain
- Division of Microbiology and NCDs, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, 751023 Odisha, India
| | - Liangliang Yao
- Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Wei Liu
- University and College Key Lab of Natural Product Chemistry and Application in Xinjiang, School of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, China
| | - Tingdong Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| |
Collapse
|