Estrogen receptor agonists induce anti‑edema effects by altering α and β estrogen receptor gene expression

Integrated systems pharmacology, molecular docking, and MD simulations investigation elucidating the therapeutic mechanisms of BHD in Alzheimer's disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a longstanding health challenge, prompting a century-long exploration into its etiology and progression. Despite significant advancements in medical science, current AD treatments provide only symptomatic relief, urging a shift towards innovative paradigms. This study, departing from the amyloid hypothesis, integrates Systems Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamic Simulations to investigate a polyherbal phytoformulation (US 7,273,626 B2) rooted in Ayurveda for AD, consisting of Bacopa monnieri, Hippophae rhamnoides, and Dioscorea bulbifera (BHD). Diosgenin emerges as a crucial compound, aligning with previous studies, yet recognizing its limitations in explaining BHD's mechanism, this research delves into the intricate network of interactions. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network analysis identifies hub genes (ALOX5, GSK3B, ACHE, SRC, AKT1, EGFR, PIK3R1, ESR1 and APP), suggesting a systems-level modulation of AD. Enrichment analyses unveil 370 AD-associated genes and key terms like "Cellular Response to Chemical Stimulus" and "Regulation of Biological Quality." KEGG pathway analysis underscores BHD's potential in Alzheimer's disease pathway (hsa05010), Endocrine resistance (hsa01522), and PI3K-Akt signaling (hsa04151). Molecular docking, carefully selecting compounds (Kaempferol, Quercetin, Myricetin, Isorhamnetin, Beta-Sitosterol, Stigmasterol, Emodin and Diosgenin) and top modulated targets, validates interactions with high dock scores, providing promising therapeutic avenues. Two core targets, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1), were identified for further investigation due to their critical roles in Alzheimer's disease. To validate the molecular docking results, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on the AChE complexes with Myricetin, Beta-Sitosterol, and Stigmasterol, as well as the ESR1 complexes with Emodin, Diosgenin, and Beta-Sitosterol. These simulations were then compared to the interactions observed with the marketed drugs Donepezil and Estradiol, which are commonly used in Alzheimer's treatment. The MD simulations provided detailed insights into the stability and behavior of these complexes over time. The findings indicated that Myricetin and Emodin not only maintained stable interactions with AChE and ESR1 but also exhibited greater stability than Donepezil and Estradiol at specific time points and protein regions, as demonstrated by lower RMSD and RMSF values. These results suggest that natural compounds hold promise as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, offering new avenues for drug development, while the formulation BHD shows potential as an adjuvant in integrative medicine alongside standard Alzheimer's treatments, effectively targeting related pathways and genes.

ERβ activation improves nonylphenol-induced depression and neurotransmitter secretion disruption via the TPH2/5-HT pathway

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) in nonylphenol (NP) - induced depression - like behavior in rats and its impact on the regulation of the TPH2/5-HT pathway. In the in vitro experiment, rat basophilic leukaemia cells (RBL-2H3) cells were divided into the four groups: blank group, NP group (20 μM), ERβ agonist group (0.01 μM), and NP＋ERβ agonist group (20 μM＋0.01 μM). For the in vivo experiment, 72 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into following six groups: the Control, NP (40 mg/kg) group, ERβ agonist (2 mg/kg, Diarylpropionitrile (DPN)) group, ERβ inhibitor (0.1 mg/kg, 4-(2-phenyl-5,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl) phenol (PHTPP)) group, NP+ERβ agonist (40 mg/kg NP ＋ 2 mg/kg DPN) group, and NP+ERβ inhibitor (40 mg/kg NP + 0.1 mg/kg PHTPP) group, with 12 rats in each group. Each rat in drug group were given NP by gavage and/or received a single intraperitoneal injection of DPN 2 mg/kg or PHTPP 0.1 mg/kg. Both in vivo and in vitro, NP group showed a decrease in the expression levels of ERβ, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1), and tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) genes and proteins, and reduced levels of DA, NE, and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT) neurotransmitters. RBL-2H3 cells showed signs of cell shrinkage, with rounded cells, increased suspension and more loosely arranged cells. The effectiveness of the ERβ agonist stimulation exhibited an increase exceeding 60% in RBL-2H3 cells. The application of ERβ agonist resulted in an alleviation the aforementioned alterations. ERβ agonist activated the TPH2/5-HT signaling pathways. Compared to the control group, the NP content in the brain tissue of the NP group was significantly increased. The latency to eat for the rats was longer and the amount of food consumed was lower, and the rats had prolonged immobility time in the behavioral experiment of rats. The expression levels of ERβ, TPH1, TPH2, 5-HT and 5-HITT proteins were decreased in the NP group, suggesting NP-induced depression-like behaviours as well as disturbances in the secretion of serum hormones and monoamine neurotransmitters. In the NP group, the midline raphe nucleus showed an elongated nucleus with a dark purplish-blue colour, nuclear atrophy, displacement and pale cytoplasm. ERβ might ameliorate NP-induced depression-like behaviors, and secretion disorders of serum hormones and monoamine neurotransmitters via activating TPH2/5-HT signaling pathways.

Preclinical findings reveal the pharmacological targets of ferulic acid in the treatment of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by cellular damage and inflammation in lesioned brain tissue. Ferulic acid has been shown to have a melioration effect on neurological functions. However, the active pharmacological effects and the underlying mechanisms of ferulic acid against TBI remain unclear. On the basis of network pharmacology and molecular docking methodology, this study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of ferulic acid in treating TBI, and characterized the detailed biotargets and mechanisms of these actions. The identified core targets were validated via in silico simulation. We identified 91 overlapping targets associated with ferulic acid and TBI. In-silico simulation analysis validated the putative core targets of tumor protein p53, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 1, and estrogen receptor 1. The Gene Ontology-enriched annotations and findings were largely associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation in nerve cells. Additional Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis unmasked the pharmacological pathways of ferulic acid in treating TBI, including the MAPK signaling pathway and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathway. Bioinformatic analyses and findings provide a new preclinical strategy for revealing the core targets and network pathways of ferulic acid in treating TBI. Moreover, some bioinformatic findings were computationally validated in silico for exhibiting the neuroprotective action of ferulic acid against TBI.