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Dong Q, Ren G, Li Y, Hao D. Network pharmacology analysis and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of kaempferol in the treatment of osteoporosis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7088. [PMID: 38528143 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57796-3] [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: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteoporosis (OP) is a prevalent global disease characterized by bone mass loss and microstructural destruction, resulting in increased bone fragility and fracture susceptibility. Our study aims to investigate the potential of kaempferol in preventing and treating OP through a combination of network pharmacology and molecular experiments. Kaempferol and OP-related targets were retrieved from the public database. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of common targets was constructed using the STRING database and visualized with Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Enrichment analyses for GO and KEGG of potential therapeutic targets were conducted using the Hiplot platform. Molecular docking was performed using Molecular operating environment (MOE) software, and cell experiments were conducted to validate the mechanism of kaempferol in treating OP. Network pharmacology analysis identified 54 overlapping targets between kaempferol and OP, with 10 core targets identified. The primarily enriched pathways included atherosclerosis-related signaling pathways, the AGE/RAGE signaling pathway, and the TNF signaling pathway. Molecular docking results indicated stable binding of kaempferol and two target proteins, AKT1 and MMP9. In vitro cell experiments demonstrated significant upregulation of AKT1 expression in MC3T3-E1 cells (p < 0.001) with kaempferol treatment, along with downregulation of MMP9 expression (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. This study predicted the core targets and pathways of kaempferol in OP treatment using network pharmacology, and validated these findings through in vitro experiments, suggesting a promising avenue for future clinical treatment of OP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Dong
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Guoxia Ren
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Xi'an Chest Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanzhao Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, First Clinical Medical College, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dingjun Hao
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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Sun X, Li Y, Li J, Liang H, Zhang J, Chen X, Li Q, Pang X, Ding Q, Song J, Guo B, Ma B. Bioactive metabolites reveal the therapeutic consistency of epimedii folium from multi-plant sources for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117215. [PMID: 37774896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117215] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Epimedii Folium (Yin-yang-huo in Chinese), a traditional and commonly used herbal medicine (HM), is a representative of multi-plant sources. To date, little is known about the reasons for similar therapeutic effects of this HM from multi-plant sources. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the underlying reasons for the similar pharmacological effects of Epimedii Folium from two botanical sources (Epimedium koreanum Nakai and Epimedium wushanense T. S. Ying). MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, the phytochemicals of the extracts of E. koreanum and E. wushanense were systematically analyzed. Meanwhile, their pharmacological effects on kidney-yang deficiency (KYD) syndrome were evaluated in rats induced by hydrocortisone. Subsequently, we proposed a combined effect index (CEI) to assess the effects of two plants on the secretion of testosterone by combing the system exposure of twelve active components in vivo with their regulation activities of testosterone production in vitro. Moreover, the label-free proteomics and Western blot analysis were conducted to evaluate the possible mechanism of Epimedii Folium from two botanical sources. RESULTS E. koreanum and E. wushanense exhibited similar pharmacological effects on KYD syndrome with promoting the mating behaviors and testosterone levels of rats, although there is a certain difference in the main components between two plants. The CEI analysis showed that there was no difference (P > 0.05) in the sum of CEIs of two Epimedium, indicating that their similar therapeutic effects are attributed to bioactive metabolites in vivo. Furthermore, Epimedii Folium can regulate testosterone production in rat Leydig cell via reversing expressions of key steroidogenic enzymes, such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD). CONCLUSION Our results supply critical evidence for the similar pharmacological effects of two Epimedium species, acting by consistent bioactive components directly exposing in vivo, not chemical compositions presenting in herbs. It provides a reasonable scientific basis for understanding of the HMs originated from multi-plant sources for the same clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinguang Sun
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Yingfei Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Juan Li
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China.
| | - Haizhen Liang
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Jie Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Xiaojuan Chen
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Qi Li
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Xu Pang
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Qianzhi Ding
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Juan Song
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Baolin Guo
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Baiping Ma
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, China.
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Lin L, Liu G, Zhang D, Yu F, Tan L, Mu X, Lin Y. Quality grade evaluation of Nvjin Pills based on traditional Chinese medicine reference drug and network pharmacology of target-focused compounds. J Sep Sci 2024; 47:e2300134. [PMID: 37994399 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202300134] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
To improve the effectiveness of marketed drugs related to active ingredients, it is necessary to designate a more unified quality evaluation standard. Taking Nvjin Pills as an example, this study reported the development of a novel principle of analysis in traditional Chinese medicine. The core of the experiment is to prepare three batches of traditional Chinese medicine reference drugs by high-quality Chinese materia medica. The active ingredients identified in the herbal formula including glycyrrhizic acid, cinnamaldehyde, paeonol, baicalin, hesperidin, paeoniflorin, and ferulic acid were analyzed in traditional Chinese medicine reference drugs by the high-performance liquid chromatography method combined with wavelength switching. The simple prediction results of network pharmacological analysis verified the feasibility and reliability of the established quantitative analysis method for seven target-focused compounds in Nvjin Pills, which were recommended as candidate indicators for quality evaluation ultimately. Using the seven target-focused compounds as the scientific ruler, quality grade specifications of Nvjin Pills were proposed by comprehensive analysis. Accordingly, 16, 47, and 13 batches of samples were primarily graded as first grade, second grade, and unqualified grade, respectively. This study will provide a chemical basis for quality control of Nvjin Pills, which is necessary for the production process of pharmaceutical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lin
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Guangzhen Liu
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Dexin Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Fengrui Yu
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Lejun Tan
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiangrong Mu
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yongqiang Lin
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Standard Innovation and Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Du W, Lv Y, Wu H, Li Y, Tang R, Zhao M, Wei F, Li C, Ge W. Research on the effect of Dipsaci Radix before and after salt-processed on kidney yang deficiency syndrome rats and the preliminary mechanism study through the BMP-Smad signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 312:116480. [PMID: 37061069 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Dipsaci Radix (DR) is the dry root of Dipsacus asper Wall. ex DC. AIM OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of DR on rats before and after salt-processed with kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS), and we selected the BMP-Smad signaling pathway to explore the mechanism of DR. MATERIALS AND METHODS The model of KYDS was established by subcutaneous injection of hydrocortisone, the crude DR (CDR) and salt-processed DR (SDR) were given the corresponding dose (2 g/kg, 4 g/kg, and 6 g/kg). The organ index and the contents of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortistatin (CORT), thyroid hormone (T4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), Na+-K+-ATPase, and growth hormone (GH) in serum were measured to evaluate the intervention effect of DR on KYDS rats. The expression of Smad 1, Smad 4, Smad 5, Smad 8, and BMP 7 protein in kidney was determined by immunohistochemistry, quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot analysis. The effects of DR on 5 expression factors in the BMP-Smad signaling pathway were studied. Constituents absorbed into blood were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. RESULTS The results showed that compared with the model group, the thymus and kidney index, as well as the contents of ACTH, CORT, cAMP, GH, Na+-K+-ATPase, T, T4, and E2 were significantly increased in the CDR and SDR groups, and the contents of cGMP and TNF-α were significantly decreased. Compared with the CDR high dose group, ACTH, Na+-K+-ATPase, T, and T4 were significantly increased in the SDR high dose group. The results of immunohistochemistry, qPCR, and Western blot analysis showed that compared with the model group, the expression levels of Smad 1, Smad 4, Smad 5, Smad 8 and BMP 7 proteins in the kidney of DR groups were significantly increased. And SDR groups tended to be better than CDR groups. 8 constituents migrating to blood were identified. CONCLUSION This study showed that both CDR and SDR could have a good therapeutic effect on KYDS, and SDR was better than CDR. This study chose the BMP-Smad signaling pathway to study the mechanism of DR in the treatment of KYDS and provided a scientific basis for the processing mechanism of salt-processed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Du
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China; Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311401, PR China; Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Chinese Medicine Yinpian Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, 311401, PR China.
| | - Yue Lv
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China.
| | - Hangsha Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China.
| | - Yafei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China
| | - Rui Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China
| | - Mingfang Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China
| | - Feiyang Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China
| | - Changyu Li
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, PR China.
| | - Weihong Ge
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311400, PR China; Research Center of TCM Processing Technology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 311401, PR China; Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Chinese Medicine Yinpian Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, 311401, PR China.
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Lin Y, Wei J, Zhang Y, Huang J, Wang S, Luo Q, Yu H, Ji L, Zhou X, Li C. Shen Qi Wan attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis through upregulating AQP1. Chin J Nat Med 2023; 21:359-370. [PMID: 37245874 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(23)60453-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is the crucial pathway in chronic kidney disease (CKD) leading to the end-stage renal failure. However, the underlying mechanism of Shen Qi Wan (SQW) on RIF is not fully understood. In the current study, we investigated the role of Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in SQW on tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A RIF mouse model induced by adenine and a TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cell model were etablished to explore the involvement of AQP 1 in the protective effect of SQW on EMT in vitro and in vivo. Subsequently, the molecular mechanism of SQW on EMT was explored in HK-2 cells with AQP1 knockdown. The results indicated that SQW alleviated kidney injury and renal collagen deposition in the kidneys of mice induced by adenine, increased the protein expression of E-cadherin and AQP1 expression, and decreased the expression of vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Similarly, treatmement with SQW-containing serum significantly halted EMT process in TGF-β1 stimulated HK-2 cells. The expression of snail and slug was significantly upregulated in HK-2 cells after knockdown of AQP1. AQP1 knockdown also increased the mRNA expression of vimentin and α-SMA, and decreased the expression of E-cadherin. The protein expression of vimentin increased, while the expression of E-cadherin and CK-18 significantly decreased after AQP1 knockdown in HK-2 cells. These results revealed that AQP1 knockdown promoted EMT. Furthermore, AQP1 knockdown abolished the protective effect of SQW-containing serum on EMT in HK-2 cells. In sum, SQW attentuates EMT process in RIF through upregulation of the expression of AQP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyou Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jiale Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yehui Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Junhao Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Sichen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Qihan Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Hongxia Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Liting Ji
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| | - Xiaojie Zhou
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| | - Changyu Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
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Xu B, Yang Z, Zhang X, Liu Z, Huang Y, Ding X, Chu J, Peng T, Wu D, Jin C, Li W, Cai B, Wang X. 16S rDNA sequencing combined with metabolomics profiling with multi-index scoring method reveals the mechanism of salt-processed Semen Cuscuta in Bushen Antai mixture on kidney yang deficiency syndrome. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2023; 1216:123602. [PMID: 36652816 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123602] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) is a classic syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The salt-processed product of Semen Cuscuta (YP) is the monarch drug in Bushen Antai Mixture (BAM), can improve the reproductive dysfunction caused by KYDS, and the effect is better than that of raw products of Semen Cuscuta (SP). However, its mechanism is not completely clear yet. In this study, an integrated strategy combining untargeted metabolomics with microbiology was used to explore the mechanism of YP in the BAM improving KYDS. 16S rDNA gene sequencing showed that BAM containing YP (Y-BAM) had a significantly better regulatory effect on Desulfobacterota and Desulfovibrionaceae_unclassified than BAM containing SP (S-BAM). Untargeted metabolomics studies showed that Y-BAM significantly regulated 4 metabolites and 4 metabolic pathways. In addition, multi-index analysis showed that the effect of Y-BAM on arachidonic acid metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, purine metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism and total metabolism was closer to that of the control group compared to S-BAM. The analysis of serum biochemical indexes showed that Y-BAM had more significant regulating effect on the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum of KYDS rats compared to S-BAM. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between intestinal microorganisms and metabolites and serum biochemical indexes. For example, Desulfovibrionaceae_unclassified was positively correlated with arachidonic acid, and negatively correlated with SOD and LH. This study suggests that YP may enhance the regulation of intestinal flora and endogenous metabolism of KYDS, so that BAM shows a better therapeutic effect on KYDS, which also reasonably explains why BAM uses Semen Cuscuta stir-baked with salt solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyang Xu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Zhitong Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Zilu Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Ximeng Ding
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Jijun Chu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces of New Manufacturing Technology, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Tangyi Peng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Deling Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Chuanshan Jin
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Heritage Base of TCM Processing Technolovgy of NATCM, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces of New Manufacturing Technology, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Weidong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Baochang Cai
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Heritage Base of TCM Processing Technolovgy of NATCM, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces of New Manufacturing Technology, Hefei 230012, China.
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Zhou Y, Luo T, Gong Y, Guo Y, Wang D, Gao Z, Sun F, Fu L, Liu H, Pan W, Yang X. The non-oral infection of larval Echinococcus granulosus induces immune and metabolic reprogramming in the colon of mice. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1084203. [PMID: 36713407 PMCID: PMC9880436 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1084203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The intestinal tract serves as a critical regulator for nutrient absorption and overall health. However, its involvement in anti-parasitic infection and immunity has been largely neglected, especially when a parasite is not transmitted orally. The present study investigated the colonic histopathology and functional reprogramming in mice with intraperitoneal infection of the larval Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus). Results Compared with the control group, the E. granulosus-infected mice exhibited deteriorated secreted mucus, shortened length, decreased expression of tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and occludin in the colon. Moreover, RNA sequencing was employed to characterize colonic gene expression after infection. In total, 3,019 differentially expressed genes (1,346 upregulated and 1,673 downregulated genes) were identified in the colon of infected mice. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in intestinal immune responses, infectious disease-associated pathways, metabolism, or focal adhesion were significantly enriched. Among these, 18 tight junction-relative genes, 44 immune response-associated genes, and 23 metabolic genes were annotated. Furthermore, mebendazole treatment could reverse the colonic histopathology induced by E. granulosus infection. Conclusions Intraperitoneal infection with E. granulosus induced the pathological changes and functional reprogramming in the colon of mice, and mebendazole administration alleviated above alternations, highlighting the significance of the colon as a protective barrier against parasitic infection. The findings provide a novel perspective on host-parasite interplay and propose intestine as a possible target for treating parasitic diseases that are not transmitted orally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tiancheng Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuying Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuxin Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dingmin Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zixuan Gao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fenfen Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Linlin Fu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hua Liu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoying Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Wei Y, Gao L, Zhong L, Zhang H, Yue J, Li Q, Zeng Y, Sun J, Nie L, Zang H. Network pharmacology, molecular docking technology integrated with pharmacodynamic study to explore the potential targets and mechanism of Xinkeshu tablets against myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Saikosaponin-d Attenuates Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by Regulating Macrophage Polarization. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:7455494. [PMID: 36398316 PMCID: PMC9666046 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7455494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is one of the most common clinical autoimmune diseases. Recent studies have found that HT pathogenesis is associated with macrophage polarization. Saikosaponin-d (SSd) is an active component in the Chinese medicine Bupleurum, which has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. The purpose of this study was to verify the therapeutic effect of SSd on HT and to investigate the regulatory effect of SSd on macrophage polarization in HT. Methods Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the relevant targets and signaling pathways of SSd for HT treatment. The therapeutic effect of SSd on HT model mice and the effect on macrophage polarization were detected by animal experiment. Results Network pharmacological analysis showed that SSd can alleviate HT against multiple targets such as IL-6 and IL-10 and can act on macrophage polarization-related signaling pathways such as MAPK and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. Animal experiments showed that SSd intervention attenuated the lymphocytic infiltration in thyroid tissues of HT mice (P = 0.044); SSd intervention reduced serum TPOAb antibody level in HT mice (P < 0.001); SSd adjusted M1/M2 imbalance towards M2-type macrophage polarization in the spleen of HT mice (P = 0.003); SSd inhibited the expressions of Th1-type cytokine IFN-γ and Th17-type cytokine IL-17 systemically and locally in the thyroid of HT mice (P < 0.05). Conclusion SSd treatment can regulate Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg imbalances and reduce the severity of HT in mice by promoting the polarization of M2 macrophages.
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Unraveling the mystery of efficacy in Chinese medicine formula: New approaches and technologies for research on pharmacodynamic substances. ARAB J CHEM 2022; 15:104302. [PMID: 36189434 PMCID: PMC9514000 DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the key to unlock treasures of Chinese civilization. TCM and its compound play a beneficial role in medical activities to cure diseases, especially in major public health events such as novel coronavirus epidemics across the globe. The chemical composition in Chinese medicine formula is complex and diverse, but their effective substances resemble "mystery boxes". Revealing their active ingredients and their mechanisms of action has become focal point and difficulty of research for herbalists. Although the existing research methods are numerous and constantly updated iteratively, there is remain a lack of prospective reviews. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive account of existing new approaches and technologies based on previous studies with an in vitro to in vivo perspective. In addition, the bottlenecks of studies on Chinese medicine formula effective substances are also revealed. Especially, we look ahead to new perspectives, technologies and applications for its future development. This work reviews based on new perspectives to open horizons for the future research. Consequently, herbal compounding pharmaceutical substances study should carry on the essence of TCM while pursuing innovations in the field.
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Key Words
- 2D, Two Dimensional
- 3D, Three Dimensional
- ADME, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion
- AFA DESI-MSI, Air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging
- AI, Artificial Intelligence
- Active ingredient
- CDE, Center for Drug Evaluation
- COX-2, Cyclooxygenase 2
- Chemical components
- Chinese medicine formula
- Compound
- Disease Targets
- GC-MS, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- HPLC, High Performance Liquid Chromatography
- HR-MS, High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
- HTS, High Throughput Screening
- HUA, hyperuricemia
- ICPMS, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
- MALDI MS, Matrix for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry
- MD, Microdialysis
- MI, Molecular imprinting
- MSI, Mass spectrometry imaging
- Mass Spectrometry
- NL/PR, Neutral loss/precursor ion
- NMPA, National Medical Products Administration
- OPLS-DA, Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis
- PD, Pharmacodynamic
- PK, Pharmacokinetic
- Q-TOF/MS, Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry
- QSAR, Quantitative structure-activity relationship
- QqQ-MS, Triple quadruple mass spectrometry
- R-strategy, Reduce strategy
- TCM, Traditional Chinese medicine
- UF, Affinity ultrafiltration
- UPLC, Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography
- XO, Xanthine oxidase
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Shen Qi Wan Ameliorates Learning and Memory Impairment Induced by STZ in AD Rats through PI3K/AKT Pathway. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060758. [PMID: 35741643 PMCID: PMC9221466 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060758] [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: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of neurodegenerative disease, and increasing evidence shows that insulin signaling has crucial roles in AD initiation and progression. In this study, we explored the effect and underlying mechanism of SQW, a representative formula for tonifying the kidney and promoting yang, on improving the cognitive function in a streptozotocin-induced model of AD rats. We investigated memory impairment in the AD rats by using the Morris water test. HE and Nissl staining were employed to observe the histomorphological changes in the hippocampal. Expression levels of NeuN and proteins related to Tau and apoptosis were measured using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, respectively. Additionally, we performed RNA sequencing, and the selected hub genes were then validated by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot. We found that SQW treatment significantly alleviated learning and memory impairment, pathological damage, and apoptosis in rats, as evidenced by an increased level of NeuN and Bcl-2, and decreased phosphorylation of Tau, Bax, and Caspase-3 protein expression. SQW treatment reversed the expression of insulin resistance-related genes (Nr4a1, Lpar1, Bdnf, Atf2, and Ppp2r2b) and reduced the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Our results demonstrate that SQW could contribute to neuroprotection against learning and memory impairment in rats induced by STZ through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.
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Investigation of the mechanism of Shen Qi Wan prescription in the treatment of T2DM via network pharmacology and molecular docking. In Silico Pharmacol 2022; 10:9. [PMID: 35673584 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-022-00124-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Shen Qi Wan (SQW) prescription has been used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for thousands of years, but its pharmacological mechanism is still unclear. The network pharmacology method was used to reveal the potential pharmacological mechanism of SQW in the treatment of T2DM in this study. Nine core targets were identified through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, which were AKT1, INSR, SLC2A1, EGFR, PPARG, PPARA, GCK, NOS3, and PTPN1. Besides, this study found that SQW treated the T2DM through insulin resistance (has04931), insulin signaling pathway (has04910), adipocytokine signaling pathway (has04920), AMPK signaling pathway (has04152) and FoxO signaling pathway (has04068) via ingredient-hub target-pathway network analysis. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the drug-target interaction network in this research. This study provides a certain explanation for treating T2DM by SQW prescription, and provides a certain angle and method for researchers to study the mechanism of TCM in the treatment of complex diseases. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-022-00124-2.
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Exploration of hanshi zufei prescription for treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology. CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES 2022; 14:294-302. [PMID: 35382000 PMCID: PMC8969322 DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Network pharmacology combines drug and disease targets with biological information networks based on the integrity and systematicness of the interactions between drugs and disease targets. This study aims to explore the molecular basis of Hanshi Zufei formula for treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. Methods Using TCMSP, the chemical constituents and molecular targets of Atractylodis Rhizoma, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, Pogostemonis Herba, Tsaoko Fructus, Ephedrae Herba, Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens, and Arecae Semen were investigated. The predicted targets of novel coronavirus were screened using the NCBI and GeneCards databases. To further screen the drug-disease core targets network, the corresponding target proteins were queried using multiple databases (Biogrid, DIP, and HPRD), a protein interaction network graph was constructed, and the network topology was analyzed. The molecular docking studies were also performed between the network’s top 15 compounds and the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) 3CL hydrolytic enzyme and angiotensin conversion enzyme II (ACE2). Results The herb-active ingredient-target network contained nine drugs, 86 compounds, and 49 drug-disease targets. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis resulted in 1566 GO items (P < 0.05), among which 1438 were biological process items, 35 were cell composition items, and 93 were molecular function items. Fourteen signal pathways were obtained by enrichment screening of the KEGG pathway database (P < 0.05). The molecular docking results showed that the affinity of the core active compounds with the SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase was better than for the other compounds. Conclusion Several core compounds can regulate multiple signaling pathways by binding with 3CL hydrolase and ACE2, which might contribute to the treatment of COVID-19.
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Yan Z, Liu G, Yang Y, Chen L, Shang Y, Hong Q. Identifying mechanisms of Epimedii Folium against Alzheimer’s disease via a network pharmacology approach Epimedii Folium treats Alzheimer’s disease via PI3K-AKT. EUR J INFLAMM 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/20587392211041435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To elucidate the mechanism of the multi-target action of Epimedii Folium on Alzheimer’s disease, this study focuses on the analysis of network pharmacology. Based on a bioinformatics approach, this study obtained the effective components of Epimedium through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, predicted the compound targets through the Pharmapper and Swiss target prediction database and then through Gene Expression Omnibus Datasets and Therapeutic Target Database. We collected and analysed of heral and disease targets, constructed the network. Through the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, Gene Ontology enrichment, then the key targets and pathways of Epimedii Folium to cope with Alzheimer’s disease have been identified. Twenty-three bioactive components and 477 potential target genes of Epimedii Folium were identified. A total of 1612 target diseases were identified. Through network module analysis, 30 hub target genes were identified. Through enrichment analysis of the KEGG pathway, hub target genes were largely enriched in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Through the analysis of network pharmacology, it was found that Epimedii Folium might play the role of multi-compound and multi-target therapy through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. These findings provide helpful directions for future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Yan
- Department of Traditional Medicine, Xuzhou New Health Hospital, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
| | - Guangmei Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, the Affiliated Huaihai Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University/The 71st Group Army Hospital of CPLA Army, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, the Affiliated Huaihai Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University/The 71st Group Army Hospital of CPLA Army, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ying Shang
- Department of Internal Medicine, the Affiliated Huaihai Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University/The 71st Group Army Hospital of CPLA Army, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qian Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, the Affiliated Huaihai Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University/The 71st Group Army Hospital of CPLA Army, Jiangsu, Xuzhou, China
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Li FH, Guo SW, Zhan TW, Mo HR, Chen X, Wang H, Wei LL, Feng PF, Wu JG, Li P. Integrating network pharmacology and experimental evidence to decipher the cardioprotective mechanism of Yiqihuoxue decoction in rats after myocardial infarction. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 279:114062. [PMID: 33771641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE "Qi deficiency and blood stasis" syndrome is one of the most common syndromes treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine among ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients in clinic. As a Chinese herbal formula with the function of tonifying Qi and activating blood, Yiqihuoxue Decoction (YQHX) has been frequently proven to be effective in the clinical treatment of IHD. AIM OF THE STUDY The cardioprotective mechanisms of YQHX in treating ischemic heart disease were investigated, with emphasis on the key targets and pathways. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present study, the potential targets of compounds identified in YQHX were predicted using PharmMapper, Symmap, and STITCH databases, and a "herb-compound-target" network was constructed using Cytoscape. Subsequently, the GO and KEGG functional enrichment analyses were analyzed using the DAVID database. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING to obtain the key target information. Besides, we used a myocardial ischemia rat model to investigate the cardioprotective effects of YQHX. Transmission electron microscopy and Western blotting were used to observe apoptotic bodies and confirm protein expressions of key candidate targets, respectively. RESULTS Network pharmacology showed that a total of 141 potential targets were obtained from these databases. The functional analysis results revealed that the targets of YQHX were largely associated with apoptosis, and the PI3K-AKT and MAPK pathways might represent key functional pathways. The hub genes of network include ALB, TP53, AKT1, TNF, VEGFA, EGFR, MAPK1, CASP3, JUN, FN1, MMP9, and MAPK8. In vivo, YQHX significantly improved cardiac function and suppressed apoptosis in ischemic rat myocardium. Furthermore, YQHX could significantly upregulate Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, and inhibit JNK phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS Based on network pharmacology and experimental evidence, this study proves that the cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of YQHX depend on multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway. In particular, YQHX exerts anti-apoptotic effects potentially by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 and JNK-MAPK pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-He Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, PR China; The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shu-Wen Guo
- Fangshan Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102400, PR China.
| | - Tian-Wei Zhan
- Science and Technology College of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, 330000, PR China
| | - Han-Rong Mo
- Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Xi Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Lu-Lu Wei
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Peng-Fei Feng
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Jian-Gong Wu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100029, PR China
| | - Ping Li
- The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Liu SB, Lu SW, Sun H, Zhang AH, Wang H, Wei WF, Han JR, Guo YJ, Wang XJ. Deciphering the Q-markers of nourishing kidney-yin of Cortex Phellodendri amurense from ZhibaiDihuang pill based on Chinmedomics strategy. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 91:153690. [PMID: 34438229 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortex Phellodendri amurensis (CPA) has high medicinal value in the treatment of kidney-yin deficiency diseases. However, due to the lack of research on the therapeutic material basis of CPA, the current quality control standard for CPA is defective, and the effect of the nourishing kidney-yin of CPA was limited. PURPOSE Based on the principle of correspondence between the syndrome and prescriptions, we studied the CPA in ZhibaiDihuang pill (ZBDH) to identify quality markers (Q-markers) of CPA in ZBDH for treating kidney-yin deficiency and seek the potential Q-markers of CPA under nourishing kidney-yin effect combined with the analysis of single CPA. METHODS Taking Chinmedomics as the core strategy, metabonomics analysis and effective component identification were performed by UPLC-MS. RESULTS A total of 121 chemical components of ZBDH were identified, among which the contents of berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine changed the most obviously with the addition of CPA. Forty-five components were identified in the blood in the markedly effective state, including berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine. The therapeutic material basis of ZBDH in the treatment of kidney-yin deficiency was found, and 6 components were found to derive from CPA, including magnoflorine and jatrorrhizine. In addition, seventeen components were identified in the blood in the single CPA treatment, including berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine and magnoflorine. CONCLUSIONS Magnoflorine and jatrorrhizine were the Q-markers of CPA for treating kidney-yin deficiency in the formula of ZBDH and they were also potential Q-markers of the nourishing kidney-yin of CPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Bo Liu
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Sheng-Wen Lu
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Hui Sun
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Ai-Hua Zhang
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Wen-Feng Wei
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jin-Run Han
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Ya-Jing Guo
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xi-Jun Wang
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin 150040, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau; National Engineering Laboratory for the Development of Southwestern Endangered Medicinal Materials, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plant, Nanning Guangxi 530023, China.
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A Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Strategy to Explore Potential Targets and Mechanisms Underlying the Effect of Curcumin on Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5538643. [PMID: 34557547 PMCID: PMC8455200 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5538643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a refractory immune disease, which is often complicated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Curcumin, the most active ingredient of Curcuma longa with a variety of biological activities, has wide effects on the body system. The study is aimed at exploring the potential therapeutic targets underlying the effect of curcumin on SLE-ONFH by utilizing a network pharmacology approach and molecular docking strategy. Methods Curcumin and its drug targets were identified using network analysis. First, the Swiss target prediction, GeneCards, and OMIM databases were mined for information relevant to the prediction of curcumin targets and SLE-ONFH-related targets. Second, the curcumin target gene, SLE-ONFH shared gene, and curcumin-SLE-ONFH target gene networks were created in Cytoscape software followed by collecting the candidate targets of each component by R software. Third, the targets and enriched pathways were examined by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Eventually, a gene-pathway network was constructed and visualized by Cytoscape software; key potential central targets were verified and checked by molecular docking and literature review. Results 201 potential targets of curcumin and 170 related targets involved in SLE-ONFH were subjected to network analysis, and the 36 intersection targets indicated the potential targets of curcumin for the treatment of SLE-ONFH. Additionally, for getting more comprehensive and accurate candidate genes, the 36 potential targets were determined to be analyzed by network topology and 285 candidate genes were obtained finally. The top 20 biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions were identified, when corrected by a P value ≤ 0.05. 20 related signaling pathways were identified by KEGG analysis, when corrected according to a Bonferroni P value ≤ 0.05. Molecular docking showed that the top three genes (TP53, IL6, VEGFA) have good binding force with curcumin; combined with literature review, some other genes such as TNF, CCND1, CASP3, and MMP9 were also identified. Conclusion The present study explored the potential targets and signaling pathways of curcumin against SLE-ONFH, which could provide a better understanding of its effects in terms of regulating cell cycle, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, inflammation, and bone destruction.
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Wei Y, Gao J, Xu F, Shi J, Yu C, Gong Q. A network pharmacological approach to investigate the pharmacological effects of CZ2HF decoction on Alzheimer's disease. IBRAIN 2021; 7:153-170. [PMID: 37786799 PMCID: PMC10529192 DOI: 10.1002/j.2769-2795.2021.tb00080.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, which brings tremendous burden to the sufferers and society. However, ideal tactics are unavailable for AD. Our previous study has shown that CZ2HF, a Chinese herb preparation, mitigates cognitive impairment in AD rats; whereas, its detailed mechanism has not been elucidated. Methods Public databases were applied to collect and identify the chemical ingredients of eight herbs in CZ2HF. Criteria of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion was used to screen oral bio-availability and drug-likeness. STITCH database and Therapeutic Target Database were applied to decipher the relationship between compounds and genes related to AD. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology term analyses were used to identify the involved signaling pathways. Cytoscape was adopted to establish the networks The molecular docking was used to validate the interactions between the candidate compounds and their potential targets. Results 914 compounds were identified in eight herbal medicines of CZ2HF. Among them, 9 compounds and 28 genes were highly involved in the pathologic process of AD. Furthermore, the mechanism of CZ2HF to AD was based on its anti-inflammatory effects mainly through lipopolysaccharide-mediated signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. Core genes in this network were TNF, ICAM1, MMP9 and IL-10. Conclusion This study predicts the active compounds in CZ2HF and uncovers their protein targets using holistic network pharmacology methods. It will provide a insight into the underlying mechanism of CZ2HF to AD from a multi-scale perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wei
- Department of Pharmacythe Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Jian‐Mei Gao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics of School of PharmacyZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- Department of PharmacologyKey Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Fan Xu
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and MedicineAlbert‐Ludwigs‐University FreiburgFreiburgBaden‐WürttembergGermany
| | - Jing‐Shan Shi
- Department of PharmacologyKey Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Chang‐Yin Yu
- Department of Neurologythe Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Qi‐Hai Gong
- Department of Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics of School of PharmacyZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- Department of PharmacologyKey Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
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Tong HL, Chen H, Gong FP, Zhong LY, Zhu J, Yang SH. Components and Pharmacodynamical Mechanism of Yinfupian Based on Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Analyses. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:680640. [PMID: 34262452 PMCID: PMC8273442 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.680640] [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: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: According to the treatment records of Yang deficiency syndrome (YDS) with characteristic decoction pieces of lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii—Yinfupian (YF) in traditional Chinese medicine prepare school, known as “Jianchangbang”. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the composition and therapeutic mechanism of the unprocessed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii (ULRA) and its processed product (YF). Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis method were used to determine and screen the main components of ULRA and YF. Changes in the histological structure and morphology of gonads in rats were observed using hematoxylin-eosin. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF. Tandem mass tag proteomics analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins in YDS rats treated with ULRA and YF. Results: Both ULRA and YF exerted certain therapeutic effects on rats with YDS. They improved the gonadal morphology and increased the contents of serum cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. After processing of ULRA into YF, the content of C19-diester-diterpenoid alkaloids decreased (converted into C19-monoester-diterpenoid alkaloids and C19-alkylol amine-diterpenoid alkaloids), whereas that of C20-diterpene alkaloids increased. Proteomics analysis showed that cytochrome P450 and aldehyde oxidase 3 (AOX3) were downregulated, whereas cathepsin G (CTSG) was upregulated in rats with YDS. Treatment with ULRA mainly downregulated the expression of α-actinin, fast skeletal troponin, creatine kinase, and myosin. Treatment with YF mainly upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ribosomal protein and mitochondrial inner membrane protein. Conclusion: ULRA and YF exerted good therapeutic effects on YDS; the main difference in components between these preparations was in C19-diterpenoid alkaloids. ULRA mainly acts on the muscle contraction-related proteins and is closely related to inflammation and myocardial injury. YF mainly acts on the mitochondrial proteins and is closely related to adenosine triphosphate energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Li Tong
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Fei-Peng Gong
- Department of Orthopedic, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Ling-Yun Zhong
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Song-Hong Yang
- Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
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Tian J, Huang Y, Wu T, Huang HD, Ko KM, Zhu BT, Chen J. The Use of Chinese Yang/Qi-Invigorating Tonic Botanical Drugs/Herbal Formulations in Ameliorating Chronic Kidney Disease by Enhancing Mitochondrial Function. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:622498. [PMID: 34248614 PMCID: PMC8264145 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.622498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated as a key factor in the development of CKD. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, many Chinese Yang/Qi-invigorating botanical drugs/herbal formulations have been shown to produce promising outcomes in the clinical management of CKD. Experimental studies have indicated that the health-promoting action of Yang/Qi invigoration in TCM is related to the up-regulation of mitochondrial energy generation and antioxidant status. Objective: In this review, we aim to test whether Chinese Yang/Qi-invigorating tonic botanical drugs/herbal formulations can provide medical benefits in CKD and its complications. And we also explore the possible involvement of mitochondrial-associated signaling pathway underlying the beneficial effects of Yang/Qi invigoration in TCM. Methods: A systematic search of "PubMed", "China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)" and "Google Scholar" was carried out to collect all the available articles in English or Chinese related to Chinese Yang/Qi-invigorating tonic botanical drugs/herbal formulations and their effects on mitochondrial function and chronic kidney disease. Result and Discussion: The relationship between the progression of CKD and mitochondrial function is discussed. The effects of Chinese Yang/Qi-invigorating tonic botanical drugs/herbal formulations and their active ingredients, including phytosterols/triterpenes, flavonoids, and dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, on CKD and related alterations in mitochondrial signaling pathways are also presented in this review. In the future, exploration of the possible beneficial effects and clinical studies of more Yang- and Qi-invigorating botanical drugs/herbal formulations in the prevention and/or/treatment of CKD and the molecular mechanisms relating to the enhancement of mitochondrial functions warrants further investigation. Conclusion: Given the critical role of mitochondrial function in safeguarding renal functional integrity, the enhancement of mitochondrial energy metabolism and antioxidant status in kidney tissue is likely involved in renal protection. Future studies on the biochemical and chemical basis underlying the effects of Chinese Yang/Qi-invigorating tonic botanical drugs/herbal formulations from a mitochondrial perspective will hopefully provide novel insights into the rational development of new drugs for the prevention and/or treatment of CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Tian
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuqi Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hsien-Da Huang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kam Ming Ko
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bao Ting Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jihang Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Steroid Drug Discovery and Development, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
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Fan L, Peng Y, Wang J, Ma P, Zhao L, Li X. Total glycosides from stems of Cistanche tubulosa alleviate depression-like behaviors: bidirectional interaction of the phytochemicals and gut microbiota. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 83:153471. [PMID: 33636477 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the most frequently used kidney-yang tonifying herb in traditional Chinese medicine, dried succulent stems of Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight (CT) have been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression. However, the antidepressant components and their underlying mechanism remain unclear. PURPOSE To explore the active components of CT against depression, as well as the potential mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Behavioral despair tests were used to assess the antidepressant activities of polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and different glycoside-enriched fractions separated from CT, as well as the typical gut microbiota metabolites including 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (3-HPP) and hydroxytyrosol (HT). Furthermore, the effects of bioactive fractions and metabolites on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model were explored with multiple pharmacodynamics and biochemical analyses. Changes in colonic histology and the intestinal barrier were observed by staining and immunohistochemical analysis. Gut microbial features and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism were explored using 16S rRNA sequencing and western-blotting, respectively. RESULTS Total glycosides (TG) dramatically alleviated depression-like behaviors compared to different separated fractions, reflecting in the synergistic effects of phenylethanoid and iridoid glycosides on the hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, severe neuro- and peripheral inflammation, and deficiencies in 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus. Moreover, TG mitigated low-grade inflammation in the colon and intestinal barrier disruption, and the abundances of several bacterial genera highly correlated with the HPA axis and inflammation in CUMS rats. Consistently, the expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in the colon was significantly reduced after TG administration, accompanied by the suppression of tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism. On the other hand, HT also exerted a marked antidepressant effect by ameliorating HPA axis function, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism, while it was unable to largely adjust the disordered gut microbiota in the same manner as TG. Surprisingly, superior to fluoxetine, TG and HT could further improve dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and abnormal cyclic nucleotide metabolism. CONCLUSION TG are primarily responsible for the antidepressant activity of CT; its effect might be achieved through the bidirectional interaction of the phytochemicals and gut microbiota, and reflect the advantage of CT in the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Fan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Ying Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Ping Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Lijuan Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.
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Systematically Deciphering the Pharmacological Mechanism of Fructus Aurantii via Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6236135. [PMID: 33542744 PMCID: PMC7843179 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6236135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fructus Aurantii (FA) is a traditional herbal medicine that has been widely used for thousands of years in China and possesses a variety of pharmacological effects. However, the active ingredients in FA and the potential mechanisms of its therapeutic effects have not been fully explored. Here, we applied a network pharmacology approach to explore the potential mechanisms of FA. We identified 5 active compounds from FA and a total of 209 potential targets to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PTGS2), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), cell division protein kinase 6 (CDK6), caspase 3 (CASP3), apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 (Bcl-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) were identified as key targets of FA in the treatment of multiple diseases. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment demonstrated that FA was highly related to transcription initiation from RNA polymerase II promoter, DNA-templated transcription, positive regulation of transcription, regulation of apoptosis process, and regulation of cell proliferation. Various signaling pathways involved in the treatment of FA were identified, including pathways in cancer and pathways specifically related to prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, and non-small-cell lung cancer. TP53, AKT1, caspase 3, MAPK3, PTGS2, and BAX/BCL2 were related key targets in the identified enriched pathways and the PPI network. In addition, our molecular docking results showed that the bioactive compounds in FA can tightly bind to most target proteins. This article reveals via network pharmacology research the possible mechanism(s) by which FA exerts its activities in the treatment of various diseases and lays a foundation for further experiments and the development of a rational clinical application of FA.
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Gao Y, Wang KX, Wang P, Li X, Chen JJ, Zhou BY, Tian JS, Guan DG, Qin XM, Lu AP. A Novel Network Pharmacology Strategy to Decode Mechanism of Lang Chuang Wan in Treating Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:512877. [PMID: 33117150 PMCID: PMC7562735 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.512877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex disease is a cascade process which is associated with functional abnormalities in multiple proteins and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. One drug one target has not been able to perfectly intervene complex diseases. Increasing evidences show that Chinese herb formula usually treats complex diseases in the form of multi-components and multi-targets. The key step to elucidate the underlying mechanism of formula in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is to optimize and capture the important components in the formula. At present, there are several formula optimization models based on network pharmacology has been proposed. Most of these models focus on the 2D/3D similarity of chemical structure of drug components and ignore the functional optimization space based on relationship between pathogenetic genes and drug targets. How to select the key group of effective components (KGEC) from the formula of TCM based on the optimal space which link pathogenic genes and drug targets is a bottleneck problem in network pharmacology. To address this issue, we designed a novel network pharmacological model, which takes Lang Chuang Wan (LCW) treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as the case. We used the weighted gene regulatory network and active components targets network to construct disease-targets-components network, after filtering through the network attribute degree, the optimization space and effective proteins were obtained. And then the KGEC was selected by using contribution index (CI) model based on knapsack algorithm. The results show that the enriched pathways of effective proteins we selected can cover 96% of the pathogenetic genes enriched pathways. After reverse analysis of effective proteins and optimization with CI index model, KGEC with 82 components were obtained, and 105 enriched pathways of KGEC targets were consistent with enriched pathways of pathogenic genes (80.15%). Finally, the key components in KGEC of LCW were evaluated by in vitro experiments. These results indicate that the proposed model with good accuracy in screening the KGEC in the formula of TCM, which provides reference for the optimization and mechanism analysis of the formula in TCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Gao
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ke-xin Wang
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Peng Wang
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jing-jing Chen
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Zhijiang College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Shaoxing, China
| | - Bo-ya Zhou
- Department of Ultrasound, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun-sheng Tian
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Dao-gang Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue-mei Qin
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ai-ping Lu
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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He Y, Bao YT, Chen HS, Chen YT, Zhou XJ, Yang YX, Li CY. The Effect of Shen Qi Wan Medicated Serum on NRK-52E Cells Proliferation and Migration by Targeting Aquaporin 1 (AQP1). Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e922943. [PMID: 32491998 PMCID: PMC7293146 DOI: 10.12659/msm.922943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shen Qi Wan (SQW) as a well-known formula for the amelioration of kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS), and it has been widely employed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of SQW medicated serum on proliferation and migration in NRK-52E cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS We employed the real-time cell analysis (RTCA) system to investigate the effect of SQW medicated serum on proliferation and migration in NRK-52E cells. In addition, the migration was further investigated by using a wound-healing assay. The mRNA and protein expression level of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) of NRK-52E cells with SQW medicated serum-treated were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and western blot assay, respectively. Furthermore, NRK-52E cells were transfected with lentivirus AQP1-RNAi to assess migratory cell abilities in vitro. RESULTS The migratory abilities of NRK-52E cells were significantly increased after SQW medicated serum treatment (P<0.05), and no significant difference in cell proliferation. In addition, SQW medicated serum was significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein expression level of AQP1 in NRK-52E cells (P<0.05). Additionally, the in vitro metastasis test proved that knockdown of AQP1 suppressed migratory abilities according to RTCA and wound healing test while was reversed by SQW medicated serum (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that SQW medicated serum effectively promotes the migration of NRK-52E cells by increasing AQP1 expression, and AQP1 may be as a therapeutic target of SQW for renal injury treatment under KYDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying He
- College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Pharmacy, Zhejiang Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yu Ting Bao
- College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Hong Shu Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yi Tao Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Jie Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Xiao Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Chang Yu Li
- College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
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Zhang Y, Wu Y, Fu Y, Lin L, Lin Y, Zhang Y, Ji L, Li C. Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Molecular Mechanism of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma Based on Network Pharmacology. Med Sci Monit Basic Res 2020; 26:e924203. [PMID: 32475979 PMCID: PMC7304315 DOI: 10.12659/msmbr.924203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is a worldwide degenerative brain disease. The aim of this study was to identify the potential mechanism and molecular targets of ATR in AD by using network pharmacology. MATERIAL AND METHODS The potential targets of the active ingredients of ATR were predicted by PharmMapper, and the targets of Alzheimer's disease were searched by DisGeNET. All screened genes were intersected to obtain potential targets for the active ingredients of ATR. The protein-protein interaction network of possible targets was established by STRING, GO Enrichment, and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses using the Annotation of DAVID database. Next, Cytoscape was used to build the "components-targets-pathways" networks. Additionally, a "disease-component-gene-pathways" network was constructed and verified by molecular docking methods. In addition, the active constituents ß-asarone and ß-caryophyllene were used to detect Aß₁₋₄₂-mediated SH-SY5Y cells, and mRNA expression levels of APP, Tau, and core target genes were estimated by qRT-PCR. RESULTS The results showed that the active components of ATR participate in related biological processes such as cancer, inflammation, cellular metabolism, and metabolic pathways and are closely related to the 13 predictive targets: ESR1, PPARG, AR, CASP3, JAK2, MAPK14, MAP2K1, ABL1, PTPN1, NR3C1, MET, INSR, and PRKACA. The ATR active components of ß-caryophyllene significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of APP, TAU, ESR1, PTPN1, and JAK2. CONCLUSIONS The targets and mechanism corresponding to the active ingredients of ATR were investigated systematically, and novel ideas and directions were provided to further study the mechanism of ATR in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yangsheng Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yunbo Fu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Luning Lin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yiyou Lin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yehui Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Liting Ji
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Changyu Li
- Department of Chinese Pharmacy, School of Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
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Chen K, Ma Z, Yan X, Liu J, Xu W, Li Y, Dai Y, Zhang Y, Xiao H. Investigation of the Lipid-Lowering Mechanisms and Active Ingredients of Danhe Granule on Hyperlipidemia Based on Systems Pharmacology. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:528. [PMID: 32435189 PMCID: PMC7218108 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Investigate the active ingredients and underlying hypolipidemic mechanisms of Danhe granule (DHG). Methods The lipid-lowering effect of DHG was evaluated in hyperlipidemic hamsters induced by a high-fat diet. The ingredients absorbed into the blood after oral administration of DHG in hamsters were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). A systems pharmacology approach incorporating target prediction and network construction, gene ontology (GO) enrichment and pathway analysis was performed to predict the active compounds and map the compounds-targets-disease network. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were utilized to analyze the mRNA and protein expression levels of predicted targets. Results DHG remarkably lowered the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and arteriosclerosis index (AI), at the same time, elevated the levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and HDL-c/TC ratio in hyperlipidemic hamsters. Sixteen ingredients absorbed into blood after oral administration of DHG were identified as the possible components interacted with targets. Moreover, 65 potential targets were predicted after targets intersection and compounds–targets–disease network mapping. Then, compounds–targets–pathways network mapping revealed that six active compounds (emodin, naringenin, etc.) compounds could interact with 10 targets such as sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) 1c, SREBP-2 and peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor (PPAR) α, regulate three lipid metabolism-related pathways including SREBP control of lipid synthesis pathway, PPAR signaling pathway and nuclear receptors in lipid metabolism and toxicity pathway, and further affect lipid metabolic processes including fatty acid biosynthesis, low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-mediated cholesterol uptake, bile acid biosynthesis, and cholesterol efflux. Experimental results indicated that DHG significantly increased SREBP-2, LDLR, PPARα, liver X receptor alpha (LXRα), cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), and ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) mRNA and protein expressions while decreased SREBP-1c and fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA, and protein expressions. Conclusion DHG possessed a good hypolipidemic effect that may be through affecting the mRNA and protein expressions of SREBP-1c, FAS, SREBP-2, LDLR, PPARα, LXRα, CYP7A1, and ABCA1, involving in fatty acid synthesis, LDLR-mediated cholesterol uptake, bile acid biosynthesis, and cholesterol efflux. This study further provided experimental evidence about its practical application for treating hyperlipidemia and its complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuikui Chen
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaochen Ma
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoning Yan
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjuan Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yueting Li
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yihang Dai
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yinhuan Zhang
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hongbin Xiao
- Research Center of Chinese Medicine Analysis and Transformation & School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Secretory IgA in Mucosa of Pharynx and Larynx Plays an Important Role against Influenza A Virus Infection in Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome Model. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:9316763. [PMID: 32308721 PMCID: PMC7146091 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9316763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective Influenza virus poses a major threat to human health and has serious morbidity and mortality which commonly occurs in high-risk populations. Pharynx and larynx of the upper respiratory tract mucosa is the first defense line against influenza virus infection. However, the ability of the pharynx and larynx organ to eliminate the influenza pathogen is still not clear under different host conditions. Methods In this study, a mouse model of kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) was used to mimic high-risk peoples. Two different methods of influenza A (H1N1) virus infection by nasal dropping or tracheal intubation were applied to these mice, which were divided into four groups: normal intubation (NI) group, normal nasal dropping (ND) group, model intubation (MI) group, and model nasal dropping (MD) group. The normal control (NC) group was used as a negative control. Body weight, rectal temperature, and survival rate were observed every day. Histopathologic changes, visceral index, gene expressions of H1N1, cytokine expressions, secretory IgA (SIgA) antibodies of tracheal lavage fluids in the upper respiratory tract, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were analyzed by ELISA. Results The MD group had an earlier serious morbidity and mortality than the others. MI and NI groups became severe only in the 6th to 7th day after infection. The index of the lung increased significantly in NI, MI, and MD groups. Conversely, indices of the thymus and spleen increased significantly in NC and ND groups. H&E staining showed severe tissue lesions in MD, MI, and NI groups. H1N1 gene expressions were higher in the MD group compared with the MI group on the 3rd day; however, the MD group decreased significantly on the 7th day. IL-6 levels increased remarkably, and SIgA expressions decreased significantly in the MD group compared with the NC group. Conclusions SIgA secretions are influenced directly by different conditions of the host in the pharynx and larynx in the upper respiratory tract mucosa. In the KYDS virus disease mode, SIgA expressions could be inhibited severely, which leads to serious morbidity and mortality after influenza A virus infection. The SIgA expressions of the pharynx and larynx would be an important target in high-risk populations against the influenza A virus for vaccine or antiviral drugs research.
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Systematic Elucidation of the Potential Mechanism of Erzhi Pill against Drug-Induced Liver Injury via Network Pharmacology Approach. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:6219432. [PMID: 31998398 PMCID: PMC6970004 DOI: 10.1155/2020/6219432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this work was to investigate the bioactive compounds, core genes, and pharmacological mechanisms and to provide a further research orientation of Erzhi pill (EZP) on drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Methods At first, we collected information of bioactive compounds of EZP from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and previous studies. And then, the targets related to bioactive compounds and DILI were obtained from 4 public databases. At last, Cytoscape was used to establish a visual network. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses and network analysis were performed to investigate potential mechanism of EZP against DILI. Results A total of 23 bioactive compounds and 89 major proteins of EZP were screened out as potential players against DILI. Association for bioactive compounds, core targets, and related pathways was analyzed, implying that core targets related to these pathways are ALB, AKT1, MAPK1, EGFR, SRC, MAPK8, IGF1, CASP3, HSP90AA1, and MMP9, and potential mechanisms of EZP acting on DILI are closely related to negative regulation of apoptosis process, improvement of lipid metabolism, and positive regulation of liver regeneration process. Conclusion This study demonstrated the multicompound, multitarget, and multichannel characteristics of EZP, which provided a novel approach for further research the mechanism of EZP in the treatment of DILI.
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Guo X, Ji J, Feng Z, Hou X, Luo Y, Mei Z. A network pharmacology approach to explore the potential targets underlying the effect of sinomenine on rheumatoid arthritis. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 80:106201. [PMID: 31972421 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the potential targets underlying the effect of sinomenine (SIN) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by utilizing a network pharmacology approach. METHODS SIN and its drug targets were identified using network analysis followed by experimental validation. First, the Pharmmapper, UniProt and GeneCards databases were mined for information relevant to the prediction of SIN targets and RA-related targets. Second, the SIN-target gene and SIN-RA target gene networks were created in Cytoscape software followed by the collection of the candidate targets of each component by R software. Eventually, the key targets and enriched pathways were examined by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS Sixty-seven potential targets of SIN and 3797 related targets involved in RA were subjected to network analysis, and the 20 intersection targets indicated the principal pathways linked to RA. Additionally, 16 key targets, which were linked to more than three genes, were determined to be crucial genes. GO analysis showed that 14 biological processes, 5 cellular components and 2 molecular functions were identified, when corrected by a P value ≤ 0.01. Seven related signaling pathways were identified by KEGG analysis, when corrected according to a Bonferroni P value ≤ 0.05. CONCLUSION The present study explored the potential targets and signaling pathways of SIN during the treatment of RA, which may help to illustrate the mechanism (s) involved in the action of SIN and may provide a better understanding of its anti-rheumatoid arthritis effects in terms of inhibiting angiogenesis, synovial hyperplasia, and bone destruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Guo
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China
| | - Jinyu Ji
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China
| | - Zhitao Feng
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China; Institute of Rheumatology, the First College of Clinical Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China.
| | - Xiaoqiang Hou
- Institute of Rheumatology, the First College of Clinical Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China
| | - Yanan Luo
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China
| | - Zhigang Mei
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China.
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