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Stefan SM, Rafehi M. Medicinal polypharmacology: Exploration and exploitation of the polypharmacolome in modern drug development. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22125. [PMID: 37920929 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
At the core of complex and multifactorial human diseases, such as cancer, metabolic syndrome, or neurodegeneration, are multiple players that cross-talk in robust biological networks which are intrinsically resilient to alterations. These multifactorial diseases are characterized by sophisticated feedback mechanisms which manifest cellular imbalance and resistance to drug therapy. By adhering to the specificity paradigm ("one target-one drug concept"), research focused for many years on drugs with very narrow mechanisms of action. This narrow focus promoted therapy ineffectiveness and resistance. However, modern drug discovery has evolved over the last years, increasingly emphasizing integral strategies for the development of clinically effective drugs. These integral strategies include the controlled engagement of multiple targets to overcome therapy resistance. Apart from the additive or even synergistic effects in therapy, multitarget drugs harbor molecular-structural attributes to explore orphan targets of which intrinsic substrates/physiological role(s) and/or modulators are unknown for future therapy purposes. We designated this multidisciplinary and translational research field between medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and molecular pharmacology as 'medicinal polypharmacology'. Medicinal polypharmacology emerged as alternative approach to common single-targeted pharmacology stretching from basic drug and target identification processes to clinical evaluation of multitarget drugs, and the exploration and exploitation of the 'polypharmacolome' is at the forefront of modern drug development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Marcel Stefan
- Drug Development and Chemical Biology, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
- Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology and Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Muhammad Rafehi
- Department of Medical Education, Augsburg University Medicine, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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2
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Wu J, Pan L. Study on the effect of Pogostemon cablin Benth on skin aging based on network pharmacology. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2022; 18:CAD-EPUB-126079. [PMID: 36056869 DOI: 10.2174/1573409918666220901120750] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At present, there is still little research on the anti-aging effect of Pogostemon cablin Benth (PCB) on human skin. In this paper, the mechanism of anti-aging effect of PCB on human skin was studied by using network pharmacology and molecular docking methods. OBJECTIVE To analyze the pharmacological mechanism of PCB in the treatment of skin aging, so as to provide reference for new drug development and clinical application. METHODS Active ingredients and related targets of PCB and skin aging-related disease targets are obtained through public databases, and the "drug-disease-target" and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network diagrams were constructed with the help of software to screen the core targets; Then GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed on the target; Finally, the molecular docking between the components and the targets were verified. RESULTS After screening, 112 intersection targets of active compounds of skin aging and PCB were obtained. Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, it is found that these biological processes mainly focus on epithelial cell proliferation, aging, growth factors, longevity regulation pathway, cancer pathway, AGE-RAGE signal pathway, PI3K Akt signal pathway and IL-17 signal pathway. The molecular docking results showed that quercetin, apigenin, irisnepalensis isoflavone, 3,23-dihydroxy-12-oleorene-28-oleic acid, 5-hydroxy-7,4'- dimethoxyflavone and other major compounds were connected with TP53, JUN, HSP90AAL, AKT1 and MAPK1 through hydrogen bonds, and there was high binding energy between them. CONCLUSION Through multi-target prediction and molecular docking verification, it shows that PCB provides a strong effect in the treatment of skin aging, which provides a reference for its further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiting Wu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangdong, China
| | - Liming Pan
- Guangzhou University City, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, College of traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University
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3
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Noor F, Tahir ul Qamar M, Ashfaq UA, Albutti A, Alwashmi ASS, Aljasir MA. Network Pharmacology Approach for Medicinal Plants: Review and Assessment. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:572. [PMID: 35631398 PMCID: PMC9143318 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products have played a critical role in medicine due to their ability to bind and modulate cellular targets involved in disease. Medicinal plants hold a variety of bioactive scaffolds for the treatment of multiple disorders. The less adverse effects, affordability, and easy accessibility highlight their potential in traditional remedies. Identifying pharmacological targets from active ingredients of medicinal plants has become a hot topic for biomedical research to generate innovative therapies. By developing an unprecedented opportunity for the systematic investigation of traditional medicines, network pharmacology is evolving as a systematic paradigm and becoming a frontier research field of drug discovery and development. The advancement of network pharmacology has opened up new avenues for understanding the complex bioactive components found in various medicinal plants. This study is attributed to a comprehensive summary of network pharmacology based on current research, highlighting various active ingredients, related techniques/tools/databases, and drug discovery and development applications. Moreover, this study would serve as a protocol for discovering novel compounds to explore the full range of biological potential of traditionally used plants. We have attempted to cover this vast topic in the review form. We hope it will serve as a significant pioneer for researchers working with medicinal plants by employing network pharmacology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Noor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan; (F.N.); (M.T.u.Q.)
| | - Aqel Albutti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S. S. Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Mohammad Abdullah Aljasir
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia; (A.S.S.A.); (M.A.A.)
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4
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Zhi HY, Zhao L, Lee CC, Chen CYC. A Novel Graph Neural Network Methodology to Investigate Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11030477. [PMID: 33806898 PMCID: PMC8005042 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a particularly aggressive tumor subtype, and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) has been demonstrated to be a therapeutic target for SCLC. Network pharmacology analysis and virtual screening were utilized to find out related proteins and investigate candidates with high docking capacity to multiple targets. Graph neural networks (GNNs) and machine learning were used to build reliable predicted models. We proposed a novel concept of multi-GNNs, and then built three multi-GNN models called GIAN, GIAT, and SGCA, which achieved satisfactory results in our dataset containing 532 molecules with all R^2 values greater than 0.92 on the training set and higher than 0.8 on the test set. Compared with machine learning algorithms, random forest (RF), and support vector regression (SVR), multi-GNNs had a better modeling effect and higher precision. Furthermore, the long-time 300 ns molecular dynamics simulation verified the stability of the protein–ligand complexes. The result showed that ZINC8577218, ZINC95618747, and ZINC4261765 might be the potentially potent inhibitors for DHODH. Multi-GNNs show great performance in practice, making them a promising field for future research. We therefore suggest that this novel concept of multi-GNNs is a promising protocol for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yi Zhi
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510275, China; (H.-Y.Z.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lu Zhao
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510275, China; (H.-Y.Z.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Cheng-Chun Lee
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan;
| | - Calvin Yu-Chian Chen
- Artificial Intelligence Medical Center, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510275, China; (H.-Y.Z.); (L.Z.)
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan;
- Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Liao X, Bu Y, Jia Q. Traditional Chinese medicine as supportive care for the management of liver cancer: Past, present, and future. Genes Dis 2020; 7:370-379. [PMID: 32884991 PMCID: PMC7452431 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2019.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Western medicine and therapies are the primary treatment strategies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the general prognosis for HCC patients is still dismal. Under these circumstances, HCC prevention is particularly important. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) encompasses a wealth of documented therapeutic resources, and "preventative treatment" is the principle of TCM. In China, TCM has been used for HCC prevention for thousands of years, and has also been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of HCC in modern China. However, the TCM theory for prevention and treatment of HCC is more widely accepted in China than abroad. In this review, we first summarize the herbs and ancient formulas with therapeutic effects on HCC. We also review the research status of TCM in modern medicine as well as the current obstacles in its development. Finally, we discuss the future of TCM in the context of precision and integrated medicine. After reviewing the literature, we believe that TCM, through ancient development, is an advanced method of cancer treatment with positive curative effects, despite its surrounding controversy. Furthermore, precise analyses and systematic research methods provides novel approaches to modernize TCM for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Liao
- Department of Nutrition, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yang Bu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750001, China
| | - Qingan Jia
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
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Barreto dos Santos N, Bonfanti AP, Rocha‐e‐Silva TAAD, da Silva PI, da Cruz‐Höfling MA, Verinaud L, Rapôso C. Venom of the
Phoneutria nigriventer
spider alters the cell cycle, viability, and migration of cancer cells. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:1398-1415. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natália Barreto dos Santos
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Campinas Brazil
| | - Amanda Pires Bonfanti
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Campinas Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Alice da Cruz‐Höfling
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Campinas Brazil
| | - Liana Verinaud
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Campinas Brazil
| | - Catarina Rapôso
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Campinas Brazil
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Integration of phytochemicals and phytotherapy into cancer precision medicine. Oncotarget 2018; 8:50284-50304. [PMID: 28514737 PMCID: PMC5564849 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Concepts of individualized therapy in the 1970s and 1980s attempted to develop predictive in vitro tests for individual drug responsiveness without reaching clinical routine. Precision medicine attempts to device novel individual cancer therapy strategies. Using bioinformatics, relevant knowledge is extracted from huge data amounts. However, tumor heterogeneity challenges chemotherapy due to genetically and phenotypically different cell subpopulations, which may lead to refractory tumors. Natural products always served as vital resources for cancer therapy (e.g., Vinca alkaloids, camptothecin, paclitaxel, etc.) and are also sources for novel drugs. Targeted drugs developed to specifically address tumor-related proteins represent the basis of precision medicine. Natural products from plants represent excellent resource for targeted therapies. Phytochemicals and herbal mixtures act multi-specifically, i.e. they attack multiple targets at the same time. Network pharmacology facilitates the identification of the complexity of pharmacogenomic networks and new signaling networks that are distorted in tumors. In the present review, we give a conceptual overview, how the problem of drug resistance may be approached by integrating phytochemicals and phytotherapy into academic western medicine. Modern technology platforms (e.g. “-omics” technologies, DNA/RNA sequencing, and network pharmacology) can be applied for diverse treatment modalities such as cytotoxic and targeted chemotherapy as well as phytochemicals and phytotherapy. Thereby, these technologies represent an integrative momentum to merge the best of two worlds: clinical oncology and traditional medicine. In conclusion, the integration of phytochemicals and phytotherapy into cancer precision medicine represents a valuable asset to chemically synthesized chemicals and therapeutic antibodies.
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8
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Bufei Huoxue Capsule Attenuates PM2.5-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation in Mice. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2017; 2017:1575793. [PMID: 28337225 PMCID: PMC5350288 DOI: 10.1155/2017/1575793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Atmospheric fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) may carry many toxic substances on its surface and this may pose a public health threat. Epidemiological research indicates that cumulative ambient PM2.5 is correlated to morbidity and mortality due to pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Mitigating the toxic effects of PM2.5 is therefore highly desired. Bufei Huoxue (BFHX) capsules have been used in China to treat pulmonary heart disease (cor pulmonale). Thus, we assessed the effects of BFHX capsules on PM2.5-induced pulmonary inflammation and the underlying mechanisms of action. Using Polysearch and Cytoscape 3.2.1 software, pharmacological targets of BFHX capsules in atmospheric PM2.5-related respiratory disorders were predicted and found to be related to biological pathways of inflammation and immune function. In a mouse model of PM2.5-induced inflammation established with intranasal instillation of PM2.5 suspension, BFHX significantly reduced pathological response and inflammatory mediators including IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-1β. BFHX also reduced keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), and collagen fibers deposition in lung and improved lung function. Thus, BFHX reduced pathological responses induced by PM2.5, possibly via regulation of inflammatory mediators in mouse lungs.
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9
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Poornima P, Kumar JD, Zhao Q, Blunder M, Efferth T. Network pharmacology of cancer: From understanding of complex interactomes to the design of multi-target specific therapeutics from nature. Pharmacol Res 2016; 111:290-302. [PMID: 27329331 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite massive investments in drug research and development, the significant decline in the number of new drugs approved or translated to clinical use raises the question, whether single targeted drug discovery is the right approach. To combat complex systemic diseases that harbour robust biological networks such as cancer, single target intervention is proved to be ineffective. In such cases, network pharmacology approaches are highly useful, because they differ from conventional drug discovery by addressing the ability of drugs to target numerous proteins or networks involved in a disease. Pleiotropic natural products are one of the promising strategies due to their multi-targeting and due to lower side effects. In this review, we discuss the application of network pharmacology for cancer drug discovery. We provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on network pharmacology, focus on different technical approaches and implications for cancer therapy (e.g. polypharmacology and synthetic lethality), and illustrate the therapeutic potential with selected examples green tea polyphenolics, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea, and Schisandra chinensis). Finally, we present future perspectives on their plausible applications for diagnosis and therapy of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paramasivan Poornima
- School of Chemistry, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, United Kingdom
| | - Jothi Dinesh Kumar
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom
| | - Qiaoli Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Martina Blunder
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden and Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN, Natal, Brazil
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
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Abstract
How to design a ligand to bind multiple targets, rather than to a single target, is the focus of this review. Rational polypharmacology draws on knowledge that is both broad ranging and hierarchical. Computer-aided multitarget ligand design methods are described according to their nested knowledge level. Ligand-only and then receptor-ligand strategies are first described; followed by the metabolic network viewpoint. Subsequently strategies that view infectious diseases as multigenomic targets are discussed, and finally the disease level interpretation of medicinal therapy is considered. As yet there is no consensus on how best to proceed in designing a multitarget ligand. The current methodologies are bought together in an attempt to give a practical overview of how polypharmacology design might be best initiated.
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Sarkar FH. Novel Holistic Approaches for Overcoming Therapy Resistance in Pancreatic and Colon Cancers. Med Princ Pract 2016; 25 Suppl 2:3-10. [PMID: 26228733 PMCID: PMC5588517 DOI: 10.1159/000435814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, such as of the colon and pancreas, are highly resistant to both standard and targeted therapeutics. Therapy-resistant and heterogeneous GI cancers harbor highly complex signaling networks (the resistome) that resist apoptotic programming. Commonly used gemcitabine or platinum-based regimens fail to induce meaningful (i.e. disease-reversing) perturbations in the resistome, resulting in high rates of treatment failure. The GI cancer resistance networks are, in part, due to interactions between parallel signaling and aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) that collectively promote the development and survival of drug-resistant cancer stem cells with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) characteristics. The lack of understanding of the resistance networks associated with this subpopulation of cells as well as reductionist, single protein-/pathway-targeted approaches have made 'effective drug design' a difficult task. We propose that the successful design of novel therapeutic regimens to target drug-resistant GI tumors is only possible if network-based drug avenues and agents, in particular 'natural agents' with no known toxicity, are correctly identified. Natural agents (dietary agents or their synthetic derivatives) can individually alter miRNA profiles, suppress EMT pathways and eliminate cancer stem-like cells that derive from pancreatic cancer and colon cancer, by partially targeting multiple yet meaningful networks within the GI cancer resistome. However, the efficacy of these agents as combinations (e.g. consumed in the diet) against this resistome has never been studied. This short review article provides an overview of the different challenges involved in the understanding of the GI resistome, and how novel computational biology can help in the design of effective therapies to overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlul H. Sarkar
- *Fazlul H. Sarkar, PhD, Departments of Pathology and Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R, 740 HWCRC, Detroit, MI 48201 (USA), E-Mail
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Topological robustness analysis of protein interaction networks reveals key targets for overcoming chemotherapy resistance in glioma. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16830. [PMID: 26582089 PMCID: PMC4652178 DOI: 10.1038/srep16830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological networks display high robustness against random failures but are vulnerable to targeted attacks on central nodes. Thus, network topology analysis represents a powerful tool for investigating network susceptibility against targeted node removal. Here, we built protein interaction networks associated with chemoresistance to temozolomide, an alkylating agent used in glioma therapy, and analyzed their modular structure and robustness against intentional attack. These networks showed functional modules related to DNA repair, immunity, apoptosis, cell stress, proliferation and migration. Subsequently, network vulnerability was assessed by means of centrality-based attacks based on the removal of node fractions in descending orders of degree, betweenness, or the product of degree and betweenness. This analysis revealed that removing nodes with high degree and high betweenness was more effective in altering networks' robustness parameters, suggesting that their corresponding proteins may be particularly relevant to target temozolomide resistance. In silico data was used for validation and confirmed that central nodes are more relevant for altering proliferation rates in temozolomide-resistant glioma cell lines and for predicting survival in glioma patients. Altogether, these results demonstrate how the analysis of network vulnerability to topological attack facilitates target prioritization for overcoming cancer chemoresistance.
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Multitarget inhibitors derived from crosstalk mechanism involving VEGFR2. Future Med Chem 2014; 6:1771-89. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc.14.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Seven VEGFR small-molecule inhibitors have been approved by the US FDA as anticancer drugs, which confirms the therapeutic value of angiogenesis inhibitors. However, much more evidence indicates that VEGFR inhibition alone is usually not sufficient to block the tumor progress. The potential of some agents targeting VEGFR owes partially to the simultaneous inhibition of additional targets in other signaling pathways. In this review, the crosstalk between VEGFR2 and the additional targets in other signaling pathways, such as EGFR, MET, FGFR, PDGFR, c-Kit, Raf, PI3K and HDAC, and the synergistic effects derived from multitarget activities against these crosstalks are discussed. We also briefly describe the multitarget inhibitors in clinical trials or reported in the literature and patents under the different multitarget categories involving VEGFR2.
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