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Emerging evidence demonstrates that curcumin has an inhibitory effect on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its targets and mechanism of action need further exploration. The goal of this study was to explore the potential targets and mechanism of curcumin against NSCLC by network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental validation, thereby providing more insight into combination treatment with curcumin for NSCLC in preclinical and clinical research. Curcumin targets against NSCLC were predicted based on HIT2.0, STD, CTD, and DisGeNET, and the core targets were analyzed via protein-protein interaction network construction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and molecular docking. The gene expression levels of samples in A549 cells, NCI-H460, and curcumin treated groups were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. A total of 67 common targets between curcumin and NSCLC were collected by screening public databases. GO and KEGG analysis suggested that curcumin treatment of NSCLC mainly involves cancer-related pathways, such as PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, Foxo signaling pathway, microRNAs, MAPK signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, etc. The targets with the highest degree were identified through the PPI network, namely CASP3, CTNNB1, JUN, IL6, MAPK3, HIF1A, STAT3, AKT1, TP53, CCND1, VEGFA, and EGFR. The results of the in vitro experiments showed that curcumin treatment of NSCLC down-regulated the gene expressions of CCND1, CASP3, HIF1A, IL-6, MAPK3, STAT3, AKT1, and TP53. Our findings revealed that curcumin functions as a potential therapeutic candidate for NSCLC by suppressing multiple signaling pathways and interacting with multiple gene targets.
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Jiawei Xinglou Chengqi Granule (JXCG) is an effective herbal medicine for the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). JXCG has been shown to effectively ameliorate cerebral ischemic symptoms in clinical practice, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of action of JXCG in the treatment of IS by combining metabolomics with network pharmacology. The chemical composition of JXCG was analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF MS) untargeted metabolomics were used to identify differential metabolites within metabolic pathways. Network pharmacology was applied to mine potential targets of JXCG in the treatment of IS. The identified key targets were validated by constructing an integrated network of metabolomics and network pharmacology and by molecular docking using Cytoscape. The effect of JXCG on IS was evaluated in vivo, and the predicted targets and pathways of JXCG in IS therapy were assessed using immunoblotting. Combining metabolomics and network pharmacology, we identified the therapeutic targets of JXCG for IS. Notably, JXCG lessened neuronal damage and reduced cerebral infarct size in rats with IS. Western blot analysis showed that JXCG upregulated PRKCH and downregulated PRKCE and PRKCQ proteins. Our combined network pharmacology and metabolomics findings showed that JXCG may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of IS by targeting multiple factors and pathways.
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Objective To investigate the mechanism of Guizhi Fuling Pills in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)and endometriosis(EMT).Methods TCMSP was utilized to obtain the active ingredients and related targets of the constituent Chinese medicines of Guizhi Fuling Pills.GeneCards,PharmGKB,and TTD databases were used to screen PCOS and EMT disease targets,respectively.The Venn R diagram was drawn after obtaining the intersecting targets of drugs and diseases using the Venn R package in R software,the drug-active ingredient-potential target interactions network diagram was made in Cytoscape,the intersecting target protein-protein interactions(PPI)network diagram was drawn in the STRING platform,and Cytoscape was used to optimize the PPI network and screen the core targets.R language was applied for Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis,and AutoDockTools was for molecular docking.Results A total of 85 active ingredients and 191 corresponding targets of Guizhi Fuling Pills were obtained,and 77 potential targets of Guizhi Fuling Pills for the treatment of PCOS and EMT.The core active ingredients of Guizhi Fuling Pills for PCOS and EMT were quercetin,β-sitosterol,kaempferol,hederagenin,baicalein,and the core targets were AKT1,EGFR,IL-6,TNF,and TP53.GO functional analysis yielded 2 020 biological process,34 cellular components,126 molecular functions,and KEGG enrichment analysis yielded 165 signaling pathways.Molecular docking showed that the core components in the formula docked well with the targets.Conclusion Guizhi Fuling Pills may regulate the signaling pathways of lipid and atherosclerosis,AGE-RAGE signaling pathway,fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis,and chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation through quercetin,β-sitosterol,kaempferol,hederagenin,and baicalein,and act on AKT1,EGFR,IL-6,TNF,and TP53,thus treating PCOS and EMT with homotherapy for heteropathy.
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Objective The network pharmacological methods and molecular docking technology were used for investigating the possibility of Psoraleae Fructus in promoting precocious puberty in children and its potential mechanism.Methods The main active ingredients of Psoraleae Fructus and their therapeutic targets were obtained from BATMAN-TCM online platform.The disease targets related with precocious puberty were obtained from GeneCards database.A visualized network of active ingredients-disease targets was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.1 software.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)network diagrams were constructed based on the STRING online database.Gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis were conducted using Metascape online tool.The structures of the main active ingredients were obtained from PubChem database,the structures of core targets were obtained from RCSB PDB database,and then the structures were imported into Autodock for molecular docking.Finally,the mimic diagrams of the molecular docking were drawn using PYMOL software.Results A total of 12 active ingredients of Psoraleae Fructus were obtained,involving 274 targets.And there were 11 active ingredients and 98 targets associated with precocious puberty.The main active compounds were stigmasterol,bakuchiol,angelicin,bavachalcone,isobavachalcone,and xanthotoxin.The main targets were estrogen receptor 1(ESR1),estrogen receptor 2(ESR2),insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF1),and progesterone receptor(PGR),which were mainly involved in the ovarian steroidogenic pathway and Hippo signaling pathway.The molecular docking results showed that the active compounds were well binded to the targets.Conclusion It is possible that Psoraleae Fructus can promote the sexual development in children and has its potential pharmacological mechanism.The results will provide theoretical references for the clinical prevention and treatment of precocious puberty and early pubertal development in children.
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Objective To screen the potential pharmacological targets of Ningzhi capsule,a lipid-lowering tradi-tional Chinese medicine,and explore its mechanism of effect.Methods The components and predicted targets of Ningzhi capsule′s constituent drugs were obtained from BATMAN-TCM database.Hyperlipidemia-related targets were obtained from DisGeNET and GeneCards databases.The Venny2.1.0 tool was used to map drug targets and disease targets to obtain common targets as potential pharmacological targets.Protein-protein interaction analysis(STRING),gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis(DAVID)were performed for the common targets.Finally,Swiss dock was used for molecular docking verification.Results A total of 1 432 predicted targets of Ning-zhi capsule and 87 targets related to hyperlipidemia were found and 32 common targets were screened which covered 64 potential pharmacological ingredients of Ningzhi capsule.Potential pharmacological targets were most abundant for turmeric root-tuber,turmeric and cattail pollen,and potential pharmacological ingredients were most abundant for sickle senna seed,turmeric and turmeric root-tuber.Apolipoprotein E(APOE),nitric oxide synthase 3(NOS3)and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha(PPARA)had the highest hyperlipidemia correlation scores and more protein interactions,which were potential core targets.The biological processes related to DNA transcription were significantly enriched.Cholesterol metabolism,cGMP-PKG and PPAR signaling pathways were involved with APOE,NOS3 and PPARA,respectively.Molecular docking showed good binding activity.Conclusions There are many potential pharmacological ingredients of Ningzhi capsule and the key components for lowering lipids include turmeric root-tuber,turmeric,cattail pollen and sickle senna seed.APOE,NOS3 and PPARA are believed to be the key targets for lowering lipids with potential mechanism related to cholesterol metabo-lism,cGMP-PKG and PPAR signaling pathways.
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Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of Atractylodes macrocephala in the treatment of Ulcerative colitis(UC)based on network pharmacology,and verify it with animal experiments.Methods The active components of Atractylodes macrocephala was screened from the TCMSP database,the TCM-ID database,and in combination with relevant references,and the corresponding targets were obtained through Swiss database.The relevant targets of UC were obtained from GeneCards database,construct the"drug-component-target-disease"network diagram and"pathway-active ingredient-target"network diagram and draw PPI network diagram;GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG signal pathway annotation analysis were carried out.Autodock software is used for molecular docking of active components and targets.Then,the experimental validation of the network pharmacology prediction was carried out.The mouse UC model was induced by dextran sodium sulfate(DSS).The pathological changes of the colon tissue,the number of goblet cells,and the positive expression of inflammatory factorswere detected by HE staining,AB-PAS staining and immunohistochemistry in colon tissue of UC mice.Results The results have shown 30 active ingredients including atractylolactone I,II and III were screened,and 591 corresponding targets were obtained,of which the key target was IL-1β、TNF-α and so on.Molecular docking show that the core components had good binding affinity with the key targets.And the results of animal experiments showed that the alcohol extract of Atractylodes macrocephala could significantly increase the colon length,reduce the DAI score,improve the pathological changes of colon tissue of UC mice,increase the number of goblet cells,and inhibit the expression of IL-1β,TNF-α in colon tissue.Conclusion This study indicated that Atractylodes macrocephala could regulate the release of inflammatory factors through multiple components,multi-target and multi-channel,which could inhibit inflammatory reaction and play a role in improving UC.
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Objective The potential mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by rhubarb was preliminarily explored by network pharmacology and verified by cell experiments.Methods Based on network pharmacology,component collection and target prediction are carried out through multiple databases.PPI network construction,GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were combined with software to systematically predict the mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by rhubarb.The pathway information predicted by network pharmacology was verified by primary hepatocyte experiments and Western blot experiments.Results The results of network pharmacology showed that RH was the main component of hepatotoxicity induced by rhubarb.Seventeen core targets of hepatotoxicity induced by rhubarb were obtained.KEGG results suggested that DNA damage and apoptosis were one of the key mechanisms of hepatotoxicity induced by rhubarb.The results of primary hepatocytes and Western blot showed that RH could inhibit the viability of primary hepatocytes in a time-dose dependent manner.ABT and SFP can significantly reduce the toxicity of RH on primary liver cells in mice,and RFP can increase the toxicity of RH to mouse primary liver cells.Upregulation of γ-H2AX and PARP-1 protein in primary liver cells of mice after treatment with different concentrations of RH.Conclusion RH in rhubarb can significantly inhibit the viability of mouse primary hepatocytes,and its toxicity to mouse primary hepatocytes is mainly caused by the metabolic activation of RH by CYP 2C9.RH can activate PARP-1 protein,phosphorylate H2AX,induce DNA damage and apoptosis in mouse primary hepatocytes.
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BACKGROUND:Pueraria decoction is a famous prescription of traditional Chinese medicine,which has good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.The mechanism of Pueraria decoction in osteoarthritis was analyzed using network pharmacology to obtain the main therapeutic components of Pueraria decoction. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the mechanism of Pueraria decoction in the treatment of osteoarthritis through network pharmacology and animal experiments. METHODS:First,the active ingredients of Pueraria decoction were screened through the Chinese Herbal Medicine Analysis platform(TCMSP)and the genes related to osteoarthritis were collected in the GeneCards database.Second,Cytoscape software was used to construct the"active ingredient-target-disease"network diagram,explore hub genes and analyze gene expression differences.Subsequently,the therapeutic effect of luteolin,one of the main components of Pueraria decoction,was verified in a mouse model of osteoarthritis.Finally,the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)and the gene ontology(GO)enrichment analyses of the target genes were conducted to further explore the relevant mechanisms. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:115 active ingredients and 147 target genes related to osteoarthritis were identified.GO and KEGG analyses found that Pueraria decoction could affect osteoarthritis through a variety of reaction mechanisms and metabolic pathways.Six hub genes and compounds acting on these genes were determined.Luteolin,the main component of Pueraria decoction,could better promote cartilage repair,accelerate the decrease of typy II collagen and inhibit the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 and cyclooxygenase 2 in animal experiments.To conclude,Pueraria decoction contains various active ingredients to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis through oxidative stress and metabolic pathways.
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BACKGROUND:In clinical practice,Cibotium barometz and Epimedium have shown significant efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,but the complex active ingredients contained in the two have an unclear mechanism of action at the molecular level for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE:Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology,to establish a collagen-induced arthritis model and to verify the potential targets and pathways of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,providing reliable experimental evidence for the use of clinical formulas with Cibotium barometz and Epimedium as the main components. METHODS:Utilizing traditional Chinese medicine research platforms,traditional Chinese medicine encyclopedias,and databases of traditional Chinese medicine and chemical components from the Shanghai Institute of Organic,effective ingredients were retrieved and identified.3D molecular formulas were obtained from the PubChem platform and target predictions were made using PharmMapper and SwissTargetPrediction.Disease targets for rheumatoid arthritis were obtained from gene databases such as DrugBank,GeneCards,and OMIM.The intersections of targets and Cibotium barometz and Epimedium were plotted using VENNY 2.1 after calibration with the Uniport database.A protein-protein interaction network graph was constructed using the STRING platform.Gene Ontology function analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis were performed using the Metascape platform for data visualization.A four-layered network model of traditional Chinese medicine,ingredients,targets,diseases,and pathways was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0.The main effective ingredients were docked with core targets using AutoDock-Vina software to explore the best binding targets.A type II collagen+adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model was established,and the effects of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium on relevant pathway targets and inflammatory cell factors were observed after 21 days of intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 28 active ingredients from Cibotium barometz and Epimedium were selected,yielding 288 intersection targets for rheumatoid arthritis.The main ingredients included isobavachalcone,cibotium,and epimedium.The main targets included protein kinase 1 for serine/threonine(AKT1),tumor necrosis factor,and vascular endothelial growth factor A.Gene ontology analysis yielded 2 232 biological processes,mainly related to serine protein phosphorylation,positive regulation of serine/threonine protein kinase,and reactive oxygen metabolism.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis yielded 202 pathways,mainly involving the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway,which may exert therapeutic effects by regulating synovial cell apoptosis and proliferation and suppressing inflammatory factors.Molecular docking results showed the strongest binding activity and stable structure of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium with AKT1 and estrogen receptor transcription factor 1,which was closely related to apoptosis and proliferation and inflammatory signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT.Cibotium barometz and Epimedium reduced the expression of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-α in the serum of collagen-induced arthritis rat models.Cibotium barometz and Epimedium reduced the expression of p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-FOXO1 in the synovium of collagen-induced arthritis rat models.The results indicate that the combination of Cibotium barometz and Epimedium may exert therapeutic effects by inhibiting the proliferation of synovial cells and suppressing the expression of inflammatory factors via the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling pathway.This may be closely related to the occurrence of inflammation and bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis,and provides a reference for the rational use and development of new drugs in clinical practice.
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BACKGROUND:At present,effective preventive and therapeutic measures for hypertrophic scar are still limited.In contrast,most of botanical herbs have few side effects and abundant sources,offering new ideas and approaches for the prevention and treatment for hypertrophic scar. OBJECTIVE:To explore the potential molecular mechanism of plant-derived β-sitosterol on hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques and to initially verify it by cytological experiments. METHODS:Through the network pharmacology,the relevant database and software were used to screen the drug targets of β-sitosterol and obtain the hypertrophic scar-related disease targets.The potential(intersection)targets of β-sitosterol on hypertrophic scar were obtained.Cytoscape software and STRING database were used to construct the"drug-target-disease"network and protein-protein interaction network,and screen out the core targets in the protein-protein interaction network.Gene ontology(GO)biological function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses of intersection targets were conducted through the DAVID database,and the signaling pathways and core target genes closely related to the intersection targets were further identified through literature analysis.AutoDock software was used to perform the molecular docking of β-sitosterol and core target proteins.In vitro cellular assays were used to verify the effects of β-sitosterol on proliferation,apoptosis,cell cycle distribution and mRNA expression of core target genes in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 56 intersection targets of β-sitosterol and hypertrophic scar and 10 core targets were identified in the protein-protein interaction network,including tyrosine kinase,mitogen-activated protein kinase 3(MAPK3),cysteine protease 3(CASP3),apolipoprotein E,estrogen receptor 1,sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1,peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha,C-reactive protein,intercellular adhesion molecule 1,and catalase.Combined with the literatures and the functional analysis of the KEGG and GO,the MAPK signaling pathway was further identified to be closely related to the intersection targets,and MAPK3(ERK1-MAPK),CASP3,P53 and tumor necrosis factor were identified as the core targets.The molecular docking results indicated that β-sitosterol was well bound to the core target proteins.Cellular assays showed that 100 μmol/L β-sitosterol inhibited hypertrophic scar fibroblast proliferation,decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and induced apoptosis(P<0.01),increased the proportion of G1-phase cells and decreased the proportion of S-phase cells(P<0.05),upregulated the mRNA expression of CASP3,P53 and tumor necrosis factor(P<0.05),and downregulated the mRNA expression of MAPK3(P<0.001).To conclude,β-sitosterol may induce cell apoptosis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by activating the tumor necrosis factor pathway and upregulating the expression of CASP3 and P53,while inhibiting the ERK-MAPK pathway to arrest cell cycle and thus reduce the proliferation of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.
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BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription has a long history in the treatment of primary osteoporosis,and the curative effect is definite,but the medication rule and mechanism are not clear. OBJECTIVE:Using the methodology of data mining and network pharmacology,to explore and verify the law of drug use and molecular mechanism of modern traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of primary osteoporosis. METHODS:The relevant documents included in CNKI,WanFang,VIP and PubMed were used as data sources,and the relevant data were statistically counted and extracted by Microsoft EXCEL2019,IBMSPSS25.0 and other software.The high-frequency drugs obtained from the data statistics were analyzed by association rules analysis and cluster analysis,and the core drug combination of traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription in the treatment of primary osteoporosis was obtained by combining the two results.The therapeutic mechanism of this combination was explained by network pharmacology and verified by molecular docking. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Finally,151 articles were included and 207 prescriptions were selected,involving 285 flavors of Chinese herbs.(1)Ten groups of important drug combinations were obtained through the above two analyses,among which the core drug combination with the highest confidence and improvement was"Drynaria-Eucommia-Angelica."The key components of the combination in the treatment of primary osteoporosis were quercetin,kaempferol,naringenin and so on.The core targets were SRC proto-oncogene,phosphoinositide-3-Kinase regulatory subunit 1 and RELA proto-oncogene.The main pathways were cancer signaling pathway,JAK-STAT signaling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,and NF-κB signaling pathway.(2)The key active components were docked with the core targets,and the two showed a good combination.To conclude,Chinese herbal compound therapy in the treatment of primary osteoporosis can use a variety of active components to exert its efficacy through multiple signal pathways and acting on multiple targets,which can provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of new drugs for the follow-up treatment of primary osteoporosis.
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BACKGROUND:The specific mechanism of Gushukang,as a Chinese traditional patent medicine for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis of kidney deficiency and blood stasis,needs further studies. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Gushukang on serum sex hormones,bone microstructure and estrogen receptor in postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS:Firstly,network pharmacological analysis was performed.The active ingredients and action targets of Gushukang and the targets of postmenopausal osteoporosis were obtained respectively.Cytoscape was used to construct the active ingredient-target network.STRING database and Cytoscape were used for protein-protein interaction analysis and screening of core targets.DAVID database was used for Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses of intersection targets.Then the ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the animal experiment.Gushukang was administered by gavage for 3 months.The serum estrogen level was detected by ELISA,the bone microstructure was detected by microCT,and the protein expression of estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β in bone tiusse was detected by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The network pharmacological research results identified 132 active ingredients and 150 targets of Gushukang and 1155 targets of postmenopausal osteoporosis.After intersections with 1155 postmenopausal osteoporosis targets,87 targets of active ingredients of Gushukang against postmenopausal osteoporosis were obtained.By constructing the active ingredient-target network,it was found that the active ingredients at the core were quercetin,kaempferol,luteolin,naringin and isorhamnetin,and the targets at the core were NCOA2,ESR2,AR,F2,ESR1 and PTGS1.The final targets obtained after the protein-protein interaction analysis and screening included MAPK8,ESR1,JUN,R3C1,RELA and FOS,of which ESR1 was the common core target obtained from the two analyses.KEGG enrichment analysis showed estrogen,tumor necrosis factor,apoptosis and other signaling pathways.Therefore,animal experiments focused on the effect of Gushukang on different subtypes of estrogen receptors in the estrogen signaling pathway.The results showed that in the Gushukang group,bone microstructure was significantly improved,serum estrogen level had no significant change,but the protein expression of estrogen receptor α and β in bone tissue was significantly increased.All the findings indicate that the mechanism of Gushukang in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis may be related to its hormone-like effect and the enhancement of estrogen receptor expression.
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BACKGROUND:Studies have found that glucagon-like peptide-1 and its analogues have a significant neuroprotective effect,and some drugs have been applied to the clinical stage Ⅲ study of Alzheimer's disease.However,the mechanism of its neuroprotective effect is still unclear,which needs to be further explored and clarified. OBJECTIVE:To screen out the genes related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and the related targets of semaglutide for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease based on bioinformatics and network pharmacology analyses,to identify the potential target genes by comprehensive analysis of the two and to verify them at the cellular level. METHODS:Using DisGeNET database,differentially expressed genes between Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy population were screened out.The chemical structure formula and two-dimensional structure diagram of semaglutide were obtained using PubChem online database.GO/KEGG enrichment analysis was performed using DAVID online database.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed by using the STRING database.The HPA database was used to determine the distribution characteristics of the target proteins in various human tissues.Finally,western blot was used to detect relevant protein expression in HT22 cells after semaglutide intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:With the dataset in DisGeNET database,3 374 differentially expressed genes between Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy people were obtained,and meanwhile,101 target genes of semaglutide potential drugs were obtained.There were 23 intersection genes between them.Ten key genes were identified based on the protein-protein interaction network,which were silent information regulator 1(SIRT1),CASP9,CCND1,CASP1,KEAP1,DLG4,CASP4,GRB2,GRIA1,and EDNRA.The results of GO gene functional annotation analysis of key genes showed that the positive regulatory activity of cysteine endopeptidase,the positive regulation of proteolysis,and the positive regulation of cysteine endopeptidase involved the cytoplasmic part of the apoptotic activity process;AMPA glutamate receptor complex,inflammatory complex,CARD domain binding,cysteine endopeptidase activity,and cysteine endopeptidase activity were involved in the apoptotic process.The results of KEGG signaling pathway analysis indicated that colorectal cancer,non-small cell carcinoma,and endometrial carcinoma were related to immune infiltration,inflammation and autophagic apoptosis.In addition,according to the association ranking of key genes and their distribution in different tissues of HPA online database,SIRT1 was identified as the most significant differential gene.The expression level of SIRT1 protein was significantly down-regulated in HT22 cells after β-amyloid protein 1-42 treatment,but it could be significantly increased after being treated with semaglutide.To conclude,SIRT1 may be a target gene for semaglutide in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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BACKGROUND:The Yi people have used Sambucus adnata Wall to treat fractures,bruises,arthritis,etc.The author's group found that the active site aqueous extract(SAW-A)and dichloromethane extract(SAW-B)can promote fracture healing by promoting the expression of genes related to osteoblast proliferation,differentiation and maturation,differentiation and maturation.However,the therapeutic effect of methanol extract(SAW-C)at its active site on osteoarthritis is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the therapeutic effect of Sambucus adnata Wall extract on osteoarthritis,and to identify the effective targets of Sambucus adnata Wall extract in the treatment of osteoarthritis by network pharmacology technology. METHODS:A rat osteoarthritis model was replicated by anterior cruciate ligamentectomy and model rats were then treated with methanol extract of Sambucus adnata Wall by gavage for 21 days.On the 21st day after modeling,the knee joint of rats was detected by X-ray,the width of the knee joint was measured,oxidative stress indexes and inflammatory factors levels in serum and joint lavage fluid were detected,the morphology of the knee joint was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining,full-thickness cartilage and hyaline cartilage thickness were measured,and the content of articular cartilage proteoglycan was observed by safranin O-fast green staining.The"drug-component-disease-target"network was constructed.Gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis of effective targets were performed,and protein-protein interaction network maps were constructed using cytoscape software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Sambucus adnata Wall extract could reduce tumor necrosis factor-α level in joint lavage fluid and serum levels of prostaglandin E2 and malondialdehyde,while increase the level of superoxide dismutase;relieve joint swelling caused by osteoarthritis;improve the histopathological state of articular cartilage,maintain the thickness of full-thickness articular cartilage,hyaline cartilage and the area of bone trabeculae in subchondral bone;and effectively prevent the loss of proteoglycans in articular cartilage and have a chondroprotective effect.Network pharmacological results showed that the methanol extract of Sambucus adnata Wall may have some targets related to inhibition of tumor necrosis factor,AKT1,interleukin-6,MAPK3,and SRC as well as inhibition of over-activation of EGFR signaling pathway and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway.
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BACKGROUND:Yougui Pill is a famous formula of the Chinese traditional medicine,which has good efficacy for lumbar disc herniation due to kidney yang insufficiency. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the potential targets and mechanism of action of Yougui Pill in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation by using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology,and verified by animal experiments. METHODS:(1)Network pharmacological analysis:We obtained the active ingredients and targets of Yougui Pill from TCMSP and other databases,collected genes related to lumbar disc herniation from GeneCards database,and took the intersection of the two for the topological analysis to derive the main active ingredients and core therapeutic targets.Gene ontology function analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis were performed using R software.(2)Molecular docking:Autodock and Pymol software were utilized for the prediction of molecular binding energy of TCM active ingredients to core therapeutic targets.(3)Animal experiments:Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group,a degeneration group and a Yougui Pill group,with 6 rats in each group.A rat model of intervertebral disc degeneration was prepared by fiber puncture method in the degeneration and Yougui Pill groups.At 2 weeks after modeling,Yougui Pill was given by gavage in the Yougui Pill group,once a day for 2 consecutive weeks.The level of tumor necrosis factor-α in serum was detected by the ELISA method,and morphological changes of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 90 active ingredients and 64 targets,and the main active ingredients were found to be quercetin,kaempferol,β-carotene,soybean flavonoid,and 4'-O-methylnyasol.The core targets of Yougui Pill for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation were interleukin 6,tumor necrosis factor-α,AKT1,interleukin 1B,and vascular endothelial growth factor A.Enrichment analysis revealed that the intersecting genes might be expressed through the interleukin-17 signaling pathway,tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway,MAPK signaling pathway,PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,and other signaling pathways to improve intervertebral disc degeneration.The molecular docking test verified that quercetin,kaempferol,and β-carotene had strong binding ability to the core targets.Animal experiments showed that the level of serum tumor necrosis factor α in the degeneration group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05),and the level of serum tumor necrosis factor α in the Yougui Pill group was lower than that in the degeneration group(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the fibrous annulus of the intervertebral discs and the structure of the nucleus pulposus in the degeneration group were destroyed,and the number of nucleus pulposus cells was reduced;there was a tendency to reconstructing the fibrous annulus of the intervertebral discs in the Yougui Pill group,and the number of nucleus pulposus cells increased compared with the degeneration group.To conclude,Yougui Pill may treat lumbar disc herniation by improving disc degeneration through the effects of quercetin,kaempferol,beta-carotene and other key active ingredients on core targets such as tumor necrosis factor.
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BACKGROUND:Semen cuscutae has the effect of tonifying the liver and kidney system and benefiting the essence.The main pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is deficiency of the liver and kidneys.Therefore,it is hypothesized that there is a link between semen cuscutae and osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:To explore the potential relationship between osteoarthritis and semen cuscutae and validate the mechanism of semen cuscutae based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis. METHODS:First,the active ingredients and targets of semen cuscutae were screened in TCMSP,and the genes related to osteoarthritis were collected in the disease databases GeneCard's,OMIM and TTD.The intersected genes were taken and then subjected to a series of analyses and screened for hub genes.Through the enrichment analysis of hub genes,the pathway of semen cuscutae acting on osteoarthritis was selected.The role of hub genes was verified by molecular docking.Therefore,the appropriate active ingredients of semen cuscutae were selected for experimental verification. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 11 active ingredients of semen cuscutae,66 intersection target genes of semen cuscutae and osteoarthritis,and 12 hub genes,including tumor necrosis factor,interleukin 1B,TP53,RAC-alpha serine/threonine protein kinase(AKT1),vascular endothelial growth factor A,matrix metalloproteinase 9,prostaglandin peroxidase 2,cystatinase 3,epidermal growth factor,peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma,interleukin 10,vascular cell adhesion factor 1.After the enrichment analysis of the hub genes,the classical inflammatory pathway,nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway,was selected for subsequent validation of semen cuscutae to alleviate osteoarthritic inflammation.Through the results obtained after molecular docking of each active ingredient and the hub gene of the pathway prostaglandin peroxidase 2,sesamin with the highest affinity was selected for subsequent cell experiments,and the experimental results confirmed that sesamin,the active ingredient of semen cuscutae,could reduce the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway induced by interleukin-1β.To conclude,sesamin,the active ingredient of semen cuscutae,reduces the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway induced by interleukin-1β,thereby improving inflammation in osteoarthritis and expanding the therapeutic effect of semen cuscutae in osteoarthritis.
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Objective To explore the possible mechanism of Naoshuantong capsule in the treatment of cerebral infarction by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.Methods The main active ingredients and targets of Naoshuantong Capsule were screened based on the TCMSP database.At the same time,the targets related to cerebral infarction were collected through GeneCards,OMIM,PharmGKB,TTD and DrugBank databases,and the intersection targets of drugs and diseases were obtained using InteractiVenn platform.Cytoscape software was used to construct the"active ingredient-disease target"network model.STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to construct protein interaction network diagrams,and core targets were screened according to the degree.GO functional analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed on inter-secting targets using R language.Finally,AutoDock Vina and Symol were used to molecularly dock the active components in the"active ingredient-disease target"network with protein targets.Results 23 active ingredients and 264 related potential targets of Naoshuantong Capsule were collected;2,043 targets related to cerebral infarction were also collected;149 common targets were obtained by the intersection of the two.It mainly acts on JUN,TNF,IL6,NFKBIA and so on,which mainly involve TNF signa-ling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,NF-kappa B signaling pathway and apoptosis pathway to play a role in the treatment of cerebral infarction.Molecular docking results showed that the active components of drugs in the network bind well to target pro-teins.Conclusion This study preliminarily revealed the potential multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway mecha-nism of Naoshuantong Capsule for cerebral infarction by network pharmacology,molecular docking and bioinformatics analysis.
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Objective:To explore and validate the targets of Salvia miltiorrhiza in myopia using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods:The TCMSP database was used to extract the targets of Salvia miltiorrhiza.GeneCards, DisGeNET, Malacard and OMIM databases were used to extract the myopia-related targets.The target intersection was taken, and the intersecting targets were selected to extract the corresponding active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and construct the pharmacological regulatory network of TCM using Cytoscape.The protein interaction network map for the key target genes was constructed using the String database, and the relevant proteins were selected to download the three-dimensional structures of the active ingredients from the PubChem database, and molecular docking was performed using AutoDockvina software.Twelve 3-week-old guinea pigs were induced with lens-induced myopia (LIM) in the right eye and randomly divided into normal saline group and sodium danshensu group, with 6 animals in each group.During the maintenance of LIM, periocular injection of 1 ml normal saline or sodium danshensu was performed daily.The contralateral eye was used as a negative control.On days 0, 14, and 28 of the experiment, the axial length of both eyes was measured by A-scan ultrasonography, and the refractive status was assessed with a streak retinoscope.To avoid individual differences, relative spherical equivalent (treated eye-contralateral eye) and relative axial length (treated eye-contralateral eye) were compared.On day 28, the relative expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) proteins were determined by Western blot.The feeding and use of laboratory animals followed the 3R principle, and the research program was approved by the Ethics Committee of Experimental Animal Center of Zhengzhou University (No.ZZU-LAC 202320405[02]). Results:Sixteen intersecting key targets were screened for myopia and TCM components derived from Salvia divinorum.A TCM network pharmacology map and protein interaction map were constructed with Salvia divinorum as a drug candidate, and the corresponding proteins of target genes, such as MMP2, TGFB1, and MMP9 were screened to perform molecular docking with the active ingredients, such as lignocellulosic acid, danshensu, tanshinone ⅡA, and so on.After 14 days of induction, the relative spherical equivalent and relative axial length were (-4.67±1.03)D and (0.67±0.26)mm in sodium danshensu group, and (-6.30±1.22)D and (1.08±0.34)mm normal saline group, indicating slower myopia progression and axial elongation in sodium danshensu group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.412, P=0.039; t=2.750, P=0.049). The relative expression levels of HIF-1α protein were 0.20±0.01, 1.29±0.05 and 0.63±0.02, and the relative expression levels of TGF-β1 protein were 0.93±0.05, 0.25±0.01 and 0.74±0.05 in the negative control, normal saline and sodium danshensu groups, respectively.The expression of HIF-1α protein was higher in sodium danshensu group than in negative control group but lower than in the normal saline group, and the expression of TGF-β1 protein was lower in sodium danshensu group than in negative control group but higher than in the normal saline group, showing statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:Natural compounds extracted from Salvia divinorum extracts may serve as potential drug candidates to combat scleral hypoxia and improve scleral extracellular matrix remodeling.
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Objective To explore the key molecular targets and possible mechanisms of Aidi injection in the treatment of ovarian cancer using network pharmacology and cell experiments.Methods TCMSP database was used to screen the active ingredients and tar-gets of Aidi injection,and the abnormal expressed genes of ovarian cancer were screened,and the possible targets of Aidi injection in o-varian cancer were obtained after intersection analysis.Then,protein-protein interaction analysis,drug-compact-target network con-struction and enrichment analysis of possible targets were performed.The target was further screened,and the key genes related to the prognosis of ovarian cancer were experimentally verified.After treated with 50mg/ml Aidi injection,the cell proliferation ability was ob-served by CCK-8 assay,and the expression of core target genes was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results A total of 13 possible targets of Aidi injection in ovarian cancer were screened.These targets were mainly enriched in signaling pathways closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors,such as apoptosis,platinum resistance and interleukin-17.Among the 13 genes,claudin 4(CLDN4),secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor(SLPI)and baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5(BIRC5)were associated with the prognosis of ovarian cancer.Cell experiments showed that Aidi injection significantly inhibited the proliferation of ovari-an cancer cell,promoted the expression of BIRC5,a protective target of ovarian cancer,while significantly decreased the levels of ovarian cancer risk factors CLDN4 and SLPI.Conclusion Aidi injection may achieve multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway anti-ovarian cancer and combination chemotherapy by affecting the expression of CLDN4,SLPI and BIRC5.
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Objective To study the effect and mechanism of Anchusa italica Retz on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion inju-ry in rats based on the target network of active compounds in Anchusa italica Retz.Methods The rat model of cerebral ische-mia-reperfusion injury was established by the thread occlusion method.After performing ischemia for 1.5 h and then reperfusion for 24 h,the neurological function of rats was scored and the volume of cerebral infarction was measured by the 2,3,5-triphenyltet-razolium chloride staining method.The molecular network analysis technique of network pharmacology,protein-protein interaction network,gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis,KEGG signal pathway analysis,and molecular docking was used to study the mechanism of Anchusa italica Retz in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.Results The administration of An-chusa italica Retz could significantly improve the neurobehavioral dysfunction caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and reduce the pathological injury of brain tissue.Anchusa italica Retz could regulate inflammation,apoptosis,protein phosphorylation,and other biological processes through 143 ischemic stroke-related targets,and interfere with the TNF signal pathway,VEGF signal pathway,HIF-1 signal pathway,and other pathways.Conclusion Network pharmacology and experimental verification had shown that Anchusa italica Retz could effectively reduce brain injury and protect neurological function through multi-target,multi-mechanism,and holistic treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.