Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis
Abstract Background Currently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Moreover, there exist limited strategies for treating HCC. Pulsatilla decoction (PD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease and several cancer types....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04244-w |
| _version_ | 1797630428333473792 |
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| author | Kuijie Liu Zhenyu Cao Siqi Huang Fanhua Kong |
| author_facet | Kuijie Liu Zhenyu Cao Siqi Huang Fanhua Kong |
| author_sort | Kuijie Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Currently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Moreover, there exist limited strategies for treating HCC. Pulsatilla decoction (PD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease and several cancer types. Accordingly, we explored the mechanism of PD in HCC treatment via network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. Methods Online databases were searched for gene data, active components, and potential target genes associated with HCC development. Subsequently, bioinformatics analysis was performed using protein–protein interaction and Network Construction and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) to screen for potential anticancer components and therapeutic targets of PD. Finally, the effect of PD on HCC was further verified by in vitro experiments. Results Network pharmacological analysis revealed that 65 compounds and 180 possible target genes were associated with the effect of PD on HCC. These included PI3K, AKT, NF-κB, FOS, and NFKBIA. KEGG analysis demonstrated that PD exerted its effect on HCC mainly via the PI3K-AKT, IL-17, and TNF signaling pathways. Cell viability and cell cycle experiments revealed that PD could significantly inhibit cancer cell proliferation and kill HCC cells by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, western blotting confirmed that apoptosis was mediated primarily via the PI3K-AKT, IL-17, and TNF signaling pathways. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the molecular mechanism and potential targets of PD in the treatment of HCC using network pharmacology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:07:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ab23c06a43f4c0eb60ecb5a571ee33f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-7671 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:07:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ab23c06a43f4c0eb60ecb5a571ee33f2023-11-12T12:06:43ZengBMCBMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies2662-76712023-11-0123111710.1186/s12906-023-04244-wMechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysisKuijie Liu0Zhenyu Cao1Siqi Huang2Fanhua Kong3Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityInstitute of Hepatobiliary Diseases of Wuhan University, Transplant Center of Wuhan University, National Quality Control Center for Donated Organ Procurement, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Technology on Transplantation, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Natural Polymer Biological Liver, Hubei Engineering Center of Natural Polymer-based Medical Materials, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityAbstract Background Currently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Moreover, there exist limited strategies for treating HCC. Pulsatilla decoction (PD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease and several cancer types. Accordingly, we explored the mechanism of PD in HCC treatment via network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. Methods Online databases were searched for gene data, active components, and potential target genes associated with HCC development. Subsequently, bioinformatics analysis was performed using protein–protein interaction and Network Construction and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) to screen for potential anticancer components and therapeutic targets of PD. Finally, the effect of PD on HCC was further verified by in vitro experiments. Results Network pharmacological analysis revealed that 65 compounds and 180 possible target genes were associated with the effect of PD on HCC. These included PI3K, AKT, NF-κB, FOS, and NFKBIA. KEGG analysis demonstrated that PD exerted its effect on HCC mainly via the PI3K-AKT, IL-17, and TNF signaling pathways. Cell viability and cell cycle experiments revealed that PD could significantly inhibit cancer cell proliferation and kill HCC cells by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, western blotting confirmed that apoptosis was mediated primarily via the PI3K-AKT, IL-17, and TNF signaling pathways. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the molecular mechanism and potential targets of PD in the treatment of HCC using network pharmacology.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04244-wHepatocellular carcinomaPulsatilla decoctionNetwork pharmacologyTraditional Chinese medicineProliferationApoptosis. |
| spellingShingle | Kuijie Liu Zhenyu Cao Siqi Huang Fanhua Kong Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Hepatocellular carcinoma Pulsatilla decoction Network pharmacology Traditional Chinese medicine Proliferation Apoptosis. |
| title | Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| title_full | Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| title_fullStr | Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| title_short | Mechanism underlying the effect of Pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| title_sort | mechanism underlying the effect of pulsatilla decoction in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment a network pharmacology and in vitro analysis |
| topic | Hepatocellular carcinoma Pulsatilla decoction Network pharmacology Traditional Chinese medicine Proliferation Apoptosis. |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04244-w |
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