Background:Traditional Chinese medicine is promising for managing challenging and complex disorders,including cancer,and in particular,saffron is applied in treating various cancer types.However,its potential therapeu...Background:Traditional Chinese medicine is promising for managing challenging and complex disorders,including cancer,and in particular,saffron is applied in treating various cancer types.However,its potential therapeutic efficacy and active components in managing squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck(HNSCC)remain unclear yet.Methods:Using network pharmacology approaches,active ingredients of saffron,their target genes,and HNSCC-related genes were identified.Enrichment analyses were conducted for determining molecular functions and pathways enriched by genes that overlapped between the saffron target gene set and the HNSCC gene set.Among the four known active ingredients of saffron,crocetin was found to have the strongest inhibitory impact on HNSCC,based on the findings of cell viability and migration assays.Therefore,the potential target genes of crocetin in HNSCC cells were examined using molecular docking experiments and were confirmed by qPCR.Result s:Four active ingredients of saffron and 184 of their target genes were identified.Further,a total of 34 overlapping saffron-/HNSCC-associated targets related to the four active ingredients were screened,and crocetin was chosen for further investigation because it had the strongest inhibitory effect on HNSCC cells.Molecular docking experiments indicated that ESR1 and CCND1 were the target genes of crocetin.These results were confirmed through qPCR analysis,in which crocetin was found to lower the expression of the ESR1 and CCND1 genes in AMC-HN-8 and FaDu cells.Conclusion:According to our results,crocetin is a primary active anti-cancer component of saffron that may have potential in the development of novel HNSCC-treating medications.However,more thorough molecular research is necessary for confirming these results and elucidating the anti-cancer mechanism underlying saffron.展开更多
目的:基于网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨川牛膝治疗继发性闭经(secondary amenorrhea, SA)的作用机制。方法:从中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台(traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform, TC...目的:基于网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨川牛膝治疗继发性闭经(secondary amenorrhea, SA)的作用机制。方法:从中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台(traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform, TCMSP)检索川牛膝的活性成分及作用靶点,从GeneCards数据库获取SA的疾病靶点,采用R软件得到两者的交集靶点。借助STRING数据库构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用(protein-protein interaction, PPI)网络,通过Cytoscape 3.8.2软件进行聚类分析和拓扑分析从而筛选核心靶点。应用R软件进行基因本体(gene ontology, GO)和京都基因与基因组百科全书(Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, KEGG)富集分析(P<0.05)。最后,采用Autodock Vina软件进行分子对接验证。结果:川牛膝活性成分4个,即槲皮素、β-谷甾醇、甜菜素、红苋甾酮;川牛膝作用靶点178个,SA相关靶点1 366个,两者的交集靶点56个;基于Network Analyzer插件的拓扑分析筛选得到9个核心靶点,包括丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶(serine/threorine protein kinase, AKT1)、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶1(mitogen activated protein kinase 1,MAPK1)、雌激素受体1(estrogen receptor 1,ESR1)等。GO功能分析主要涉及对类固醇激素的反应、活性氧代谢过程、上皮细胞增殖等;KEGG通路135条,主要包括HIF-1信号通路、内分泌抵抗、雌激素信号通路等。分子对接显示,活性成分(槲皮素、β-谷甾醇)与核心靶点(AKT1、MAPK1)具有较好的结合活性。结论:川牛膝治疗SA具有多成分、多靶点、多途径的特点,其可能通过槲皮素、β-谷甾醇等成分作用于AKT1、MAPK1、ESR1等靶点,调控雌激素信号通路、内分泌抵抗等通路。展开更多
Watermelon(Citrullus lanatus)holds global significance as a fruit with high economic and nutritional value.Exploring the regulatory network of watermelon male reproductive development is crucial for developing male st...Watermelon(Citrullus lanatus)holds global significance as a fruit with high economic and nutritional value.Exploring the regulatory network of watermelon male reproductive development is crucial for developing male sterile materials and facilitating cross-breeding.Despite its importance,there is a lack of research on the regulation mechanism of male reproductive development in watermelon.In this study,we identified that ClESR2,a VIIIb subclass member in the APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor(AP2/ERF)superfamily,was a key factor in pollen development.RNA insitu hybridization confirmed significantClESR2 expression in the tapetum and pollen during the later stage of anther development.The pollens of transgenic plants showed major defects in morphology and vitality at the late development stage.The RNA-seq and protein interaction assay confirmed that ClESR2 regulates pollen morphology and fertility by interacting with key genes involved in pollen development at both transcriptional and protein levels.These suggest that Enhancer of Shoot Regeneration 2(ESR2)plays an important role in pollen maturation and vitality.This study helps understand the male reproductive development of watermelon,providing a theoretical foundation for developing male sterile materials.展开更多
基金the Taishan Scholar Project(No.ts20190991)the Key R&D Project of Shandong Province(2022CXPT023)。
文摘Background:Traditional Chinese medicine is promising for managing challenging and complex disorders,including cancer,and in particular,saffron is applied in treating various cancer types.However,its potential therapeutic efficacy and active components in managing squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck(HNSCC)remain unclear yet.Methods:Using network pharmacology approaches,active ingredients of saffron,their target genes,and HNSCC-related genes were identified.Enrichment analyses were conducted for determining molecular functions and pathways enriched by genes that overlapped between the saffron target gene set and the HNSCC gene set.Among the four known active ingredients of saffron,crocetin was found to have the strongest inhibitory impact on HNSCC,based on the findings of cell viability and migration assays.Therefore,the potential target genes of crocetin in HNSCC cells were examined using molecular docking experiments and were confirmed by qPCR.Result s:Four active ingredients of saffron and 184 of their target genes were identified.Further,a total of 34 overlapping saffron-/HNSCC-associated targets related to the four active ingredients were screened,and crocetin was chosen for further investigation because it had the strongest inhibitory effect on HNSCC cells.Molecular docking experiments indicated that ESR1 and CCND1 were the target genes of crocetin.These results were confirmed through qPCR analysis,in which crocetin was found to lower the expression of the ESR1 and CCND1 genes in AMC-HN-8 and FaDu cells.Conclusion:According to our results,crocetin is a primary active anti-cancer component of saffron that may have potential in the development of novel HNSCC-treating medications.However,more thorough molecular research is necessary for confirming these results and elucidating the anti-cancer mechanism underlying saffron.
文摘目的:基于网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨川牛膝治疗继发性闭经(secondary amenorrhea, SA)的作用机制。方法:从中药系统药理学数据库与分析平台(traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform, TCMSP)检索川牛膝的活性成分及作用靶点,从GeneCards数据库获取SA的疾病靶点,采用R软件得到两者的交集靶点。借助STRING数据库构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用(protein-protein interaction, PPI)网络,通过Cytoscape 3.8.2软件进行聚类分析和拓扑分析从而筛选核心靶点。应用R软件进行基因本体(gene ontology, GO)和京都基因与基因组百科全书(Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, KEGG)富集分析(P<0.05)。最后,采用Autodock Vina软件进行分子对接验证。结果:川牛膝活性成分4个,即槲皮素、β-谷甾醇、甜菜素、红苋甾酮;川牛膝作用靶点178个,SA相关靶点1 366个,两者的交集靶点56个;基于Network Analyzer插件的拓扑分析筛选得到9个核心靶点,包括丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶(serine/threorine protein kinase, AKT1)、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶1(mitogen activated protein kinase 1,MAPK1)、雌激素受体1(estrogen receptor 1,ESR1)等。GO功能分析主要涉及对类固醇激素的反应、活性氧代谢过程、上皮细胞增殖等;KEGG通路135条,主要包括HIF-1信号通路、内分泌抵抗、雌激素信号通路等。分子对接显示,活性成分(槲皮素、β-谷甾醇)与核心靶点(AKT1、MAPK1)具有较好的结合活性。结论:川牛膝治疗SA具有多成分、多靶点、多途径的特点,其可能通过槲皮素、β-谷甾醇等成分作用于AKT1、MAPK1、ESR1等靶点,调控雌激素信号通路、内分泌抵抗等通路。
基金support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1602000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32202514,U22A20498 and 32072596)+2 种基金the Joint Fund of Henan Province Science and Technology Research and Development Plan,China(222103810009)the Science and Technology Innovation Team of Shaanxi,China(2021TD-32)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M711064 and 2023M741062).
文摘Watermelon(Citrullus lanatus)holds global significance as a fruit with high economic and nutritional value.Exploring the regulatory network of watermelon male reproductive development is crucial for developing male sterile materials and facilitating cross-breeding.Despite its importance,there is a lack of research on the regulation mechanism of male reproductive development in watermelon.In this study,we identified that ClESR2,a VIIIb subclass member in the APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor(AP2/ERF)superfamily,was a key factor in pollen development.RNA insitu hybridization confirmed significantClESR2 expression in the tapetum and pollen during the later stage of anther development.The pollens of transgenic plants showed major defects in morphology and vitality at the late development stage.The RNA-seq and protein interaction assay confirmed that ClESR2 regulates pollen morphology and fertility by interacting with key genes involved in pollen development at both transcriptional and protein levels.These suggest that Enhancer of Shoot Regeneration 2(ESR2)plays an important role in pollen maturation and vitality.This study helps understand the male reproductive development of watermelon,providing a theoretical foundation for developing male sterile materials.
