Network pharmacology analysis combined with experimental verification of the molecular mechanism of Xihuang pill in treating liver cancer

Background:Xihuang pill is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine,which has been widely used in the treatment of kinds of cancer.However,there is still a lack of systematic understanding of the molecular mechanism of Xihuang pill in the treatment of liver cancer.In this work,we aim to explore the molecular mechanism of Xihuang pill in treating liver cancer.Methods:The functional components in Xihuang pill were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform.The target genes of these components were also collected using Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform.The target genes of liver cancer were predicted using GeneCards database.The intersecting genes were then analyzed with Venn diagrams.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Database for Annotation,Visualization,and Integrated Discovery were used to analyze the pathway.Then,cell counting kit-8 was used to measure the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of Xihuang pills.The living dead cell staining method was used to observe the survival of cells.HepG2 cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry with fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining method,and then the mitochondrial damage was also detected by flow cytometry.The expression of target genes was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results:A total of 130 compounds and 198 genes were identified as potential active ingredients and putative liver cancer‑related targets.We obtained 1,899 disease targets and 297 transcriptome targets from the database.Six drug-disease intersecting genes,CCNB1,BIRC5,TOP2A,ESR1,IGF2 and IGFBP3 were obtained.They are enrichment in apoptosis,PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,MAPK signaling pathway,pathways in cancer and p53 signaling pathway.Besides,it was found that the apoptosis rate of the HepG2 cells in Xihuang pill treated group was significantly higher than that of the control group.And the apoptosis rate gradually increased in a dose dependent manner of Xihuang pill treatment.Xihuang pill also induced the mitochondrial membrane potential damage.Compared with the control group,the expression level of CCNB1 and BIRC5 was induced,while the expression level of IGF2 was reduced after Xihuang pill treatment.Conclusion:Xihuang pill may act on six proteins(CCNB1,BIRC5,TOP2A,ESR1,IGF2 and IGFBP3)and cover multiple pathways to form a therapeutic network to treat liver cancer.

Extract from Zanthoxylum piperitum Induces Apoptosis of AGS Gastric Cancer Cells through Akt/MDM2/p53 Signaling Pathway

Objective:To determine the effect of Zanthoxylum piperitum extracet(ZPE)on apoptosis and analyze anticancer substances in ZPE,changes in proteins related to apoptosis,and pathological changes in tumors in mouse.Methods:Fifteen 4-week-old female BALB/c nu/nu mice were divided into 3 groups depending on ZPE dose,with 5 in each group.AGS gastric carcinoma cells(1 x 10^(6) cells/200 jxL)were subcutaneously injected into the flank of each mouse.One week after the injection of AGS cells,ZPE was administered to the skin tissue[10 or 50 mg/(kg-d)]in the low-and high-dose groups,respectively for 20 days.Control animals were injected with vehicle only.After 3 weeks,the tumor was extracted and carried out for immunohistochemistry,the tendency of apoptosis and p53 in the body was checked using TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)assay.For 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT)assay,annexin V dead cell staining,cell cycle arrest and Western blotting,AGS gastric carcinoma cells were incubated with various concentrations of ZPE for 24 h.Cell survival rates were analyzed by MTT assays.Apoptosis was analyzed using annexin V dead cell staining and cell cycle arrest and measured using Muse cell analyzer.Results:High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)analysis showed that ZPE contained organic sulfur compounds such as alliin and S-allylcysteine.MTT assay results revealed that ZPE(10-85»xg/mL)could effectively inhibit the growth of AGS gastric cancer cells at higher concentrations(P<0.05,P<0.01).The annexin V&dead cell staining assay and cell cycle arrest assay confirmed a dose-dependent increase in the apoptosis rate and G!phase in ZPE(10-70 jig/mL)groups.ZPE decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins(p-Akt,p-MDM2,Bcl-2),while increased pro-apoptotic proteins(cleaved PARP,p53,pro-Caspase 3,Bax).TUNEL assays revealed an increase in cell apoptosis.Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed the involvement of p53.Conclusion:ZPE decreases AGS cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by inhibiting Akt and MDM2 expression.