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Integrating network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental validation to unveil the molecular targets and mechanisms of galangin for treating hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Source :
- BMC Complementary Medicine & Therapies; 5/30/2024, Vol. 24 Issue 1, p1-13, 13p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Background: Galangin, a flavonoid compound, is derived from Alpinia officinarum Hance. Previous studies have shown that galangin can inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its mechanism is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of galangin on HCC through network pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking, and experimental in vitro validation. Methods: In this study, network pharmacology was used to investigate the targets and mechanisms of galangin in the treatment of HCC. AutoDockTools software was used to simulate and calculate the binding of galangin to its core targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted in the DAVID database to explore the main biological functions and signaling pathways impacted by galangin intervention. In addition, bioinformatics was applied to examine the correlation between the differential expressions of the anti-HCC core targets of galangin and the survival of patients with HCC. Finally, the findings obtained from network pharmacology and bioinformatics were verified in cell experiments. Results: A total of 67 overlapping target genes of galangin and HCC were identified. Through the analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, 10 hub genes with the highest degree of freedom were identified, including SRC, ESR1, MMP9, CDK4, CCNB1, MMP2, CDK2, CDK1, CHK1, and PLK1. These genes were found to be closely related to the degradation of the extracellular matrix, signal transduction, and the cell cycle. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that galangin exerts an anti-HCC role by affecting various signaling pathways, including the cell cycle, pathways in cancer, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The results of molecular docking indicated a significant interaction between galangin and CCNB1, CDK4, CDK1, and PLK1. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that CCNB1, CDK4, CDK1, and PLK1 were upregulated in the liver of patients with HCC at both the mRNA and protein levels. Flow cytometry analysis showed that galangin induced G0/G1 phase arrest and cell apoptosis in HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Additionally, galangin suppressed the expression of key proteins and mRNAs involved in the cell cycle pathway. Conclusions: These results suggest that galangin inhibits the growth of HCC cells by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- PHYTOTHERAPY
THERAPEUTIC use of antineoplastic agents
COMPUTER-assisted molecular modeling
COMPUTER simulation
FLOW cytometry
IN vitro studies
RESEARCH funding
FLAVONOIDS
ANTINEOPLASTIC agents
PHARMACEUTICAL chemistry
CELL proliferation
APOPTOSIS
POLYMERASE chain reaction
CELLULAR signal transduction
CELL cycle
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
BIOINFORMATICS
GENE expression
MESSENGER RNA
CELL lines
MOLECULAR structure
WESTERN immunoblotting
ONE-way analysis of variance
EXTRACELLULAR matrix
DATA analysis software
HEPATOCELLULAR carcinoma
PHARMACODYNAMICS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 26627671
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- BMC Complementary Medicine & Therapies
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 177797692
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04518-x