Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy (Dec 2020)
Network Pharmacology-Oriented Identification of Key Proteins and Signaling Pathways Targeted by Xihuang Pill in the Treatment of Breast Cancer
Abstract
Jiafa Wu,1,2 Dongping Luo,3 Shengnan Li4 1School of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, People’s Republic of China; 2Henan Engineering Research Center of Food Microbiology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, People’s Republic of China; 3The First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jiafa WuSchool of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, Henan, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: The compound traditional Chinese medicine Xihuang pill (XHP) has been adopted to treat breast cancer (BC) for centuries, but its specific mechanism of action is unclear.Materials and Methods: The active ingredients and related targets of XHP were screened using the TCMSP and TCMID databases. GSE139038 was downloaded from the GEO database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. The intersection of targets and DEGs were chosen to build an ingredients–target genes network. Protein–protein interaction network construction and functional enrichment analysis of target genes were conducted.Results: A PPI network of 37 targets was constructed, and seven core nodes (FOS, MYC, JUN, PPARG, MMP9, PTGS2, SERPINE1) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the aforementioned targets were mainly enriched in the IL-17, toll-like receptor, and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways, which are deeply involved in the inflammatory microenvironment of tumors.Conclusion: This network pharmacology study indicated that XHP can inhibit the development of BC by targeting a variety of proteins and signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory microenvironment.Keywords: traditional Chinese medicine, Xihuang pill, breast cancer, network pharmacology
