Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2025
Author Spotlight: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking to Decipher the Action of Jiawei Shengjiang San Against Diabetic Kidney Disease
Published on: May 10, 2024
Network pharmacology and molecular docking technology-based predictive study and potential targets analysis of
Min Chen1, Yujie Zhou2, Jianglin Yang3
1Clinical Laboratories, The People's Hospital of Le Zhi, Ziyang 641500, China.
Objective:
Epimedium glycoside is a flavonoid compound in Epimedium, which has been found to alleviate various chronic diseases. The effect and mechanism of icariin on the treatment of diabetes nephropathy still need to be clarified. In this study, we conducted network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis to reveal the mechanism of icariin treating DKD, and then validated its efficacy using a cell model.
Method:
The structure and targets of icariin were screened using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), and their targets were annotated. Retrieve DKD targets from OMIM, GeneCards, and TTD databases. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using the STRING platform and visualized the results using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. We also conducted GO and KEGG enrichment analysis on icariin and then performed molecular docking between icariin and key targets. Finally, we established a cell model of DKD to evaluate the efficacy of icariin in treating DKD.
Result:
A total of 77 icariin targets were associated with DKD. The GO and KEGG enrichment results showed that the therapeutic effect of icariin on DKD was significantly correlated with inflammatory response, cell apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The molecular docking results indicate that icariin has a high affinity for key targets EGER, AKT1, and IGF1. Cell experiments showed that icariin inhibited high glucose-induced EMT, fibrosis-related proteins, levels of inflammatory factors TGF-β1, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) in renal tubular epithelial cells. In addition, icariin inhibited the increase in EGER and AKT1 mRNA levels caused by high glucose and alleviated the decrease in IGF1 mRNA levels.
Conclusion:
Epimedium glycoside may protect DKD by targeting EGER, AKT1, and IGF1 to inhibit PI3K/AKT signaling, but the specific mechanism needs further exploration.
More Related Videos
10:21Author Spotlight: Streamlining Protein Target Prediction and Validation via Molecular Docking and CETSA
Published on: February 23, 2024
07:15Mechanism of Kemeng Fang's Inhibition of Podocyte Apoptosis in Rats with Membranous Nephropathy through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Published on: August 23, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:28Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence...
01:26Drug Discovery: Overview
01:27Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
01:26Targets for Drug Action: Overview
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...