Decoding gelsenicine-induced neurotoxicity in mice via metabolomics and network toxicology

Gelsenicine, the most toxic constituent of Gelsemium elegans Benth., is known for its diverse pharmacological activities alongside potent neurotoxicity, frequently leading to poisoning incidents following mistaken ingestion. However, its molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored.

This study aimed to elucidate the key mechanistic network underlying gelsenicine-induced neurotoxicity by employing a comprehensive strategy that integrated metabolomics, network toxicology, molecular docking, and experimental validation.

Acute oral toxicity tests were conducted in C57BL/6J mice to assess toxic symptoms, determine the median lethal dose (LD₅₀), and evaluate histopathological changes. Untargeted metabolomics was performed to identify differential metabolites and associated pathways in serum, hippocampus (HIP), and medulla oblongata (MO). Integration of network toxicology pinpointed core targets and pathways, which were further validated through molecular docking and RT-qPCR. A core "compound-target-metabolite-pathway" network involved in gelsenicine-induced neurotoxicity was established.

Gelsenicine exhibited an oral LD₅₀ of approximately 1.82 mg/kg and induced neurotoxic damage in the HIP and MO. Two untargeted metabolomic approaches detected a broad range of metabolites, revealing that gelsenicine markedly altered the metabolic profiles of serum, HIP, and MO. Network toxicology analysis identified 187 key targets associated with gelsenicine neurotoxicity. Integrated analyses with the predicted targets of differential metabolites indicated that gelsenicine primarily interferes with the energy metabolism network centered on the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS), affecting pathways such as carbon metabolism, amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, and PPAR signaling pathway. Malate, glutamate, and aspartate were identified as core metabolites and potential biomarkers of gelsenicine poisoning. RT-qPCR validation revealed that gelsenicine interfered with the expression of core targets, including GLUD1, MDH, GOT and ME, all of which exhibited good binding energy with gelsenicine.

This study unveiled a novel mechanistic insight into gelsenicine-induced neurotoxicity, demonstrating its capacity to perturb multiple energy metabolism pathways associated with MAS. These findings could enhance the theoretical understanding of gelsenicine's neurotoxic effects and highlight potential applications in clinical diagnosis and forensic identification.