ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the active anti-ischemic components of Pterocypsela elata (P. elata) using a network pharmacology approach to construct an effective component anti-cerebral ischemic target network and systematically analyze this medicinal material.MethodsPharmacological studies have shown that P. elata has an obvious effect against cerebral ischemia. To identify the potential targets, 14 components of P. elata were docked to each structural element of the targets in the DRAR-CPI database by reverse docking technology. We then compared the identified potential targets with FDA-approved targets for stroke/cerebral infarction treatment in the DrugBank database and identified the active components of P. elata and their potential targets for stroke/cerebral infarction treatment. The active component-target networks were constructed using Cytoscape 3.5.1 software. The target protein-protein interactions were analyzed using the STRING database. KEGG pathway analysis and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis were performed through the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID).ResultsThere were 14 active components identified from P. elata and 21 potential targets identified for cerebral ischemia treatment, including carbonic anhydrase 2, ribosyldihydronicotinamide dehydrogenase, cholinesterase, and glutathione S-transferase P. The main involved pathways include metabolic pathways, complement and coagulation cascades and steroid hormone biosynthesis.ConclusionThrough a network pharmacology approach, we predicted the active components of P. elata and their potential targets for cerebral ischemia treatment. Our results provide new perspectives and clues for further studies on the anti-cerebral ischemia mechanism of P. elata.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway performs a central role in tumorigenesis and is constitutively activated in many malignancies. As a novel dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor currently undergoing evaluation in a phase I/II clinical trial, NVP-BEZ235 indicates a significant antitumor efficacy in diverse solid tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Autophagy is a catabolic process that maintains cellular homeostasis and reduces diverse stresses through lysosomal recycling of the unnecessary and damaged cell components. This process is also observed to antagonize the antitumor efficacy of PI3K/mTOR inhibitor agents such as NVP-BEZ235, via apoptosis inhibition. In the present study, we investigated anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing ability of NVP-BEZ235 in SW480 cells and the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis in SW480 cells treated with NVP-BEZ235 in combination with an autophagy inhibitor. The results revealed that, NVP-BEZ235 effectively inhibit the growth of SW480 cells by targeting the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway and induced apoptosis. The inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine or chloroquine inhibitors in combination with NVP-BEZ235 in SW480 cells enhanced the apoptotic rate as componets to NVP-BEZ235 alone. In conclusion, the findings provide a rationale for chemotherapy targeting the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway presenting a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 in combination with an autophagy inhibitor in CRC treatment and treatment of other tumors.
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