Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medical University, Shanghai 200120, China.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China.
J Diabetes Res. 2022 May 28;2022:4808303. doi: 10.1155/2022/4808303. eCollection 2022.
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (LWDHW) is a well-known Chinese herbal compound, which has been prescribed for the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We sought to clarify the potential therapeutic effects of LWDHW against GDM. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GDM were firstly identified from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to reveal the biological functions of the DEGs. Subsequently, the LWDHW-compound-target network was constructed based on public databases to identify the relationship between the active components in LWDHW and the corresponding targets. Furthermore, gene functional analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction were applied to investigate the function of potential targets and to evaluate hub genes. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the binding activities between active ingredients and hub targets. Thirteen active components and 39 corresponding therapeutic target genes were obtained via network pharmacology analysis. The enrichment analysis demonstrated that the anti-GDM effect of LWDHW included oxidoreductase activity, involvement in renal system process, and regulation of blood pressure, which may be achieved through regulation of serotonergic synapses, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathways. Additionally, molecular docking revealed that the main active component, Mu Dan Pi, exhibited the best affinity for proteins encoded by hub genes. This study applied network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking to display the multicomponent and multitarget characteristics of LWDHW in the treatment of GDM. Our findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of GDM and the therapeutic mechanisms of LWDHW against GDM.
六味地黄丸（LWDHW）是一种著名的中药复方，已被用于治疗妊娠糖尿病（GDM）。我们旨在阐明 LWDHW 治疗 GDM 的潜在治疗效果。首先从基因表达综合数据库（GEO）中鉴定 GDM 的差异表达基因（DEGs）。进行基因本体论（GO）和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）通路富集分析，以揭示 DEGs 的生物学功能。随后，基于公共数据库构建 LWDHW-化合物-靶标网络，以识别 LWDHW 中活性成分与相应靶标的关系。此外，进行基因功能分析和蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络构建，以研究潜在靶标的功能和评估枢纽基因。最后，进行分子对接以验证活性成分与枢纽靶标之间的结合活性。通过网络药理学分析获得了 13 种活性成分和 39 个相应的治疗靶基因。富集分析表明，LWDHW 的抗 GDM 作用包括氧化还原酶活性、参与肾脏系统过程和调节血压，这可能通过调节 5-羟色胺能突触、血管平滑肌收缩和神经活性配体-受体相互作用途径来实现。此外，分子对接表明主要活性成分牡丹皮对枢纽基因编码的蛋白质具有最佳亲和力。本研究应用网络药理学分析和分子对接展示了 LWDHW 治疗 GDM 的多成分和多靶标特征。我们的研究结果为 GDM 的发病机制和 LWDHW 治疗 GDM 的治疗机制提供了新的见解。
