Zhou Jiahao, Gao Tianshu
The First Clinical College, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 May 19;12:1538867. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1538867. eCollection 2025.
Patients with obesity-associated Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) have been prevalent in clinical practice. Obesity is a risk factor for HT as it promotes pro-inflammatory processes and influences the balance of immune cell subsets. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by its multi-component and multi-target approach and shows potential in treating HT. Specifically, TCM can reduce thyroid antibody levels and alleviate clinical symptoms without impairing thyroid function. Moreover, TCM offers significant benefits in regulating lipid metabolism and decreasing systemic inflammation.
Targets of five high-frequency herbs ( Maxim, Radix Bupleuri, , Bulbus, and Radix) were obtained from the TCMSP and Swiss Target Prediction databases. Targets associated with obesity-associated HT were collected from the GeneCards, OMIM, and DisGeNET databases. Subsequently, we employed KEGG signaling pathway enrichment and GO biological process enrichment analyses to investigate the potential mechanisms by which the active ingredients of these herbs treat obesity-associated HT. Then, STRING database networks and Cytoscape software were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network and screen for key targets. Finally, molecular docking was performed to predict the binding interactions between the targets.
Efferocytosis emerged as the key mechanism in the context of five herbs and obesity-associated HT. Quercetin was identified as the primary active ingredient responsible for efferocytosis, and it bound well with efferocytosis-related targets.
This study's key finding is that five high-frequency prescribed herbs may treat obesity-associated HT through efferocytosis. This provides new evidence to support the use of TCM in treating obesity-associated HT.
肥胖相关的桥本甲状腺炎（HT）患者在临床实践中较为常见。肥胖是HT的一个危险因素，因为它会促进促炎过程并影响免疫细胞亚群的平衡。中医具有多成分、多靶点的特点，在治疗HT方面显示出潜力。具体而言，中医可以降低甲状腺抗体水平并缓解临床症状，而不损害甲状腺功能。此外，中医在调节脂质代谢和减轻全身炎症方面具有显著益处。
从中药系统药理学数据库（TCMSP）和瑞士药物靶点预测数据库中获取五种高频草药（ 、柴胡、 、 、 ）的靶点。从基因卡片（GeneCards）、在线人类孟德尔遗传数据库（OMIM）和疾病基因数据库（DisGeNET）中收集与肥胖相关的HT的靶点。随后，我们采用京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）信号通路富集分析和基因本体（GO）生物学过程富集分析，以研究这些草药的活性成分治疗肥胖相关HT的潜在机制。然后，使用STRING数据库网络和Cytoscape软件构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用网络并筛选关键靶点。最后，进行分子对接以预测靶点之间的结合相互作用。
在这五种草药和肥胖相关的HT背景下，胞葬作用成为关键机制。槲皮素被确定为负责胞葬作用的主要活性成分，并且它与胞葬作用相关靶点结合良好。
本研究的关键发现是，五种高频处方草药可能通过胞葬作用治疗肥胖相关的HT。这为支持中医治疗肥胖相关HT提供了新的证据。
