Network pharmacology and molecular docking-based characterization of the mechanisms through which Astragali Radix-Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz herb pair can treat membranous nephropathy.

BACKGROUND

The Astragali Radix-Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz herb pair (AAHP) is frequently used to treat membranous nephropathy (MN) as it has been found to be efficacious in this therapeutic setting. The mechanistic basis for its beneficial effects, however, remains poorly understood, thereby limiting its application in the clinic and hampering efforts to develop new drugs for MN treatment.

METHODS

The Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology database was utilized to retrieve the bioactive components of Astragali Radix and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, after which the SwissTargetPrediction tool was employed to identify targets associated with these components. MN-related genes were obtained from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and GeneCards databases, with the Cytoscape program then being employed to screen for hub MN-related genes. Venn diagrams were used to assess overlapping targets between MN and AAHP, after which gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were conducted with the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery database. Molecular docking (MD) and molecular dynamics simulations of the active ingredients and core proteins of interest were then analyzed using Auto-Dock Vina and gromacs software.

RESULTS

In total, 28 active compounds associated with 574 targets were identified through screening efforts. These bioactive ingredients were further analyzed based on their topological parameters, ultimately leading to the identification of α-amyrin, astragaloside IV, and FA as key active ingredients. Key targets identified through this approach included SRC, PIK3CA, PIK3R1, HSP90AA1, ESR1, AKT1, PLCG1, EGFR, and JAK2. Enrichment analyses suggested that the core components of AAHP may regulate the PI3K-Akt and JAK-STAT signaling pathways via modulating signal transduction, protein phosphorylation, and the negative regulation of apoptotic activity. MD analyses suggested that most of these active ingredients exhibited binding energies <5.6 kcal/mol for these target proteins encoded by core genes, consistent with stable binding interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the binding of 2 ligand-receptor complexes, including AKT1-α-amyrin and JAK2-FA, was relatively stable, which was consistent with the results of MD.

CONCLUSION

AAHP may represent a promising treatment option for MN through its ability to modulate multiple targets and thereby affect several key signaling pathways, including the JAK-STAT and PI3K-Akt pathways.