Traditional medicine believes that the vital qi is kept inside, evil is irrelevant. When the vital qi of human body is weak, it will lead to deficiency of qi and blood, in which is the root in causing CRCC. Bazhen Decoction able nourish qi and blood. Sufficient qi and blood enhance active body mechanism, thereby achieving the goal in treating CRCC .
This article utilized network pharmacology and bioinformatics predictions to explore the mechanism of Bazhen Decoction in the treatment of CRCC. The findings demonstrated that Bazhen decoction composed of variety of anti-tumor properties. Subsequent analysis of the active ingredient-target network of Bazhen Decoction presented that quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin were the three most active ingredients. These three ingredients exhibit anti-tumor by inhibiting cell proliferation, promoting apoptosis, regulating cell cycle progression, affecting autophagy, inhibiting cell invasion and metastasis [ 4–6]. From the analysis, the targets demonstred the highest moderate value were PTGS2, MMP9, PLA2G4A. PTGS2 is overexpressed in many tumors, including RCC, in promoting tumor formation by inducing proliferation and angiogenesis while reducing apoptosis and immunosuppressive activity, as supported by Mohtarrudin et al. Mohtarrudin et al. found that 18 patients had a positive immune response when investigating on 36 stained tissue sections from patients with CRCC with PTGS2 monoclonal antibody [7–8]. MMP9 maintain the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix, and its mRNA or protein expression is related to clinicopathological parameters. In addition, MMP9 can also predict disease-free survival in patients with CRCC [9]. From this, the author speculates that quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin may act on these key targets, PTGS2, MMP9, PLA2G4A as the pharmacolokinetic of Bazhen Decoction.
Protein interaction network analysis shown VEGFA, EGF, MMP9 and other core targets were the target protein for the treatment of CRCC. They are involved in the pathogenesis of CRCC. VEGFA is a member of the PDGF/VEGF growth factor family and can induce the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells which is essential for both physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and thus plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of kidney cancer. [10]. EGF is a growth factor that can stimulate cell growth, proliferation and differentiation by binding to its receptor EGFR. When EGF is up-regulated, it will cause the development of CRCC.In addition, EGF can promote cancer metastasis by affecting tumor lymphangiogenesis and inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition [11].
The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that the target of Bazhen Decoction 's active ingredients would affect biological processes such as angiogenesis, development, and proliferation of epithelial cells. Cell components involved were microvillus, microvillus membrane, plasma membrane rafts, whereas molecular functions involved were such as prostaglandin receptor activity,growth factor receptor binding and growth factor binding. Angiogenesis is formed by the existing blood vessels through the process of budding. This is used as a hallmark of cancer and in determination on the growth and metastasis of tumors [12]. Growth factor receptors are a type of transmembrane protein with tyrosine kinase activity, which can mediate and regulate various cell signal transductions, including normal and cancer cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and homeostasis [13]. Growth factors are a class of peptides to regulate cell growth and other cell functions by binding to specific, high-affinity cell membrane receptors. The involved growth factors found are epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived proliferation factor. All these growth factors played an important regulatory role in human immunity, tumorigenesis, inflammation and infection, blood vessel formation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. Studies have shown that growth factors promote tumor progression and metastasis by regulating autonomous cell growth and clonal expansion, accelerating intraepithelial proliferation, inducing basement membrane rupture and invasive growth, and inducing angiogenesis [14]. Prostaglandins are naturally occurring lipids, produced by arachidonic acid metabolism mediated by cyclooxygenase, and expressed in large amounts in the kidney. Prostaglandins are upregulated in many malignant tumors in participating of cancer cell metastasis which associated with poor prognosis. PGE2 is a prostaglandin abundantly present in the kidney. Wu et al. proposed through research that PGE2 can promote the invasion and metastasis of CRCC by activating EP4 [15].
The enrichment results of KEGG pathway showed that Bazhen Decoction in the treatment of CRCC mainly involves mainly involved signaling pathways such as bladder cancer, microRNAs in cancer, focal adhesion, human cytomegalovirus infection, ovarian steroidogenesis, HIF-1 signaling pathway and so on. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of noncoding small RNA with a length of 20–24 nucleotides. It plays an important role in regulating cell homeostasis, differentiation, development, proliferation, and apoptosis. miRNA involved in the pathogenesis of tumors as miRNA able to control cell cycle, apoptosis, neovascularization, and tissue infiltration and metastasis [16]. HIF-1 is a transcription factor that regulates the homeostasis of oxygen. When malignant tumors grow excessively, it will elevate the consumption of oxygen and nutrients in subsequently resulted a hypoxic tumor microenvironment.With this microenvironment, tumor cells need to adapt to the HIF-1 signaling pathway. HIF-1 can mediate tumor adaptation to the hypoxia by participating in the formation of tumor blood vessels, maintaining tumor cell stability, and promoting tumor cell metastasis [17].