Efficacy of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix Against Cartilage Degeneration in Osteoarthritis： An Exploration Based on Computer Simulation
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20211011
- VernacularTitle:基于计算机模拟探讨牛膝治疗骨关节炎软骨退变机制
- Author:
Yan-feng HUANG
1
;
Xin-yu XIE
1
;
Qing LIN
1
;
Zhi-wei QIU
1
;
Jin-xia YE
1
;
Chang-long FU
1
Author Information
1. Academy of Integrative Medicine， Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics，Fuzhou 350122，China
- Publication Type:Research Article
- Keywords:
quercetin;
cartilage degeneration;
bioinformatics;
network pharmacology;
mechanism research;
Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix;
RongJin Niantong formula
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2021;27(15):148-155
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To screen the active components of sovereign medicinal Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix in Rongjin Niantong formula based on bioinformatics and network pharmacology and observe their effects on therapeutic targets of osteoarthritis （OA） in in vivo and in vitro animal experiments. Method:The main active components and therapeutic targets of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， and the differentially expressed genes relevant to OA from the Gene Expression Omnibus （GEO） database for cross analysis. The effects of main active components in Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix on enriched therapeutic targets of rats with OA in vivo and in vitro were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. Result:There were 20 active components for Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix against OA， with quercetin being an important one. Among the three target genes， osteopontin （OPN） and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1（PAI-1） were the key ones in the network. Gene Ontology （GO） analysis yielded 227 related terms， involving the regulation of physiological response to trauma （GO： 1903034）， negative regulation of trauma response （GO： 1903035）， etc. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis revealed 12 related pathways， involving extracellular matrix receptor interaction （hsa04512） and so on. In animal experiments， compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited increased gene and protein expression of OPN and PAI-1. Compared with the model group， the quercetin group displayed decreased gene and protein expression of OPN and PAI-1 （P<0.05）. In cell experiments， the OPN and PAI-1 protein expression levels in the model group were increased as compared with those in the normal group， while the Collagen Ⅱ protein expression was decreased. The OPN and PAI-1 protein expression levels in the quercetin group and the inhibitor group were down-regulated in contrast to those in the model group， whereas the Collagen Ⅱ protein expression levels were up-regulated significantly （P<0.05）. Conclusion:Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix inhibits cartilage degeneration and exerts the preventive and therapeutic effects against OA， which is possibly due to the efficacy of its active component quercetin in down-regulating the expression of OPN and PAI-1 in chondrocytes and up-regulating the Collagen Ⅱ protein expression.
