Anticolon Cancer Targets and Molecular Mechanisms of Tao-He-Cheng-Qi Formula

Zexin Zhang; Siqi Lin; Zifeng Liu; Jun Han; Jing Li; Yi Yu

doi:10.1155/2022/7998664

Anticolon Cancer Targets and Molecular Mechanisms of Tao-He-Cheng-Qi Formula

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Apr 18:2022:7998664. doi: 10.1155/2022/7998664. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Zexin Zhang¹, Siqi Lin², Zifeng Liu², Jun Han³, Jing Li⁴, Yi Yu⁴

Affiliations

¹ The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China.
² The Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China.
³ National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Key Technology of Chinese Medicinal Composition Granules, Beijing Tcmages Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Beijing 101301, China.
⁴ The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410000, China.

Abstract

Background: Tao-He-Cheng-Qi Formula (THCQF) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been proven to have antitumor effects. The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular targets and mechanisms of THCQF against colon cancer and construct a prognostic model based on network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and in vitro experiments.

Methods: Potential THCQF compounds and targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine databases. Differentially expressed genes for colon cancer were screened in The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. The anticolon cancer mechanisms of THCQF were explored using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Molecular docking simulations and molecular dynamics analysis were used to evaluate the binding between target proteins and active compounds. Finally, the identified compounds were used to treat colon cancer cells from the HCT116 cell line, and expression of mRNA and protein after relevant posttreatment were tested using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting.

Results: A total of 27 anticolon cancer targets of THCQF were selected, among which four genes (CCNB1, CCNA2, IL1A, and MMP3) were shown to effectively predict patient outcomes in a prognostic colon cancer model. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the activity against colon cancer of THCQF was associated with the interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-3 signaling pathways. Two compounds in THCQF, aloe emodin (AE) and quercetin (QR), were shown to efficiently bind to cyclin B1, the protein encoded by CCNB1. Finally, incubation of HCT116 cells with AE and QR significantly decreased CCNB1 mRNA expression and cyclin B1 levels.

Conclusions: Taken together, the results indicate that AE and QR are the pivotal active compounds of THCQF, and CCNB1 is the main molecular target through which THCQF exerts its anticolon cancer effects. The study findings provide insight for studies investigating the anticancer effects of other traditional Chinese medicines.