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Full Length Article | Open Access

Chinese herbal decoction astragalus and angelica exerts its therapeutic effect on renal interstitial fibrosis through the inhibition of MAPK, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathways

Hao Yuana,b,†, Xuelian Wua,†, Xiaomin Wangc, Chengfu Yuana( )
College of Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, PR China
BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, PR China
Chumeiren Medical Cosmetic Clinic, WuJiaGang District, Yichang, Hubei 443002, PR China

Peer review under responsibility of Chongqing Medical University.

† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Show Author Information

Abstract

Astragalus and Angelica decoction (A&A) has been clinically used as a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula in China for many years for the treatment of kidney diseases, especially renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of A&A on RIF remains poorly understood. In the present study, systematic network pharmacology and effective experimental verification were utilized for the first time to elucidate the pharmacological efficacy and potential mechanism. The outcomes indicated that 22 active components and 87 target genes of A&A were identified and cross-referenced with RIF-associated genes, contributing to confirmation of 74 target genes of A&A for RIF. Pathway and functional enrichment analyses revealed that A&A had substantial effects on MAPK, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathways. In addition, seven core targets with relatively higher betweenness and degree were identified in the constructed Chinese medicine material-chemical component-target-signal pathway network. Moreover, we verified the potential therapeutic effect of A&A in vivo (using a mouse model of RIF), confirming that A&A could effectively protect the kidney by regulating these target genes. The therapeutic effect of A&A on RIF could be attributed to its role in regulating the cell cycle, limiting the apoptosis, and inhibiting the inflammation.

Keywords

Network pharmacologyActive componentsAstragalus and angelica decoctionRenal interstitial fibrosisTarget gene

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Genes & Diseases
Volume 9 Issue 2,
March 2022
Pages 510-521
DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.06.001
Cite this article:
Yuan H, Wu X, Wang X, et al. Chinese herbal decoction astragalus and angelica exerts its therapeutic effect on renal interstitial fibrosis through the inhibition of MAPK, PI3K-Akt and TNF signaling pathways. Genes & Diseases, 2022, 9(2): 510-521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2020.06.001

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Received: 30 March 2020
Revised: 19 May 2020
Accepted: 03 June 2020
Published: 21 June 2020
© 2020, Chongqing Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
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