背景:先前的研究表明,高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)通过胆固醇逆向转运发挥抗动脉粥样硬化的作用。一些研究已经验证了天然产物在治疗动脉粥样硬化(AS)中的功效和安全性。然而,通过天然产物提高HDL-C水平治疗AS的研究仍有待探索。
方法:收集与AS相关的基因集,通过差异基因分析和数据库查询进行鉴定。通过构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用(PPI)网络,筛选出网络中的核心子模块。同时,通过计算AS疾病PPI网络中的节点重要性(Nim),并将其与京都基因和基因组百科全书(KEGG)途径富集分析相结合,获得AS的关键靶蛋白。分子对接用于筛选具有潜在治疗作用的天然药物小分子。通过构建体外泡沫细胞模型,研究了小分子对泡沫细胞脂质代谢和关键靶标表达的影响。
结果:通过差异基因分析,获得451个差异基因,从6种数据库中共获得313个疾病基因,然后获得758个AS相关基因。KEGG通路的富集分析表明,HDL-C水平的升高对AS的影响与血脂和动脉粥样硬化有关,胆固醇代谢,流体剪切应力和动脉粥样硬化,PPAR信号通路,和其他途径。然后我们在PPI网络的核心模块中交叉了31个基因,Nims中排名前30位的基因,和胆固醇代谢途径中的32个基因,终于找到了3个基因.经过以上分析和文献收集,我们专注于以下三个相关的基因靶标:APOA1,LIPC,CETP。分子对接显示金雀异黄素对APOA1、CETP、和LIPC。体外,实验表明,染料木素可以上调APOA1,LIPC,CETP水平。
结论:根据我们的研究,金雀异黄素可能具有调节HDL-C和抗动脉粥样硬化的作用。其作用机制可能与LIPC的调节有关,CETP,和APOA1改善脂质代谢。
Previous studies have demonstrated that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) plays an anti-atherosclerosis role through reverse cholesterol transport. Several studies have validated the efficacy and safety of natural products in treating atherosclerosis (AS). However, the study of raising HDL-C levels through natural products to treat AS still needs to be explored.
The gene sets associated with AS were collected and identified by differential gene analysis and database query. By constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, the core submodules in the network are screened out. At the same time, by calculating node importance (Nim) in the PPI network of AS disease and combining it with Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways enrichment analysis, the key target proteins of AS were obtained. Molecular docking is used to screen out small natural drug molecules with potential therapeutic effects. By constructing an in vitro foam cell model, the effects of small molecules on lipid metabolism and key target expression of foam cells were investigated.
By differential gene analysis, 451 differential genes were obtained, and a total of 313 disease genes were obtained from 6 kind of databases, then 758 AS-related genes were obtained. The enrichment analysis of the KEGG pathway showed that the enhancement of HDL-C level against AS was related to Lipid and atherosclerosis, Cholesterol metabolism, Fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, PPAR signaling pathway, and other pathways. Then we intersected 31 genes in the core module of the PPI network, the top 30 genes in Nims, and 32 genes in the cholesterol metabolism pathway, and finally found 3 genes. After the above analysis and literature collection, we focused on the following three related gene targets: APOA1, LIPC, and CETP. Molecular docking showed that Genistein has a good binding affinity for APOA1, CETP, and LIPC. In vitro, experiments showed that Genistein can up-regulated APOA1, LIPC, and CETP levels.
Based on our research, Genistein may have the effects of regulating HDL-C and anti-atherosclerosis. Its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of LIPC, CETP, and APOA1 to improve lipid metabolism.