Integrated network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with metabolomics to identify the pharmacological mechanisms of Jiedu Huoxue decoction against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jiedu Huoxue decoction (JHD), a classical Chinese herbal prescription that originated from Wang Qingren's Correction on Errors in Medical Works, has been shown to be effective in treating acute kidney injury (AKI), yet the mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to probe the efficacy of JHD on AKI and clarify its potential mechanism in cisplatin-induced AKI mice.

METHODS

An integrated tactic, including network pharmacology, molecular docking, pharmacodynamics, molecular biology, and metabolomics, was employed to illuminate the pharmacological mechanisms of JHD in treating AKI. Firstly, network pharmacology was adopted to predict potential drug targets and molecular pathways of AKI by utilizing the active ingredients in JHD. Secondly, molecular docking was used to explore the affinity between the active ingredients of JHD and AKI targets. Thirdly, biochemical analysis and histopathology were performed to estimate JHD's impact on cisplatin-induced AKI mice. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, lipid/immunofluorescence staining, and untargeted metabolomics were performed to understand the underlying mechanisms in vivo.

RESULTS

In silico analysis identified 184 active compounds and 394 targets of JHD. Topology analysis based on the PPI network indicated 7 main targets. The GO and KEGG enriched signaling pathways pointed to metabolic changes due to JHD's effects on AKI. Molecular docking screening revealed that TP53, SRC, MAPK1, MAPK2, and AKT1 were the key targets of JHD. Further molecular biology and untargeted metabolomics experiments revealed that fatty acid uptake (CD36) and lipogenesis (sphingolipids, phospholipids, and neutral lipids) mediated by the p53 and SRC-ERK/AKT signaling pathway may be involved in the protective effects of JHD against AKI in vivo.

CONCLUSION

JHD exerted therapeutic effects on AKI by regulating fatty acid uptake and lipogenesis via the p53 and SRC-ERK/AKT signaling pathway.