Exploring the Pharmacological Mechanism of Danzhi Xiaoyao Powder on ER-Positive Breast Cancer by a Network Pharmacology Approach

Kailin Yang,Jinwen Ge,Liuting Zeng

doi:10.1155/2018/5059743

Abstract

Background Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, but the long-term endocrine therapy is frequently associated with adverse side effects. Danzhi Xiaoyao powder (DXP) is a herbal formula that has an effect on breast cancer, especially ER-positive breast cancer. However, the active compounds, potential targets, and pharmacological and molecular mechanism of its action against cancer remain unclear. Methods A network pharmacology approach comprising drug-likeness evaluation, oral bioavailability prediction, Caco-2 permeability prediction, multiple compound target prediction, multiple known target collection, breast cancer genes collection, and network analysis has been used in this study. Results Four networks are set up—namely, ER-positive breast cancer network, compound-compound target network of DXP, DXP-ER-positive breast cancer network, and compound-known target-ER-positive breast cancer network. Some ER-positive breast cancer and DXP related targets, clusters, biological processes, and pathways, and several potential anticancer compounds are found. Conclusion This network analysis successfully predicted, illuminated, and confirmed the molecular synergy of DXP for ER-positive breast cancer, got potential anticancer active compounds, and found the potential ER-positive breast cancer associated targets, cluster, biological processes, and pathways. This work also provides clues to the researcher who explores ethnopharmacological or/and herbal medicine's or even multidrugs' various synergies.

Highlights

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women all over the world whose mortality rate is the highest [1]
There are at least four main subtypes of breast cancer according to different patterns of gene expression: luminal A, luminal B, the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) overexpressing subtype, and the triple-negative subtype
The endocrine therapy includes the selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as tamoxifen and the selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) such as fulvestrant, and it reduces the production of estrogen in peripheral tissues and tumors through inhibiting aromatase

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women all over the world whose mortality rate is the highest [1]. In China, breast cancer is the most common one among Chinese women; the number of new breast cancer cases and the number of deaths in China account for 12.2% and 9.6% per year [2]. The patients with ER-positive breast cancer are the suitable candidates of endocrine therapy. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, but the long-term endocrine therapy is frequently associated with adverse side effects. Some ER-positive breast cancer and DXP related targets, clusters, biological processes, and pathways, and several potential anticancer compounds are found. This network analysis successfully predicted, illuminated, and confirmed the molecular synergy of DXP for ER-positive breast cancer, got potential anticancer active compounds, and found the potential ER-positive breast cancer associated targets, cluster, biological processes, and pathways. This work provides clues to the researcher who explores ethnopharmacological or/and herbal medicine’s or even multidrugs’ various synergies

Methods

Results

Conclusion