ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Hepatobiliary Diseases
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1581623
Mechanistic Insights into the Therapeutic Effects on Liver Fibrosis in Wilson's Disease: A Transcriptomic and Network Pharmacology-Based Approach
Provisionally accepted
- First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
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The mechanism of the Bushen Huoxue Huazhuo Formula (BSHXHZF) in treating Wilson's disease (WD) liver fibrosis was investigated in this study using transcriptomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking approaches.Methods: Differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (DELncRNAs) and messenger RNAs in the liver tissues of different groups were identified using high-throughput chip sequencing.Furthermore, the target genes of DELncRNAs were identified, followed by GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses. DELncRNAs were validated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Active compounds of BSHXHZF and their associated pathways relevant to liver fibrosis treatment in WD, with initial validation via molecular docking.Results: Transcriptomic analysis identified 63 DELncRNAs by comparing the control with the model and treatment groups. Key DELncRNAs included NONMMUT060008.2, NONMMUT096375.1, and ENSMUST00000153523. Target genes such as Pik3cd, Pld1, Oprd1, Ppp2r2b, and Cers5 were implicated in sphingolipid signaling, metabolism, and AMPK pathways.The "BSHXHZF-Component-Target" network highlighted active ingredients, including tanshinone IIA, quercetin, and luteolin, which play key roles in treating liver fibrosis. Main signaling pathways included IL-17, HIF-1, prolactin, and NF-κB.The therapeutic effects of BSHXHZF in liver fibrosis associated with WD are likely linked to its modulation of sphingolipid and IL-17 signaling pathways.
Keywords: Bushen Huoxue Huazhuo Formula, Wilson's Disease, liver fibrosis, lncRNA, Network Pharmacology
Received: 22 Feb 2025; Accepted: 21 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ma, Pu, Chen, Zhou, Yang, Huang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Ying Ma, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
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