Integrating Network Pharmacology And Experimental Verification To Explore The Mechanism Of Qionggui Power Against Atherosclerosis

Qionggui Power (QP), a classic prescription in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has shown potential in the treatment of atherosclerosis during the past decades. However, the mechanism that mediates these cardiovascular benefits remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of QP against atherosclerosis with network pharmacology approaches and in vitro model. The active ingredients and related targets of QP were collected from public databases. The hub targets and signaling pathways of QP against AS were defined by extensive application of bioinformatics approaches, including the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The predicted major targets were validated in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages RAW264.7. The anti-inflammatory properties of QP were also evaluated in this model. In silico investigation of QP resulted in the identification of 18 active ingredients and 49 chemical targets intersecting with AS-related genes. And KEGG pathway analysis revealed a high enrichment in the Lipid and Atherosclerosis pathway of these chemical targets. Biochemical analysis showed marked effects of QP on the expression of predicted chemical targets (PPARr, CAT, PTGS2) and LPS-induced inflammatory genes (IL1, IL6, and TNF). And these inhibitory effects were linked to the suppression of the NF-{kappa}B signaling pathway, which was activated by the LPS stimulus. Our findings revealed the therapeutic potential of QP in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Graphical Abstract O_FIG_DISPLAY_L [Figure 1] M_FIG_DISPLAY C_FIG_DISPLAY