Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant bone tumor of mesenchymal origin. Angelica dahurica is a typical traditional Chinese herb. Angelica dahurica is used in the treatment of a variety of tumors. However, the studies of Angelica dahurica for OS have not been reported. To investigate Angelica dahurica's potential mechanism of action in the treatment of OS, we used network pharmacology and molecular docking methods in this study. Of which the network pharmacology includes the collection of active ingredients of Angelica dahurica, the collection of predicted targets of Angelica dahurica and predicted targets of OS, the analysis of therapeutic targets of Angelica dahurica, gene ontology (GO) enrichment, and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment. The Venn plot performance showed that there were 225 predicted targets of Angelica dahurica for the treatment of OS. The therapeutic targets enrichment analysis results showed that Angelica dahurica treated OS through multiple targets and pathways. Angelica dahurica could affect OS's proliferation, apoptosis, migration, infiltration, and angiogenesis through a signaling network formed by pivotal genes crosstalking numerous signaling pathways. In addition, molecular docking results showed that senbyakangelicol, beta-sitosterol, and Prangenin, have a relatively high potential to become a treatment for patients with OS and improve 5-year survival in OS patients. We used network pharmacology and molecular docking methods to predict the active ingredients and significant targets of Angelica dahurica for the treatment of OS and, to a certain extent, elucidated the potential molecular mechanism of Angelica dahurica in the treatment of OS. This study provided a theoretical basis for Angelica dahurica in the treatment of OS. Abbreviations: BP = biological process, CC = cellular component, ESR1 = estrogen receptor, ETCM = The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, GAPDH = glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, GO = gene ontology, IL1B = interleukin-1beta, IL6 = interleukin-6, INS = insulin, KEGG = Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, MF = molecular function, OS = osteosarcoma, PPARG = peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, KM = Kaplan-Meier, PPI = protein-protein interaction, PRKACA = cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit alpha, RELA = transcription factor p65, RXRA = retinoic acid receptor RAR-alpha, TCMSP = the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, TNF = tumor necrosis factor.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant bone tumor of mesenchymal origin. Tripterygii Wilfordii (TW) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Various components of TW have been shown to have antitumor effects, however, no systematic study has been conducted to prove the anti-OS effects of TW. This study aimed to investigate the effects of TW on OS and its mechanism based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The web pharmacology section includes the gathering of the active components of TW, the collection of predicted targets of TW and OS-related targets, the analysis of therapeutic targets of TW, the enrichment of gene ontology (GO), and the enrichment of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The Veen diagram showed 451 targets for OS treatment in TW. The therapeutic target enrichment analysis results showed that TW treated OS via multiple targets and pathways. TW can affect OS proliferation, apoptosis, migration, infiltration, and angiogenesis through a signaling network formed by hub genes that cascade through numerous signaling pathways. In addition, molecular docking results showed that triptolide, kaempferol, and 5,8-Dihydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-5-methyl-coumarin-3)-coumarin have relatively high potential to become drugs for patients with OS and improve the 5-year survival rate of patients with OS. Network pharmacology and molecular docking suggest that TW affects the biological behavior of OS through multiple pathways involving multiple targets, such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and infiltration. Upregulation of the cellular tumor antigen p53 (TP53) gene and downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1-alpha/beta (STAT1) genes can prolong the survival time of patients with OS. Triptolide, kaempferol, and 5,8-Dihydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-5 methyl-coumarin-3)-coumarin have a relatively high potential to become a treatment for patients with OS and improve 5-year survival of OS patients.

To explore the antitumor effects of angelicin on osteosarcoma and the underlying mechanism. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments. We analyzed a PPI network of potential angelicin targets in the treatment of osteosarcoma and identified hub targets. We systematically performed GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the potential targets of angelicin, and we predicted it function in osteosarcoma treatment and the underlying molecular mechanism. Through molecular docking, the interactions between hub targets and angelicin were simulated, and then, the hub targets of angelicin were identified. Based on these results, we validated the effects of angelicin on osteosarcoma cells by conducting in vitro experiments. The PPI network analysis of potential therapeutic targets identified four apoptosis-related hub targets, namely, BCL-2, Casp9, BAX and BIRC 2. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses demonstrated that angelicin regulates osteosarcoma cell apoptosis. Molecular docking results indicated that angelicin can freely bind to the hub targets listed above. In vitro experiments showed that angelicin promoted osteosarcoma cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited osteosarcoma cell migration and proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The RT-PCR results showed that angelicin simultaneously promoted the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and Casp9 and inhibited the mRNA expression of BAX and BIRC 2. Angelicin promotes osteosarcoma cell apoptosis and inhibits osteosarcoma cell proliferation and migration by activating a signaling network that is composed of hub targets that link multiple signaling pathways. Angelicin could become an alternative drug for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Background Osteoporosis and arthritis are two common orthopedic diseases in the general population, with multiple common risk factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between osteoporosis (OP) and arthritis.Methods This cohort study included 13,310 eligible participants aged over 40 years with valid data on hypertension and arthritis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2020 (pre-pandemic). The association between osteoporosis and arthritis was studied by logistic regression, adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic factors, insufficient calcium intake, physical activity, smoking history, hypertension, diabetes, body mass index (BMI), blood calcium levels, blood phosphorus levels, and blood uric acid levels.Results Among the participants, 10267 (77.14%) had osteopenia or osteoporosis, and 4230 (31.78%) had self-reported arthritis. Osteoporosis was associated with arthritis [OR = 2.388, (95% CI: 2.111–2.702), P < 0.001], which remained significant [OR = 1.222, (95% CI: 1.046–1.428), P = 0.011] after adjustment. Stratified by the types of arthritis, the association remained significant in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [OR = 1.206, (95% CI: 1.044–1.394), P = 0.013] and osteoarthritis (OA) [OR = 1.427, (95% CI: 1.307–1.558), P < 0.001]. There was no clear association between osteoporosis and OA in 40–60 years old [OR = 1.231, (95% CI: (0.976–1.551), P = 0.093] or male participants [OR = 1.213, (95% CI:0.991–1.484), P = 0.069]. There was no clear association between osteoporosis and RA in participants over 60 years old [OR = 0.901, (95% CI: 0.734–1.078), P = 0.126] or female [OR = 1.031, (95% CI: 0.850–1.258), P = 0.725].Conclusions In this large nationally representative survey, arthritis (including RA and OA) is closely related to osteoporosis. Our study shows that patients with arthritis need osteoporosis screening and bone mineral density monitoring.