A Network Pharmacology Study on the Molecular Mechanism of Protocatechualdehyde in the Treatment of Diabetic Cataract

Abstract

Purpose Protocatechualdehyde (PCA) is a phenolic compound found in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza with anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities. At present, there are few studies on protocatechualdehyde against diabetic cataract (DC), and there is also lack of systematic research on the mechanism of protocatechualdehyde. Therefore, this study tried to comprehensively clarify the targets and complex mechanisms of PCA against DC from the perspective of network pharmacology. Materials and Methods Through collecting relevant targets from the databases, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed on the potential targets. Moreover, core genes were identified by topological analysis of protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and gene–phenotype correlation analysis. Results The results indicated that protocatechualdehyde may be closely related to targets such as AKT1, MAPK3 and HDAC3, as well as signal pathways such as MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. Conclusion Together, the present study systematically clarified the possible mechanisms of protocatechualdehyde in the treatment of diabetic cataract and provided new ideas for the drug research of this disease.

Current Approach to the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Cataracts

“…The complexity of diabetic cataract pathogenesis was taken into account by Cheng X. et al in their study on the molecular mechanism of Protocatechualdehyde (PCA) in the treatment of diabetic cataracts [ 116 ]. PCA is a phenolic compound of plant origin with antioxidant and antiproliferative properties that may inhibit protein glycosylation [ 117 , 118 ].…”

Expression of miR-210-3p in the aqueous humor of patients with age-related cataracts and its effect on human lens epithelial cell injury induced by hydrogen peroxide

“…The pathogenesis of cataracts has not yet been fully understood, and studies on the normal physical and chemical properties of the lens and inducements leading to cataracts are ongoing. At present, no effective therapeutic drugs have been established to prevent or delay the occurrence of cataracts, and surgical treatment is still the most effective (5) . Therefore, addressing the worldwide problem of cataract pathogenesis is a priority.…”

Analysis of the multi-physiological and functional mechanism of wheat alkylresorcinols based on reverse molecular docking and network pharmacology

“…Cheng et al tried to comprehensively clarify the targets and complex mechanisms of protocatechualdehyde treatment for diabetic cataract from the perspective of network pharmacology. 24 Dhasmana et al used a topological and system-level protein interaction network (PIN) to analyze the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory molecular mechanism of curcumin. 25 Network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to evaluate the efficacy and the potential pharmacological mechanisms of Kai-Xin-San in Alzheimer's disease treatment.…”