Anticancer Activity of Erianin: Cancer-Specific Target Prediction Based on Network Pharmacology

Abstract

Erianin is a major bisbenzyl compound extracted from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl., an important traditional Chinese herb. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has proved the potential therapeutic effects of erianin on various cancers, including hepatoma, melanoma, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, myelogenous leukemia, breast cancer, and osteosarcoma. Especially, the pharmacological activities of erianin, such as antioxidant and anticancer activity, have been frequently demonstrated by plenty of studies. In this study, we firstly conducted a systematic review on reported anticancer activity of erianin. All updated valuable information regarding the underlying action mechanisms of erianin in specific cancer was recorded and summarized in this paper. Most importantly, based on the molecular structure of erianin, its potential molecular targets were analyzed and predicted by means of the SwissTargetPrediction online server (http://www.swisstargetprediction.ch). In the meantime, the potential therapeutic targets of 10 types of cancers in which erianin has been proved to have anticancer effects were also predicted via the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim). The overlapping targets may serve as valuable target candidates through which erianin exerts its anticancer activity. The clinical value of those targets was subsequently evaluated by analyzing their prognostic role in specific cancer using Kaplan-Meier plotter (http://Kmplot.com/analysis/) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/). To better assess and verify the binding ability of erianin with its potential targets, molecular flexible docking was performed using Discovery Studio (DS). The valuable targets obtained from the above analysis and verification were further mapped to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) (http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/) to explore the possible signaling pathways disturbed/regulated by erianin. Furthermore, the in silico prediction of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of erianin was also performed and provided in this paper. Overall, in this study, we aimed at 1) collecting all experiment-based important information regarding the anticancer effect and pharmacological mechanism of erianin, 2) providing the predicted therapeutic targets and signaling pathways that erianin might act on in cancers, and 3) especially providing in silico ADMET properties of erianin.

Erianin impedes the proliferation and metastatic migration through suppression of STAT-3 phosphorylation in human esophageal cancer cells

“…Hence, STAT-3 overexpression is thought to be a crucial target for the identi cation of new therapeutical molecules against esophageal cancer. Erianin belongs to A dibenzyl drug extracted from Dendrobium o cinale and Dendrobium chrysotoxum, commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine [17]. In this investigation, we elucidated the capacity of erianin to enhance cellular toxicity in esophageal carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner.…”

“…Erianin is a bis benzyl compound derived from the herb Dendrohium chrysotoxum Lindl and has been used in Chinese traditional medicine as an antipyretic and analgesic [17]. Erianin possesses several pharmacological roles such as antioxidant, antiviral, improving diabetic nephropathy, antibacterial, relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, and anti-tumor [18].…”

Targets and Effects of Common Biocompounds of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Delphinidin-3-Sambubiosid, Quercetin, and Hibiscus Acid) in Different Pathways of Human Cells According to a Bioinformatic Assay

“…This underscores the versatility and applicability of SwissTargetPrediction in elucidating the molecular targets of bioactive compounds originating from natural sources. For example, in a study of 2022, a team of researchers from China led by Lili Yan [ 33 ] examined information on the predicted molecular targets of Erianin, a biphenyl compound, using this site. They proceeded to compare the identified targets, along with results from other bioinformatic tools, with the then-current information published by other authors.…”

Erianin suppresses constitutive activation of MAPK signaling pathway by inhibition of CRAF and MEK1/2

“… 21 Furthermore, a network pharmacology targets prediction indicated BRAF as a potential target of erianin, in which the MAPK cascade pathway was also enriched. 22 However, the direct molecular target and correlated signaling pathway for erianin are yet to be identified. In this study, erianin was found as a CRAF and MEK1/2 dual-target inhibitor through the aid of Kinase Profiler™ enzyme profiling assay and its inhibition of disordered MAPK signaling pathway in either BRAF V600E or RAS mutant tumors.…”