Polygenic Regulation by Flos Daturae in the Treatment of Breast Cancer: A Study based on Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics

Background In recent years, Chinese herbal medicine has been gradually emerging as a suitable treatment option for breast cancer. However, the mechanism underlying its effects remains to be elucidated. Objective The drug targets and Flos Daturae targets were intersected to obtain 86 component-disease intersection genes. Methods The String database and Cytoscape3.8.0 were employed, and finally, AKT1, MYC, EGFR, MAPK14 PTGS2, and VEGFA were obtained as the six core genes. Results According to the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), six core gene correlation analysis figures were constructed. The GO enrichment analysis and the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were conducted using the R package. Finally, molecular docking between the core genes and the main active components was performed for verification. Conclusion The results indicated that Flos Daturae has multiple components and multiple targets that regulate the body functions, through which it plays a role in the treatment of breast cancer. In addition, it was inferred that polygenic regulation is better than the single-gene approach in breast cancer treatment.

Automated summary

This study obtained 86 component-disease intersection genes by intersecting drug targets and Flos Daturae targets, and further screened and identified AKT1, MYC, EGFR, MAPK14, PTGS2, and VEGFA as the six core genes. The results indicated that Flos Daturae has multiple components and targets that regulate body functions for the treatment of breast cancer. It was also inferred that polygenic regulation is more effective than the single-gene approach in breast cancer treatment.