Study on the Anti-demyelination Mechanism of Bu-Shen-Yi-Sui Capsule in the Central Nervous System Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification

The mechanism of exosomes of BMSCs modified with Bu Shen Yi Sui capsule in promoting remyelination via regulating miR-15b/Wnt signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of oligodendrocytes

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Bu Shen Yi Sui capsule (BSYS), a modified version of the classical Chinese medicine formula Liu Wei Di Huang pill, has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Nevertheless, the precise mechanism through which BSYS facilitates remyelination remains to be elucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This research investigates the role and potential mechanisms of BSYS-modified exosomes (exos) derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in promoting remyelination in a cuprizone (CPZ)-induced demyelination model in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

C57BL/6J mice were administered a 0.2% CPZ-containing diet for 5 weeks to induce demyelination, followed by treatment with exosomes derived from BMSC (BMSC-exos) and BSYS-modified BMSC exosomes (BSYS-BMSC-exos) twice weekly for 2 weeks. Body weight measurements were recorded, and motor function was evaluated using the rotarod test. Pathological changes in myelin and axons were assessed via Luxol fast blue (LFB) staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Oligodendrocyte proliferation, differentiation, and maturation were analyzed using IF double-staining, Western blot (WB), and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Additionally, microRNA (miRNA) sequencing and a luciferase reporter assay were conducted to verify miRNA binding to its target gene. Key markers of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were examined using WB and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

BSYS-BMSC-exos treatment significantly increased both body weight and rotarod performance in CPZ mice. Moreover, BMSC-exos and BSYS-BMSC-exos reversed myelin loss and axonal damage. These treatments enhanced oligodendrocytes proliferation, differentiation, and maturation, with BSYS-BMSC-exos exhibiting a particularly pronounced effect on the expression of adenomatous polyposis coli clone CC1 (CC1), 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase), proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and myelin basic protein (MBP). Sequencing and luciferase assays revealed that miR-15b-5p, enriched in BSYS-BMSC-exos, directly targets Wnt3a. Furthermore, BSYS-BMSC-exos elevated axis inhibition protein 2 (Axin2) expression while markedly reducing Wnt family member 3A (Wnt3a), phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK3β), β-catenin, and T-cell specific transcription factor 4/transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF4/TCF7L2) levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that BSYS-BMSC-exos alleviate neurological deficits, enhance oligodendrocytes differentiation and maturation, and promote remyelination in CPZ mice. miR-15b-5p, enriched in BSYS-BMSC-exos, targets and downregulates Wnt3a, thereby inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Combining bioinformatics, network pharmacology and artificial intelligence to predict the mechanism of celastrol in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Background

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a common chronic disease with many serious complications. Celastrol can prevent and treat type 2 diabetes by reversing insulin resistance in a number of ways. However, the specific mechanisms by which celastrol prevents and treats T2D are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore the key gene targets and potential signaling pathway mechanisms of celastrol for the treatment of T2D.

Methods

GSE184050 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus online database. Blood samples from patients and healthy individuals with T2D were analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed. Key gene analysis of DEGs was performed using the MCODE plugin in Cystoscope as well as the Hubba plugin, and intersections were taken to obtain hub genes, which were displayed using a Venn diagram. Enrichment analysis was then performed via the ClueGo plugin in Cytoscape and validated using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. The therapeutic targets of celastrol were then analyzed by pharmacophore network pharmacology, intersected to identify the therapeutic targets of celastrol, enriched for all targets, and intersected to obtain the signaling pathways for celastrol treatment. The protein structures of the therapeutic targets were predicted using the artificial intelligence AlphaFold2. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify whether celastrol could be successfully docked to the predicted targets.

Results

618 DEGs were obtained, and 9 hub genes for T2D were identified by the MCODE and Hubba plug-ins, including ADAMTS15, ADAMTS7, ADAMTSL1, SEMA5B, ADAMTS8, THBS2, HBB, HBD and HBG2. The DEG-enriched signaling pathways mainly included the ferroptosis and TGF-beta signaling pathways. A total of 228 target genes were annotated by pharmacophore target analysis, and the therapeutic targets were identified, including S100A11, RBP3, HBB, BMP7 and IQUB, and 9 therapeutic signaling pathways were obtained by an intersectional set. The protein structures of the therapeutic targets were successfully predicted by AlphaFold2, and docking was validated using molecular docking.

Conclusion

Celastrol may prevent and treat T2D through key target genes, such as HBB, as well as signaling pathways, such as the TGF-beta signaling pathway and type II diabetes mellitus.