PUBLICATION

Exploring the potential mechanism of B-phycoerythrin on DSS-induced colitis and colitis-associated bone loss based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation

Authors
Deng, L., Feng, Z., Li, X., Fan, L., Wu, X., Tavakoli, S., Zhu, Y., Ye, H., Wu, K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250216-5
Date
2025
Source
Scientific Reports   15: 54555455 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
B-phycoerythrin, Inflammatory bowel disease, Molecular docking, Network pharmacology, Osteoporosis, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
MeSH Terms
  • Network Pharmacology*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
  • Bone Resorption/drug therapy
  • Bone Resorption/metabolism
  • Bone Resorption/pathology
  • Dextran Sulfate*
  • Signal Transduction/drug effects
  • Animals
  • Molecular Docking Simulation*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects
  • Colitis*/chemically induced
  • Colitis*/complications
  • Colitis*/drug therapy
  • Colitis*/metabolism
  • Colitis*/pathology
  • Humans
  • Phycoerythrin*/chemistry
  • Phycoerythrin*/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*
PubMed
39953092 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Abstract
B-phycoerythrin (B-PE), a pigment protein, has found extensive applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of B-PE on colitis and colitis-associated bone loss remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of B-PE against colitis and colitis-associated bone loss using network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Based on public databases, 99 common targets of B-PE against inflammatory bowel disease and osteoporosis were predicted. The protein-protein interaction network identified 16 core targets, including TNF, AKT1, EGFR, etc., as hub targets. Additionally, functional enrichment analyses and molecular docking results revealed that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may serve as a potential signaling pathway for B-PE in the treatment of colitis and colitis-associated bone loss. Furthermore, pharmacological experiments indicated that B-PE not only reversed the elevated expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP9, and CXCL8a, and the reduced expression of ZO-1, E-cadherin, COL1A1, and RUNX2 in the DSS-induced colitis zebrafish model, but also enhanced the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, thereby mitigating inflammatory response and promoting osteogenesis. In conclusion, this study provides a theoretical basis for considering B-PE as a promising candidate for the treatment of colitis and colitis-associated bone loss.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping