A Systems Biology-Based Approach to Uncovering Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Qingdai in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Involving Integration of Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology

BACKGROUND: The method of multiple targets overall control is increasingly used to predict the main active ingredient and potential target group of Chinese traditional medicines and to determine the mechanisms involved in their curative effects. Qingdai is the main traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), but the complex active ingredients and antitumor targets in treatment of CML have not been clearly defined in previous studies. MATERIAL/METHODS: We constructed a protein-protein interaction network diagram of CML with 638 nodes (proteins) and 1830 edges, based on the biological function of chronic myelocytic leukemia by use of Cytoscape, and we determined 19 key gene nodes in the CML molecule by network topological properties analysis in a data bank. Then, we used the Surflex-dock plugin in SYBYL7.3 docking and acquired the protein crystal structures of key genes involved in CML from the chemical composition of the traditional Chinese medicine Qingdai with key proteins in CML networks. RESULTS: According to the score and the spatial structure, the pharmacodynamically active ingredients of Qingdai are Isdirubin, Isoindigo, N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, and Isatin, among which Isdirubin is the most important. We further screened the most effective activity key protein structures of CML to find the best pharmacodynamically active ingredients of Qingdai, according to the binding interactions of the inhibitors at the catalytic site performed in best docking combinations. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that Isdirubin plays a role in resistance to CML by altering the expressions of PIK3CA, MYC, JAK2, and TP53 target proteins. Network pharmacology and molecular docking technology can be used to search for possible reactive molecules in traditional chinese medicines (TCM) and to elucidate their molecular mechanisms.