Deciphering of Key Pharmacological Pathways of Poria Cocos Intervention in Breast Cancer Based on Integrated Pharmacological Method

OBJECTIVE: Poria cocos (Fuling), a natural plant, has recently emerged as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms of Poria cocos action in breast cancer remain poorly understood. METHODS: TCMSP database was used to screen the potential active ingredients in Poria cocos. GEO database was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Network pharmacology was used to identify the specific pathways and key target proteins related to breast cancer. Finally, molecular docking was used to validate the results. RESULTS: In our study, 237 targets were predicted for 15 potential active ingredients found in Poria cocos. An interaction network of predicted targets and genes differentially regulated in breast cancers was constructed. Based on the constructed network and further analysis including network topology, KEGG, survival analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis, 3 primary nodes were identified as key potential targets that were significantly enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: The results showed that potential active ingredients of Poria cocos might interfere with breast cancer through synergistic regulation of PTGS2, ESR1, and FOS.