Investigating the cardioprotective effects of Fuzheng Yangxin recipe based on network pharmacology and experimental evaluation

Figures

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  FIGURE 1. Differential gene acquisition and network construction. (A) Heatmap of non-failing (NF) VS ischemic heart disease (IHD). Green represents low expression, black represents medium expression, and red represents high expression. (B) Heatmap of NF VS idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Green represents low expression, black represents medium expression, and red represents high expression. (C) Volcano map of IHD. (D) Volcano map of DCM. (E) Venn diagram of FZYX, IHD and DCM.

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  FIGURE 2. Regulatory network and PPI network. (A) Herb-ingredients-targets network. (B) PPI network and its topological analysis. The initial PPI network of 37 intersection genes had 1,260 nodes and 18,091 edges, whereas the final network included 29 nodes and 243 edges.

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  FIGURE 3. GO functional analysis. (A) GO biological processes of 37 core genes. (B) GO cellular component of 37 core genes. (C) GO molecular function f 37 core genes.

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  FIGURE 4. KEGG functional analysis. (A) KEGG bubble diagram. (B) Interaction network of 25 targets (blue) and 18 pathways (pink) to indicate pathways-targets network.

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  FIGURE 5. The binding site of the main active components of FZYX and STAT3. (A) Gomisin A and STAT3. (B) Kumatakenin and STAT3. (C) Methylophiopogonanone B and STAT3. (D) Senkyunolide A and STAT3. The dashed line in the figure is the hydrogen bond and the value is the bond length.

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  FIGURE 6. Effects of FZYX on cardiac function and structural alterations in HF model rats. (A) Echocardiographic results (n = 5). Statistical analysis was performed including the LVEF, LVFS, LVESV, LVEDV, LVIDs and LVIDd. (B) HE staining. (C) Masson’s staining. (D) NT-proBNP (n = 5). (E) CVF (n = 5) *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. controls.

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  FIGURE 7. Regulation of apoptosis and STAT3 by FZYX. (A) mRNA expression levels of BCL-2, BAX and Caspase-3 (n = 3). (B) Protein abundance of BCL-2, BAX and Caspase-3 (n = 3). (C) immunohistochemical analysis of Caspase-3 (n = 5). (D) mRNA expression levels of STAT3 (n = 3). (E) Protein abundance of pSTAT3 and STAT3 (n = 3). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. controls.