Network pharmacology-based analysis of mechanisms of the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect by dihydroartemisinin

As an important derivative of the herb medicine Artemisia annua L., dihydroartemisinin (DHA) exhibits anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activities. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In the present study, the network pharmacology method was used to construct the ingredient-target network of DHA that was responsible for the anti-HCC effect and 11 targets including ALB, ATP5A1, CCT3, CLIC1, ENO1, HSPA8, HSPB1, NPM1, PPIA, PRDX1, and ZYX were selected. Functional category analysis showed that the anti-HCC effect of DHA might be related to the biological process of cell-cell adhesion. β1,6-branching of N-linked carbohydrate as one kind of glycosylation could participate in regulating cell-cell adhesion and has been reported to be overexpressed in HCC cells and tissues. Further lectin immunofluorescence and lectin blot analysis showed that DHA could down-regulate the expression of β1,6-branching of N-linked carbohydrate by suppressing the transcription of MGAT5. This study will provide a scientific basis for the elucidation of the mechanisms of DHA in anti-HCC from the angle of glycosylation.