Exploring the mechanism of action of TwHF in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

Abstract objectives: To explore the Relationship and Potential Mechanism of Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F ( TwHF ) in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis ( RA ) Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking. Methods:The main active ingredients and targets in TwHF were screened by searching the TCMSP database, combined with oral bioavailability and drug-like analysis, and then the drug-component-target maps were drawn by UniProt database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 software; the drug-target maps were searched in GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, pharmGKB, and drugbank databases. drugbank database to obtain the predicted targets of RA, draw Venn diagrams to derive the common targets of TwHF components and RA, and perform protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway The potential binding activities between the active ingredients of TwHF and the targets were predicted by molecular docking technique. Results: TwHF had 7 active ingredients and 131 potential targets, RA had 4917 related targets, and TwHF and RA had 87 common targets. The target genes obtained by the PPI network include tumor necrosis factor (TNF), p53 tumor protein (TP53), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), etc.; GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis yielded 336 results and 121 signal pathways, respectively. Conclusion: TwHF therapy for RA may be a multi-component, multi-target, multi-signal pathway biological process, it may be able to regulate VEGFA, TNF, TP53 and other targets, play anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and other functions.