The assessment of the mechanism of action of lauric acid in the context of oral cancer through integrative approach combining network pharmacology and molecular docking technology
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Kirti Buva
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Ajinkya Deshmukh
Abstract
Objectives
Lauric acid has been investigated for its effects on various human cancer cell types, although limited research has been dedicated to its impact on oral cancer. In light of this, the objective of our study was to comprehensively assess the anticancer properties of lauric acid specifically in the context of oral cancer. This evaluation was achieved through an in-silico approach, leveraging network analysis techniques. By employing this methodology, we aimed to gain valuable insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of lauric acid for treating oral cancer.
Methods
The in-silico analysis involved determination of drug-likeness prediction, prediction of common targets between oral cancer and LA, protein–protein interactions (PPI), hub genes, top 10 associated pathways by gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, molecular docking experiments.
Results
Our study pinpointed 23 common genes involved in critical cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis regulation, PI3K AKT cascade, and cell cycle control. Among them, CXCL8, MMP9, PPARA, MAPK1, and AR stood out in the top 10 pathways, particularly in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This highlights the potential role of lauric acid in oral cancer treatment through the PI3K/AKT pathway and calls for further exploration of this mechanism.
Conclusions
Our study highlights lauric acid’s promising anticancer properties through computational analysis, offering a foundation for future research in cancer treatment development. This approach combines molecular insights with in-silico methods, paving the way for identifying therapeutic compounds and understanding their mechanisms. Lauric acid holds potential as a chemotherapeutic agent, opening up new avenues for cancer therapy exploration.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: Kirti Bua: Methodology, Data curation, Software, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft. Gauri Kumbhar: Methodology, Data curation, Software, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft. Ajinkya Deshmukh: Writing – review & editing. All authors approved the submitted manuscript. Vaibhav Ladke: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Validation, Writing original draft.
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Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Reviews
- Markhamia lutea leaves aqueous and ethanolic extract with curative anti-inflammatory activity attenuates paclitaxel toxicity in rat’s intestine
- Does hydrotherapy influence plasma glucose levels in type 2 diabetes? – A scoping review
- Comparative effectiveness is the common denominator in health services research: experimental effects are promising, real-world effects are compelling
- Research Articles
- Hydroethanolic extract of Piliostigma thonningii leaves extenuates the severity of diarrhoea in female Wistar rats
- Pharmacokinetic assessment of rifampicin and des-acetyl rifampicin in carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury model in Wistar rats
- Antipyretic activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Artemisia absinthium L. as a standalone and as an adjuvant with barley water against yeast-induced pyrexia in albino Wistar rats
- Selenium prevented renal tissue damage in lipopolysaccharide-treated rats
- Preliminary data on cytotoxicity and functional group assessment of a herb–mineral combination against colorectal carcinoma cell line
- Oral intake of collagen hydrolysate from mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus) attenuates skin photoaging by suppressing the UVB-induced expression of MMP-1 and IL-6
- Pentaclethra macrophylla leaves reduce blood glucose level, improve sexual behavior and modulate critical enzymes associated with diabetes-erectile dysfunction morbidity in rats
- Anti-melanoma and antioxidant properties of the methanol extract from the leaves of Phragmenthera capitata (Spreng.) Balle and Globimetula braunii (Engl.) Van Tiegh
- The assessment of the mechanism of action of lauric acid in the context of oral cancer through integrative approach combining network pharmacology and molecular docking technology
- Therapeutic potential of flavonoids in ovalbumin induced asthma in mice model
- The effects of pioglitazone and rosiglitazone on liver function in hypothyroid rats
- Effect of ozone gas on viral kinetics and liver histopathology in hepatitis C patients
