Puerarin mitigates tumor necrosis factor-nuclear factor-κB axis-driven macrophage inflammation and atherogenesis: Integrative network pharmacology and experimental validation - PubMed
5 days ago
- #Puerarin
- #TNF-NF-κB
- #Atherosclerosis
- Puerarin (PU) shows anti-atherosclerotic effects by targeting the TNF-NF-κB axis.
- Network pharmacology identified 56 potential PU-AS-related targets, with TNF, NFKBIA, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2 as central hub genes.
- TNF was consistently highlighted as a key regulatory target in molecular docking and dynamics simulations.
- Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed TNF is predominantly expressed in macrophages and related immune cells.
- PU treatment in ApoE-/- mice reduced inflammation, aortic plaque burden, and macrophage infiltration.
- PU inhibited NF-κB activation in macrophages and lowered pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β).
- The study supports PU as a natural therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular disease via TNF-NF-κB suppression.