Title
Therapeutic targets and signaling mechanisms of vitamin C activity against sepsis: a bioinformatics study
Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of pneumonia, including coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-induced pneumonia. Evidence of the benefits of vitamin C (VC) for the treatment of sepsis is accumulating. However, data revealing the targets and molecular mechanisms of VC action against sepsis are limited. In this report, a bioinformatics analysis of network pharmacology was conducted to demonstrate screening targets, biological functions, and the signaling pathways of VC action against sepsis. As shown in network assays, 63 primary causal targets for the VC action against sepsis were identified from the data, and four optimal core targets for the VC action against sepsis were identified. These core targets were epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mitogen-activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK1), proto-oncogene c (JUN), and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3). In addition, all biological processes (including a top 20) and signaling pathways (including a top 20) potentially involved in the VC action against sepsis were identified. The hub genes potentially involved in the VC action against sepsis and interlaced networks from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Mapper assays were highlighted. Considering all the bioinformatic findings, we conclude that VC antisepsis effects are mechanistically and pharmacologically implicated with suppression of immune dysfunction-related and inflammation-associated functional processes and other signaling pathways. These primary predictive biotargets may potentially be used to treat sepsis in future clinical practice.
Year
DOI
Venue
2021
10.1093/bib/bbaa079
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
Keywords
DocType
Volume
vitamin C, sepsis, network pharmacology, immune dysfunction, inflammation
Journal
22
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
3
1467-5463
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Rong Li115.76
Chao Guo254.27
Yu Li37822.16
Zuqian Qin400.34
Wenjun Huang500.34