System biology analysis of long-term effect and mechanism of Bufei Yishen on COPD revealed by system pharmacology and 3-omics profiling

Abstract

System pharmacology identified 195 potential targets of Bufei Yishen formula (BYF), and BYF was proven to have a short-term therapeutic effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rats previously. However, the long-term effect and mechanism of BYF on COPD is still unclear. Herein, we explored its long-term effect and underlying mechanism at system level. We administered BYF to COPD rats from week 9 to 20, and found that BYF could prevent COPD by inhibiting the inflammatory cytokines expression, protease-antiprotease imbalance and collagen deposition on week 32. Then, using transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics analysis, we identified significant regulated genes, proteins and metabolites in lung tissues of COPD and BYF-treated rats, which could be mainly attributed to oxidoreductase-antioxidant activity, focal adhesion, tight junction or lipid metabolism. Finally, based on the comprehensive analysis of system pharmacology target, transcript, protein and metabolite data sets, we found a number of genes, proteins, metabolites regulated in BYF-treated rats and the target proteins of BYF were involved in lipid metabolism, inflammatory response, oxidative stress and focal adhension. In conclusion, BYF exerts long-term therapeutic action on COPD probably through modulating the lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, cell junction and inflammatory response pathways at system level.