AUTHOR=Yang Xiaobing , Lu Di , Sun Yanfei , Wei Tiandi , Man Dulegeqi , Chen Anbin , Luo Tao , Zhao Feihu , Liu Xuemeng , Cheng Bo , Wang Xu , Zhao Peng , Wang Donghai , Li Xingang 

TITLE=Network pharmacology and experimental verification reveal the mechanism of safranal against glioblastoma (GBM)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1255164

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1255164

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Safranal is an active component of the traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) saffron, which has potential anticancer activity.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods and results</title><p>Here, we studied the therapeutic effect and mechanism of safranal on GBM. CCK-8, GBM-brain organoid coculture experiments and 3D tumour spheroid invasion assays showed that safranal inhibited GBM cell proliferation and invasion <italic>in vitro</italic>. Network pharmacology, RNA-seq, molecular docking analysis, western blotting, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays predicted and verified that safranal could promote GBM cell apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest and inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis. <italic>In vivo</italic> experiments showed that safranal could inhibit GBM cell growth alone and in combination with TMZ.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>This study revealed that safranal inhibits GBM cell growth <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic>, promotes GBM cell apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest, inhibits the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis and cooperate with TMZ.</p></sec>