Mechanism of Qianlong Shutong Formula in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Regulating Metabolism and Protein Function.

Abstract

To investigate the molecular mechanism of Qianlong Shutong formula (QLSTF) in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) through the regulation of metabolism and protein function. An integrated metabolomics and proteomics analysis was conducted using a BPH animal model. The animals were divided into a control group, a model group, and a QLSTF intervention group. Following drug intervention, metabolite extraction and protein sample processing were performed. Metabolomics results indicated the presence of metabolic disorders in the model group, which were significantly ameliorated by QLSTF through the regulation of relevant metabolic pathways. Quantitative proteomic analysis identified multiple differentially expressed proteins. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) enrichment analyses revealed that these proteins are involved in biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses. Correlation analysis demonstrated a synergistic relationship between metabolite levels and protein expression. Integrated analyses revealed metabolic disorders and differential protein expression, providing multiomics evidence for QLSTF's mechanism. QLSTF alleviates BPH by modulating metabolic pathways and protein networks, providing a molecular basis for TCM in BPH treatment and suggesting future research.