Naringenin inhibits ferroptosis to reduce radiation-induced lung injury: insights from network Pharmacology and molecular docking.

Context: Naringenin is a natural flavanone with potent pharmacological properties. It has demonstrated therapeutic potential in treating various diseases and organ injuries, including radiation-induced lung injury (RILI). Ferroptosis is a newly type of cell death, and naringenin has been shown to attenuates ferroptosis.

Objective: To evaluate the inhibitory effect and molecular mechanism of naringenin on ferroptosis during RILI process.

Materials & methods: Firstly, BEAS-2B and HUVECs cells were pre-incubated with naringenin for 1 h prior to 8 Gy of X-ray irradiation to evaluate oxidative stress, inflammation, and the mRNA levels of ferroptosis-related genes. Next, target genes of naringenin, RILI, and ferroptosis were identified using the TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction, and GeneCards databases. The target network was constructed with Cytoscape and STRING. Finally, the core target genes were identified through in vitro experiments by qRT-PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence staining.

Results: Naringenin effectively reduced radiation-induced increasement of oxidative stress, inflammation, and ferroptosis markers in both cell lines. Network pharmacology identified 14 target genes, with prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PTGS2) and Valosin-containing protein (VCP) mRNA levels being prominent, which were crucial for ferroptosis regulation. Molecular docking revealed strong binding interactions between naringenin and the two target proteins. Subsequently, experimental validation confirmed that naringenin reduced the elevated levels of PTGS2 and VCP induced by radiation.

Discussion & conclusion: Naringenin alleviates radiation-induced lung damage by inhibiting ferroptosis, with PTGS2 and VCP emerging as potential therapeutic targets.