Network pharmacology and bioinformatic integrative analysis reveals candidate gene targets and potential therapeutic of East Kalimantan propolis against hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is commonly treated with surgery, liver transplantation, and chemotherapy, but recurrence and metastasis remain challenges.Natural complementary therapies like propolis, known for its hepatoprotective properties, are gaining interest due to limited efficacy and toxicity of conventional chemotherapy.This study aims to identify core targets for HCC, assess the therapeutic potential of East Kalimantan propolis (EKP) from stingless bees, and analyze the molecular interactions.Methods: EKP compounds were analyzed using target prediction tools related to HCC, alongside clinical data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, to identify overlapping genes with clinical relevance.The selected genes were then subjected to protein-protein interaction (PPI), GO and KEGG enrichment, immunohistochemical comparison and survival analysis to identify potential core targets and related pathways for HCC therapy.Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamics were conducted to verify the molecular interactions and stability of EKP compounds with targets.Results: 108 genes have been selected as HCC potential targets, which mostly associated with MicroRNAs in cancer, chemical carcinogenesis, and viral carcinogenesis pathways.These targets were obtained by overlapping genes from GEO clinical databases and target predictors.PPI network analysis revealed 4 main targets of propolis in HCC.Furthermore, differential expression genes, survival analysis, and Immunohistochemical analysis from databases suggested that AKR1C3 and MAPK1 promote HCC progression and shorten survival rate of HCC patients.Molecular docking and dynamic studies confirmed strong binding affinity and stability of Baicalein, Chrysin, Quercetin, and Myricetin with receptor targets within simulation time.Conclusions: This study provides insight into the mechanism of action of EKP on HCC and identifies AKR1C3 and MAPK1 as candidate target treatments for future drug development.