Luteolin exerts potential therapeutic effects on bladder cancer by modulating key pathways and target proteins

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common urological malignancy characterized by high recurrence and metastasis rates, posing significant challenges for its treatment. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis for advanced BC remains poor, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies is urgently needed. Luteolin, a flavonoid compound, has been reported to exhibit anti-cancer effects in various cancers. However, its molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential in BC remain unclear. We systematically investigated the potential therapeutic effects of Luteolin on BC using bioinformatics and molecular docking approaches. First, Luteolin-related targets and BC-related targets were screened from multiple databases. The overlapping targets were analyzed using the STRING database and Cytoscape software to construct a protein interaction network and identify core targets. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to explore the functional roles of Luteolin in BC. Finally, molecular docking was conducted to validate the binding affinity of Luteolin with key proteins, including AKT1 and TP53. A total of 115 common targets were identified between Luteolin and BC. The protein interaction network revealed 67 core targets, including TP53, AKT1, and CASP3. GO enrichment analysis indicated that Luteolin may regulate inflammatory responses and cytokine activity. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted its involvement in the IL-17 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and prostate cancer pathways. Molecular docking results demonstrated that Luteolin binds to AKT1 and TP53 with binding energies of -8.1 kcal/mol and -6.9 kcal/mol, respectively, via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. This study provides comprehensive insights into the molecular mechanisms of Luteolin in BC treatment, suggesting its potential therapeutic effects via modulating key pathways and target proteins. These findings lay a foundation for further experimental and clinical studies to explore Luteolin as a promising candidate for BC therapy.