Bioinformatic Analysis and in Vitro Experimental Verification of the Intervention Effect of Shipi-Xiaoji Recipe on the Progression of non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease to Liver Cancer

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to screen and identify central genes associated with the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), to establish prognostic and clinical prediction models based on the expression of these genes, and to evaluate the intervention of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula—SPXJF—on the development of NAFLD into HCC through network pharmacology analysis and in vitro and in vivo validation. Methods Datasets for analysis were retrieved from multiple public databases using bioinformatics techniques. Through network pharmacology analysis, SPXJF's active components and their related targets were assessed, while in vitro experiments validated the inhibitory effects of SPXJF on the growth and migration of HepG2 cells. Results The results revealed that the expression levels of the two central genes, regulator of cell cycle gene (RGCC) and atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3), were closely tied to the survival prognosis of HCC patients. Furthermore, SPXJF significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells. Conclusion RGCC and ACKR3, as hub genes, significantly influence HCC patient survival during “NAFLD-HCC” progression. The risk scoring system and prediction model perform well. In vitro experiments showed that SPXJF could inhibit the proliferation and invasion of hepG2 cells. These findings support the discovery of molecular targets for early diagnosis and drug intervention in HCC. They also underscore TCM's potential in anti-HCC strategies and clinical application.