Network pharmacology: Anti-obesity and insulin-sensitizing effects of Danggui-Huangjing herb-pair via epidermal growth factor receptor/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway

Figure 9 Expression of relevant proteins in the livers of C57BL/6 mice from the various groups. Representative western blot images and quantitative analysis of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), PI3K, phosphorylated protein kinase B, protein kinase B, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, epidermal growth factor receptor, fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 in liver tissues (n = 3/group). Liver lysates: RIPA buffer (protease inhibitors), 20 μg protein loaded per lane; primary antibodies from Cell Signaling Technology (phosphorylated PI3K No. 4228, etc.) and Abcam (anti-acetyl-CoA carboxylase, No. ab45174, etc.); β-actin as internal reference; bands quantified by ImageJ. Data are presented as mean ± SD and were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni post hoc test. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001 vs normal control group; ^dP < 0.05, ^eP < 0.01, ^fP < 0.001 vs model control group; ^gP < 0.05, ^hP < 0.01, ⁱP < 0.001 vs Danggui-Huangjing group. NS: Not significant (for Danggui-Huangjing vs Danggui/Huangjing groups, no statistical difference). ACC: Acetyl-CoA carboxylase; AKT: Protein kinase B; DG: Danggui; DH: Danggui-Huangjing; HJ: Huangjing; EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor; FASN: Fatty acid synthase; MC: Model control; NC: Normal control; PI3K: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; p-AKT: Phosphorylated protein kinase B; p-PI3K: Phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; p-STAT3: Phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; SREBP-1: Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1; STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.