Wogonin inhibits the proliferation of prolactinoma through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Objectives This investigation sought to explore the inhibitory impact of wogonin on prolactinoma and elucidate its underlying mechanisms through network pharmacology, molecular docking (MD), and molecular biology experiments. Methods Target identification for wogonin and prolactinoma was conducted using relevant databases, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis of intersecting targets via the STRING database. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were executed utilizing Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) methodologies. Hub genes were identified from the PPI network, and MD was utilized to assess the binding patterns and interaction strength between wogonin and hub targets. Network pharmacological findings were further validated through in vivo and in vitro experiments. Results A sum of 137 drug targets for wogonin and 3,942 disease targets for prolactinoma were identified, with 37 overlapping targets. Nine hub genes were screened, including KDR, EGFR, BCL2, IL6, ESR1, MYC, CCL2, PTGS2, and ESR2. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that wogonin was closely associated with several critical signaling cascades. MD analysis confirmed robust binding interactions between wogonin and the identified hub targets. Cellular experiments suggested that wogonin suppressed cell proliferation and triggered apoptosis in prolactinoma cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, primarily via inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling cascades. Animal studies further revealed that wogonin markedly suppressed tumor growth and enhanced prolactinoma sensitivity to bromocriptine. Conclusion These findings suggest that wogonin exerts its anti-prolactinoma effects via multiple targets and signaling cascades, establishing a robust scientific basis for the development and screening of novel anti-prolactinoma therapeutics.