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Aspartame carcinogenic potential revealed through network toxicology and molecular docking insights.
Chen, Dandan; Hou, Xianbing.
Affiliation
  • Chen D; Fenghua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
  • Hou X; Fenghua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. houxianbing007@126.com.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 11492, 2024 05 20.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38769413
ABSTRACT
The research employed network toxicology and molecular docking techniques to systematically examine the potential carcinogenic effects and mechanisms of aspartame (L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester). Aspartame, a commonly used synthetic sweetener, is widely applied in foods and beverages globally. In recent years, its safety issues, particularly the potential carcinogenic risk, have garnered widespread attention. The study first constructed an interaction network map of aspartame with gastric cancer targets using network toxicology methods and identified key targets and pathways. Preliminary validation was conducted through microarray data analysis and survival analysis, and molecular docking techniques were employed to further examine the binding affinity and modes of action of aspartame with key proteins. The findings suggest that aspartame has the potential to impact various cancer-related proteins, potentially raising the likelihood of cellular carcinogenesis by interfering with biomolecular function. Furthermore, the study found that the action patterns and pathways of aspartame-related targets are like the mechanisms of known carcinogenic pathways, further supporting the scientific hypothesis of its potential carcinogenicity. However, given the complexity of the in vivo environment, we also emphasize the necessity of validating these molecular-level findings in actual biological systems. The study introduces a fresh scientific method for evaluating the safety of food enhancers and provides a theoretical foundation for shaping public health regulations.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Aspartame / Carcinogens / Molecular Docking Simulation Limits: Humans Language: En Journal: Sci Rep / Sci. rep. (Nat. Publ. Group) / Scientific reports (Nature Publishing Group) Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country: China Country of publication: Reino Unido

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Aspartame / Carcinogens / Molecular Docking Simulation Limits: Humans Language: En Journal: Sci Rep / Sci. rep. (Nat. Publ. Group) / Scientific reports (Nature Publishing Group) Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country: China Country of publication: Reino Unido