Aspartame may promote erectile dysfunction via DPP4-mediated endothelial dysfunction and apoptosis: evidence from network toxicology, molecular dynamics simulation, and experimental validation (opens in new tab)

BackgroundAspartame is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners, but its potential adverse effects on male reproductive health remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms by which aspartame may contribute to Erectile dysfunction (ED).MethodsPotential targets of aspartame were identified using SEA, SwissTargetPrediction, and TargetNet, while ED-related genes were collected from GeneCards. Overlapping genes were analyzed using protein–prot...