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Li Z, Wang Z, Sun T, Liu S, Ding S, Sun L. Identifying key genes in CD4+ T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus by integrated bioinformatics analysis. Front Genet 2022; 13:941221. [PMID: 36046235 PMCID: PMC9420982 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.941221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by excessive activation of T and B lymphocytes and breakdown of immune tolerance to autoantigens. Despite several mechanisms including the genetic alterations and inflammatory responses have been reported, the overall signature genes in CD4+ T cells and how they affect the pathological process of SLE remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to identify the crucial genes, potential biological processes and pathways underlying SLE pathogenesis by integrated bioinformatics. The gene expression profiles of isolated peripheral CD4+ T cells from SLE patients with different disease activity and healthy controls (GSE97263) were analyzed, and 14 co-expression modules were identified using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Some of these modules showed significantly positive or negative correlations with SLE disease activity, and primarily enriched in the regulation of type I interferon and immune responses. Next, combining time course sequencing (TCseq) with differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis, crucial genes in lupus CD4+ T cells were revealed, including some interferon signature genes (ISGs). Among these genes, we identified 4 upregulated genes (PLSCR1, IFI35, BATF2 and CLDN5) and 2 downregulated genes (GDF7 and DERL3) as newfound key genes. The elevated genes showed close relationship with the SLE disease activity. In general, our study identified 6 novel biomarkers in CD4+ T cells that might contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zutong Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhilong Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Tian Sun
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuai Ding
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Lingyun Sun, ; Shuai Ding,
| | - Lingyun Sun
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Lingyun Sun, ; Shuai Ding,
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Shen L, Lan L, Zhu T, Chen H, Gu H, Wang C, Chen Y, Wang M, Tu H, Enghard P, Jiang H, Chen J. Identification and Validation of IFI44 as Key Biomarker in Lupus Nephritis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:762848. [PMID: 34760904 PMCID: PMC8574154 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.762848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common and severe organ manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is a major cause of SLE related deaths. Early diagnosis is essential to improve the prognosis of patients with LN. To screen the potential biomarkers associated with LN, we downloaded the gene expression profile of GSE99967 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to construct a gene co-expression network and identify gene modules associated with LN. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was also applied to explore the biological function of genes and identify the key module. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and Maximal Clique Centrality (MCC) values were calculated to screen hub genes. Furthermore, we selected promising biomarkers for real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) validation in independent cohorts. Our results indicated that five hub genes, including IFI44, IFIT3, HERC5, RSAD2, and DDX60 play vital roles in the pathogenesis of LN. Importantly, IFI44 may considered as a key biomarker in LN for its diagnostic capabilities, which is also a promising therapeutic target in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Shen
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lan Lan
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongjun Chen
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haifeng Gu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuili Wang
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Minmin Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Tu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Philipp Enghard
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hong Jiang
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianghua Chen
- Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Nephropathy, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Nephropathy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
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Zhang K, Qin X, Wen P, Wu Y, Zhuang J. Systematic analysis of molecular mechanisms of heart failure through the pathway and network-based approach. Life Sci 2020; 265:118830. [PMID: 33259868 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The molecular networks and pathways involved in heart failure (HF) are still largely unknown. The present study aimed to systematically investigate the genes associated with HF, comprehensively explore their interactions and functions, and identify possible regulatory networks involved in HF. MAIN METHODS The weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), crosstalk analysis, and Pivot analysis were used to identify gene connections, interaction networks, and molecular regulatory mechanisms. Functional analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) were performed using DAVID and STRING databases. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were also performed to evaluate the relationship of the hub genes with HF. KEY FINDINGS A total of 5968 HF-related genes were obtained to construct the co-expression networks, and 18 relatively independent and closely linked modules were identified. Pivot analysis suggested that four transcription factors and five noncoding RNAs were involved in regulating the process of HF. The genes in the module with the highest positive correlation to HF was mainly enriched in cardiac remodeling and response to stress. Five upregulated hub genes (ASPN, FMOD, NT5E, LUM, and OGN) were identified and validated. Furthermore, the GSVA scores of the five hub genes for HF had a relatively high areas under the curve (AUC). SIGNIFICANCE The results of this study revealed specific molecular networks and their potential regulatory mechanisms involved in HF. These may provide new insight into understanding the mechanisms underlying HF and help to identify more effective therapeutic targets for HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianyu Qin
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengju Wen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueheng Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jian Zhuang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital & Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
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Yang H, Li H. CD36 identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis as a hub candidate gene in lupus nephritis. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7722. [PMID: 31592160 PMCID: PMC6777479 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which often progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and ultimately leads to death. At present, there are no definitive therapies towards LN, so that illuminating the molecular mechanism behind the disease has become an urgent task for researchers. Bioinformatics has become a widely utilized method for exploring genes related to disease. This study set out to conduct weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and screen the hub gene of LN. We performed WGCNA on the microarray expression profile dataset of GSE104948 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database with 18 normal and 21 LN samples of glomerulus. A total of 5,942 genes were divided into 5 co-expression modules, one of which was significantly correlated to LN. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted on the LN-related module, and the module was proved to be associated mainly with the activation of inflammation, immune response, cytokines, and immune cells. Genes in the most significant GO terms were extracted for sub-networks of WGNCA. We evaluated the centrality of genes in the sub-networks by Maximal Clique Centrality (MCC) method and CD36 was ultimately screened out as a hub candidate gene of the pathogenesis of LN. The result was verified by its differentially expressed level between normal and LN in GSE104948 and the other three multi-microarray datasets of GEO. Moreover, we further demonstrated that the expression level of CD36 is related to the WHO Lupus Nephritis Class of LN patients with the help of Nephroseq database. The current study proposed CD36 as a vital candidate gene in LN for the first time and CD36 may perform as a brand-new biomarker or therapeutic target of LN in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Nephrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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