中国组织工程研究 ›› 2024, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (27): 4293-4299.doi: 10.12307/2024.520

• 组织工程相关大数据分析 Big data analysis in tissue engineering • 上一篇    下一篇

CA9作为激素性股骨头坏死中软骨铁死亡特征基因的生物信息学鉴定

余  鹏1,孟东方2,李慧英2,张向北1   

  1. 1河南中医药大学骨伤学院,河南省郑州市  450002;2河南中医药大学第一附属医院骨伤科,河南省郑州市  450002
  • 收稿日期:2023-09-18 接受日期:2023-10-28 出版日期:2024-09-28 发布日期:2024-01-26
  • 通讯作者: 李慧英,博士,教授,主任医师,博士生导师,河南中医药大学第一附属医院骨伤科,河南省郑州市 450002
  • 作者简介:余鹏,男,1992年生,河南省南阳市人,汉族,河南中医药大学在读博士,主要从事中医药防治骨关节及脊柱疾病的研究。
  • 基金资助:
    河南省中医药科学研究专项(2021JDZY009,2023ZY2029),项目负责人:李慧英;河南省中医药科学研究专项(2022JDZX123),项目负责人:孟东方;河南中医药大学2022年度研究生科研创新类项目(2022KYCX084),项目负责人:余鹏

Bioinformatics identification of CA9 as a signature gene for cartilage-associated ferroptosis in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Yu Peng1, Meng Dongfang2, Li Huiying2, Zhang Xiangbei1   

  1. 1Osteopathy School of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan Province, China; 2Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2023-09-18 Accepted:2023-10-28 Online:2024-09-28 Published:2024-01-26
  • Contact: Li Huiying, MD, Professor, Chief physician, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan Province, China
  • About author:Yu Peng, MD candidate, Osteopathy School of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Henan Province Chinese Medicine Scientific Research Special Projects, Nos. 2021JDZY009 (to LHY), 2023ZY2029 (to LHY), and 2022JDZX123 (to MDF); 2022 Graduate Student Scientific Research and Innovation Program of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 2022KYCX084 (to YP)

摘要:


文题释义:

铁死亡:铁死亡区别于凋亡形成的细胞死亡调节模式,主要因铁离子过载和脂质过氧化导致细胞死亡。
激素性股骨头坏死:长期或者大剂量使用类固醇激素,导致股骨头周围和头内血供受损,骨吸收与骨形成的平衡被打破,软骨发生变性和形变,股骨头内结构失稳,最终出现骨坏死。


背景:激素性股骨头坏死中骨代谢的紊乱与铁死亡密切相关,同时激素性股骨头坏死的病理过程中伴随着软骨的损伤与退变。但关于铁死亡与软骨之间的关系和具体调控靶点尚不明确。

目的:运用生物信息学和机器学习方法筛选靶向软骨的铁死亡特征基因,探究铁死亡与软骨之间的关系,为研究和治疗激素性股骨头坏死提供新的思路与方法。
方法:通过GEO数据库和FerrDb数据库下载相关疾病数据集和铁死亡相关基因,采用R语言对疾病数据集进行归一化处理和差异分析,筛选出铁死亡相关差异基因。对铁死亡相关差异基因进行GO功能富集分析和KEGG信号通路富集分析,同时根据铁死亡相关差异基因的PPI网络和机器学习方法筛选铁死亡特征基因。最后,将兔子分为正常组和模型组,正常组给予相同剂量的生理盐水模拟造模药物,模型组采用改良马血清联合注射用甲泼尼龙构建兔激素性股骨头坏死模型,造模成功后,验证不同组别间特征基因的表达,分析软骨中铁死亡的表型。

结果与结论:①通过对数据集的归一化处理和差异分析,最终获得1 315个差异表达基因,通过FerrDb数据库获取379个铁死亡相关基因。二者取交集后,最终获得19个铁死亡差异表达基因。②GO分析铁死亡相关差异基因主要涉及细胞迁移和细胞对氧化应激反应等生物过程;涉及激酶复合物、氨基酸复合体和细胞质膜等细胞组分;涉及激酶活性、受体活性和蛋白结合等分子功能。KEGG分析铁死亡相关差异基因主要在FoxO信号通路、血管内皮生长因子信号通路和FcγR介导的吞噬作用中富集。③通过PPI网络和机器学习筛选出铁死亡特征基因CA9。④特征基因的GSEA分析发现,CA9在脂肪酸代谢、O-GlcNAc糖基化修饰等生物过程中上调表达,而在神经活性配体受体相互作用方面被抑制。⑤RT-PCR和Western blot检测结果显示,与正常组对比,模型组中的ACSL4,CA9 mRNA和蛋白表达水平显著增高(P < 0.05),SLC7A11和GPX4 mRNA和蛋白表达水平显著降低(P < 0.05),与数据集中特征基因的表达水平吻合。结果表明,激素性股骨头坏死的软骨与铁死亡密切相关,靶向特征基因CA9可以为研究和治疗激素性股骨头坏死提供一定的思路与方向。

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3669-6358(余鹏)

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点:组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程

关键词: 激素性股骨头坏死, 软骨, 铁死亡, 生物信息学, 特征基因, 生物标志物, CA9, ACSL4, SLC7A11, GPX4

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Disturbances in bone metabolism have a significant association with ferroptosis in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH). Furthermore, the pathologic process of SONFH is characterized by the presence of cartilage damage and degeneration. However, the specific regulatory targets and the relationship between ferroptosis and cartilage concerning SONFH remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To employ bioinformatics and machine learning techniques to identify specific genes associated with ferroptosis that target cartilage and to investigate the correlation between ferroptosis and cartilage, thereby providing novel ideas and methodologies for the study and treatment of SONFH.
METHODS: Disease datasets pertinent to the study and ferroptosis-related genes were retrieved from the GEO and FerrDb databases. Subsequently, the disease datasets were normalized and differential analysis using the R language to identify ferroptosis-related differential genes (Fe-DEGs). We conducted Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis of Fe-DEGs. Furthermore, ferroptosis-related signature genes were filtered based on the protein-protein interaction network of Fe-DEGs and machine learning methods. Finally, the rabbits were divided into normal and model groups. The normal group was given the same dose of saline to simulate the modeling drug, and the animal model of SONFH in rabbits was constructed by injection of modified horse serum combined with methylprednisolone. After successful modeling, the expression of signature gene was verified between different groups, and the phenotype of ferroptosis in cartilage was analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Through the normalization and differential analysis of the dataset, a total of 1 315 differentially expressed genes were identified. Additionally, 379 ferroptosis-related genes were obtained from the FerrDb database. After intersecting both gene sets, 19 Fe-DEGs were obtained. The GO analysis revealed that Fe-DEGs were mainly involved in biological processes such as cell migration and cellular response to oxidative stress, cellular components such as kinase complexes, amino acid complexes, and cytoplasmic membranes, as well as molecular functions such as kinase activity, receptor activity, and protein binding. The KEGG analysis revealed that Fe-DEGs were mainly enriched in the FoxO signaling pathway, vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway, and FcγR-mediated phagocytosis. Constructing a protein-protein interaction network and using machine learning, we identified the ferroptosis-related signature gene, CA9. The gene set enrichment analysis of the signature gene CA9 revealed an upregulated expression in biological processes such as fatty acid metabolism and O-GlcNAc glycosylation modification, while being inhibited in terms of neural activity and ligand-receptor interactions. RT-PCR and western blot results showed that compared with the normal group, the expressions of ACSL4 and CA9 at mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in the model group (P < 0.05), while the expressions of SLC7A11 and GPX4 at mRNA and protein levels were significantly lower in the model group (P < 0.05), coinciding with the expression levels of the signature genes in the dataset. These findings indicate that the cartilage of SONFH is closely related to ferroptosis, and targeting the signature gene may provide certain ideas and directions for the study and treatment of SONFH.

Key words: steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head, cartilage, ferroptosis, bioinformatics, signature gene, biomarker, CA9, ACSL4, SLC7A11, GPX4

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