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Lian G, You J, Lin W, Gao G, Xu C, Wang H, Luo L. Bioinformatics analysis of the immune cell infiltration characteristics and correlation with crucial diagnostic markers in pulmonary arterial hypertension. BMC Pulm Med 2023; 23:300. [PMID: 37582718 PMCID: PMC10428559 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-023-02584-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a pathophysiological syndrome, characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling. Immunity and inflammation are progressively recognized properties of PAH, which are crucial for the initiation and maintenance of pulmonary vascular remodeling. This study explored immune cell infiltration characteristics and potential biomarkers of PAH using comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. METHODS Microarray data of GSE117261, GSE113439 and GSE53408 datasets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in GSE117261 dataset. The proportions of infiltrated immune cells were evaluated by CIBERSORT algorithm. Feature genes of PAH were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis and validated by fivefold cross-validation, random forest and logistic regression. The GSE113439 and GSE53408 datasets were used as validation sets and logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to evaluate the prediction value of PAH. The PAH-associated module was identified by weighted gene association network analysis (WGCNA). The intersection of genes in the modules screened and DEGs was used to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and the core genes were selected. After the intersection of feature genes and core genes, the hub genes were identified. The correlation between hub genes and immune cell infiltration was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. The expression level of LTBP1 in the lungs of monocrotaline-induced PAH rats was determined by Western blotting. The localization of LTBP1 and CD4 in lungs of PAH was assayed by immunofluorescence. RESULTS A total of 419 DEGs were identified, including 223 upregulated genes and 196 downregulated genes. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that a significant enrichment in inflammation, immune response, and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway. CIBERSORT analysis showed that ten significantly different types of immune cells were identified between PAH and control. Resting memory CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, γδ T cells, M1 macrophages, and resting mast cells in the lungs of PAH patients were significantly higher than control. Seventeen feature genes were identified by LASSO regression for PAH prediction. WGCNA identified 15 co-expression modules. PPI network was constructed and 100 core genes were obtained. Complement C3b/C4b receptor 1 (CR1), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1), latent TGFβ binding protein 1 (LTBP1), and toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1) were identified as hub genes and LTBP1 has the highest diagnostic efficacy for PAH (AUC = 0.968). Pearson correlation analysis showed that LTBP1 was positively correlated with resting memory CD4+ T cells, but negatively correlated with monocytes and neutrophils. Western blotting showed that the protein level of LTBP1 was increased in the lungs of monocrotaline-induced PAH rats. Immunofluorescence of lung tissues from rats with PAH showed increased expression of LTBP1 in pulmonary arteries as compared to control and LTBP1 was partly colocalized with CD4+ cells in the lungs. CONCLUSION LTBP1 was correlated with immune cell infiltration and identified as the critical diagnostic maker for PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guili Lian
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingxian You
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijun Lin
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Gufeng Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Changsheng Xu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Huajun Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Luo
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Taijiang District, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China.
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China.
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China.
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Province, Fuzhou, 350005, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350212, People's Republic of China.
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Inactivating the Uninhibited: The Tale of Activins and Inhibins in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043332. [PMID: 36834742 PMCID: PMC9963072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in technology and biomedical knowledge have led to the effective diagnosis and treatment of an increasing number of rare diseases. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disorder of the pulmonary vasculature that is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Although significant progress has been made in understanding PAH and its diagnosis and treatment, numerous unanswered questions remain regarding pulmonary vascular remodeling, a major factor contributing to the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure. Here, we discuss the role of activins and inhibins, both of which belong to the TGF-β superfamily, in PAH development. We examine how these relate to signaling pathways implicated in PAH pathogenesis. Furthermore, we discuss how activin/inhibin-targeting drugs, particularly sotatercep, affect pathophysiology, as these target the afore-mentioned specific pathway. We highlight activin/inhibin signaling as a critical mediator of PAH development that is to be targeted for therapeutic gain, potentially improving patient outcomes in the future.
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Duo M, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Li P, Weng S, Xu H, Wang Y, Jiang T, Wu R, Cheng Z. Construction of a diagnostic signature and immune landscape of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:940894. [DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.940894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundMolecular biomarkers are widely used for disease diagnosis and exploration of pathogenesis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rapidly progressive cardiopulmonary disease with delayed diagnosis. Studies were limited regarding molecular biomarkers correlated with PAH from a broad perspective.MethodsTwo independent microarray cohorts comprising 73 PAH samples and 36 normal samples were enrolled in this study. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify the key modules associated with PAH. The LASSO algorithm was employed to fit a diagnostic model. The latent biology mechanisms and immune landscape were further revealed via bioinformatics tools.ResultsThe WGCNA approach ultimately identified two key modules significantly associated with PAH. For genes within the two models, differential expression analysis between PAH and normal samples further determined nine key genes. With the expression profiles of these nine genes, we initially developed a PAH diagnostic signature (PDS) consisting of LRRN4, PI15, BICC1, PDE1A, TSHZ2, HMCN1, COL14A1, CCDC80, and ABCB1 in GSE117261 and then validated this signature in GSE113439. The ROC analysis demonstrated outstanding AUCs with 0.948 and 0.945 in two cohorts, respectively. Besides, patients with high PDS scores enriched plenty of Th17 cells and neutrophils, while patients with low PDS scores were dramatically related to mast cells and B cells.ConclusionOur study established a robust and promising signature PDS for diagnosing PAH, with key genes, novel pathways, and immune landscape offering new perspectives for exploring the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of PAH.
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Wei R, Chen L, Li P, Lin C, Zeng Q. IL-13 alleviates idiopathic pulmonary hypertension by inhibiting the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and regulating macrophage infiltration. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:4573-4590. [PMID: 35958460 PMCID: PMC9360879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is characterized by medial hypertrophy due to pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) hyperplasia. In the present study, we conducted bioinformatic analyses and cellular experiments to assess the involvement of the interleukin-13 (IL-13) in IPAH. METHODS The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in IPAH and DEGs in IPAH caused by IL-13 treatment were screened using the GEO database. PPI networks were used to analyze the hub genes. Hypoxia-induced PASMCs were treated with IL-13 for in vitro assays. CCK8 and EdU staining were used to observe proliferation of PASMCs, and RT-qPCR was applied to detect the expression of hub genes. The conserved binding sites of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the 3'UTR of hub genes were investigated, and the regulatory relationships of the relevant miRNAs on their targets were verified by RT-qPCR and dual-luciferase assays. The GO and KEGG analyses were performed to study the downstream pathways. The effect of hub genes on immune cell infiltration in IPAH was investigated. RESULTS IL-13 altered gene expression in IPAH. IL-13 inhibited the proliferation and the expression of hub genes in PASMCs. The 3'UTR sites between HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPH1, SRSF1, HNRNPU and HNRNPA3 in the hub genes and candidate regulatory miRNAs were well conserved in humans. IL-13-mediated hub genes regulated multiple pathways and influenced immune cell infiltration. Hypoxia-induced PASMCs promoted the M2 polarization of macrophages, whereas IL-13-treated PASMCs skewed the macrophages toward M1 polarization. CONCLUSIONS IL-13-mediated alterations in hub genes inhibit PASMC proliferation and promote M1 macrophage infiltration in IPAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruda Wei
- Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Liting Chen
- Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, P. R. China
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Air force Medical Center, PLABeijing 100142, P. R. China
| | - Pengchuan Li
- Hebei North UniversityZhangjiakou 075000, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Chaoyang Lin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dachong Hospital of ZhongshanZhongshan 528476, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Qingshi Zeng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan HospitalJinan 250011, Shandong, P. R. China
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Liu J, Dong Q, Du G, Wang J, An Y, Liu J, Su J, Xie H, Yin J. Identification of metabolites in plasma related to different biological activities of Panax ginseng and American ginseng. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2022; 36:e9219. [PMID: 34740284 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Panax ginseng (PG) and American ginseng (AMG) are both medicinal plants of the Panax genus in the Acanthopanax family. Although PG and AMG have similar components of ginsenosides, there are many differences of their bioactivities. In this study, the biochemical mechanisms of different bioactivities of PG and AMG were explored by researching the differential metabolites in plasma after administration of each of PG and AMG. METHODS In order to explore the material basis of differential bioactivities, two groups of mice were administrated orally with PG and AMG, and the method of metabolomics was used to identify the differential metabolites in plasma. Then network pharmacology was used based on the differential metabolites. Afterward, the metabolite-target-pathway network of PG and AMG was constructed; thus the pathways related to different bioactivities were analyzed. RESULTS Through principal component analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis, there were 10 differential metabolites identified in the PG group and 8 differential metabolites identified in the AMG group. Based on network pharmacology, the differential metabolites were classified and related to differential bioactivities of PG and AMG. In the PG group, there were 6 metabolites related to aphrodisiac effect and exciting the nervous system, and 5 metabolites associated with raised blood pressure. In the AMG group, 5 metabolites were classified as having the effect of inhibiting the nervous system, and 6 metabolites were related to antihypertensive effect. CONCLUSIONS This study explored the material basis of the differential biological activities between PG and AMG, which is significant for the research of PG and AMG use and to promote human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihua Liu
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qinghai Dong
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guangguang Du
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yang An
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiayin Liu
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jun Su
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongliu Xie
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianyuan Yin
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Screening of Hub Genes Associated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6626094. [PMID: 33816621 PMCID: PMC8010527 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6626094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease or pathophysiological syndrome which has a low survival rate with abnormally elevated pulmonary artery pressure caused by known or unknown reasons. In addition, the pathogenesis of PAH is not fully understood. Therefore, it has become an urgent matter to search for clinical molecular markers of PAH, study the pathogenesis of PAH, and contribute to the development of new science-based PAH diagnosis and targeted treatment methods. Methods In this study, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to downloaded a microarray dataset about PAH, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PAH and normal control were screened out. Moreover, we performed the functional enrichment analyses and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses of the DEGs. In addition, the prediction of miRNA and transcriptional factor (TF) of hub genes and construction miRNA-TF-hub gene network were performed. Besides, the ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of hub genes. Finally, the potential drug targets for the 5 identified hub genes were screened out. Results 69 DEGs were identified between PAH samples and normal samples. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that these DEGs were mostly enriched in the inflammatory response and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, respectively. The miRNA-hub genes network was conducted subsequently with 131 miRNAs, 7 TFs, and 5 hub genes (CCL5, CXCL12, VCAM1, CXCR1, and SPP1) which screened out via constructing the PPI network. 17 drugs interacted with 5 hub genes were identified. Conclusions Through bioinformatic analysis of microarray data sets, 5 hub genes (CCL5, CXCL12, VCAM1, CXCR1, and SPP1) were identified from DEGs between control samples and PAH samples. Studies showed that the five hub genes might play an important role in the development of PAH. These 5 hub genes might be potential biomarkers for diagnosis or targets for the treatment of PAH. In addition, our work also indicated that paying more attention on studies based on these 5 hub genes might help to understand the molecular mechanism of the development of PAH.
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