Identification of hub genes in the subacute spinal cord injury in rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to long-term physical impairment. Currently, there are limited effective treatment options for this neurological disorder, focusing primarily on supportive measures. This research uses bioinformatics to analyze gene chip data from rats with subacute SCI to identify key biomarkers that could serve as targets for diagnosis and treatment. The study identified seven hub genes (Itgb1, Ptprc, Cd63, Lgals3, Vav1, Shc1, and Casp4) related to microglia activation, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets for subacute SCI.

• 1
  A total of 206 candidate genes were identified as differentially expressed in subacute SCI, including 164 up-regulated and 42 down-regulated genes.
• 2
  Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these genes are mainly related to the production of tumor necrosis factors and innate immune regulatory response.
• 3
  Seven hub genes (Itgb1, Ptprc, Cd63, Lgals3, Vav1, Shc1, and Casp4) were identified with statistical significance and were all related to the activation process of microglia.