Identifying signature genes and their associations with immune cell infiltration in spinal cord injury

IBRO Neuroscience Reports, 2024 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.09.002 · Published: September 21, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Immunology Bioinformatics

Simple Explanation

This research aims to identify genes that can indicate spinal cord injury (SCI) early on and to understand how these genes relate to the immune cells involved in SCI. The study uses computer analysis of gene data from SCI patients and then confirms these findings with lab experiments. The results point to seven genes that could be used as early markers for SCI and also identifies several types of immune cells that play a role in the condition.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

GSE151371: 38 SCI and 20 non-SCI blood samples; GSE33886: 3 SCI and 4 non-SCI muscle samples; qRT-PCR: 11 SCI patients and 11 healthy controls

Evidence Level

Level 3: Retrospective analysis of gene expression datasets with experimental validation

Key Findings

1
Seven signature genes (ARG1, RETN, BPI, GGH, CCNB1, HIST1H2AC, and HIST1H2BJ) were identified as potential biomarkers for early SCI diagnosis.
2
Immune cell infiltration analysis suggests that plasma cells, M0 macrophages, activated CD4+ memory T cells, γδ T cells, naive CD4+ T cells, and resting CD4+ memory T cells are involved in SCI progression.
3
The expression levels of ARG1, RETN, BPI, GGH, and CCNB1 were significantly different in the training dataset, validation dataset, and molecular experiments.

Research Summary

The study identifies seven early signature genes of SCI (ARG1, RETN, BPI, GGH, CCNB1, HIST1H2AC, and HIST1H2BJ) through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Immune cell infiltration analysis reveals the involvement of specific immune cells such as plasma cells, macrophages, and T cell subsets in the progression of SCI. The identified signature genes are correlated with the infiltration of immune cells, suggesting potential molecular immune mechanisms involved in the pathological process of SCI.

Practical Implications

Early Diagnosis

The seven identified signature genes can potentially be used as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of SCI, allowing for earlier clinical intervention.

Therapeutic Targets

Understanding the molecular immune mechanisms involved in SCI pathology can lead to the development of new immunotherapeutic targets.

Personalized Treatment

The identified correlations between signature genes and immune cells can help in developing personalized treatment strategies based on individual patient profiles.

Study Limitations

1
Limited number of publicly available datasets on acute SCI.
2
Diagnostic value of several signature genes in the validation dataset is limited.
3
Specific mechanism of these signature genes in SCI should be further confirmed using in vivo and in vitro experimental validation.

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