Abstract:

Objective

To identify shared key genes and pathways linking primary gouty arthritis(PGA) and hyperuricemia (HUA) through bioinformatics approaches.

Methods

Disease-associated gene targets of PGA and HUA were retrieved from GeneCards, OMIM and DisGeNET databases. After deduplication and filtration, the final gene targets for two groups of diseases were obtained. Then take the intersection and import the common gene targets into the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network diagram. Download the tsv format PPI network and import it into Cytoscape 3.8.0.Hub genes were prioritized using CytoHubba plugin with topological criteria: degree/closeness/betweenness centrality above median values, yielding top 27 hub genes. Perform GO enrichment analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis on common target genes of PGA and HUA using the DAVID database.

Results

389 genes from PGA and 802 genes from HUA were selected, 150 common target genes, according to the PPI network diagram, IL-6, RELA, APP, TNF, INS, IL-1β, CXCL8, MAPK1, and TLR4 are the common key target genes of PGA and HUA, GO enrichment showed that it was mainly related to inflammatory response, immune response, etc., KEGG signaling includes NOD-like receptor signaling, Toll-like receptor signaling, nuclear factor-kappa B signaling, HIF-1 signaling and tumor necrosis factor signaling.

Conclusion

The common key genes and signaling pathways involved in PGA and HUA provide a theoretical basis for understanding the correlation between the two diseases and subsequent related research.

Key words: bioinformatics analysis, primary gouty arthritis, hyperuricemia, key genes, related pathways