title: Analysis of crucial molecules involved in herniated discs and degenerative disc disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Herniated discs and degenerative disc disease are major health problems worldwide. However, their pathogenesis remains obscure. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of these ailments and to identify underlying therapeutic targets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the GSE23130 microarray datasets downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, differentially co-expressed genes and links were identified using the differentially co-expressed gene and link method with a false discovery rate ,0.25 as a significant threshold. Subsequently, the underlying molecular mechanisms of the differential co-expression of these genes were investigated using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. In addition, the transcriptional regulatory relationship was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Through the analysis of the gene expression profiles of different specimens from patients with these diseases, 539 differentially co-expressed genes were identified for these ailments. The ten most significant signaling pathways involving the differentially co-expressed genes were identified by enrichment analysis. Among these pathways, apoptosis and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathways have been reported to be related to these diseases. A total of 62 pairs of regulatory relationships between transcription factors and their target genes were identified as critical for the pathogenesis of these diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study will help to identify the mechanisms responsible for herniated discs and degenerative disc disease and provides a theoretical basis for further therapeutic study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Changfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D040081:Protein Array Analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors