Identification of key genes associated with the human abdominal aortic aneurysm based on the gene expression profile.
The present study was aimed at screening the key genes associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in the neck, and to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the development of AAA. The gene expression profile, GSE47472, including 14 AAA neck samples and eight donor controls, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The total AAA samples were grouped into two types to avoid bias. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in patients with AAA and subsequently compared with donor controls using linear models for microarray data, or the Limma package in R, followed by gene ontology enrichment analysis. Furthermore, a protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network based on the DEGs was constructed to detect highly connected regions using a Cytoscape plugin. In total, 388 DEGs in the AAA samples were identified. These DEGs were predominantly associated with limb development, including embryonic limb development and appendage development. Nuclear receptor co‑repressor 1 (NCOR1), histone 4 (H4), E2F transcription factor 4 (E2F4) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4A) were the four transcription factors associated with AAA. Furthermore, HNF4A indirectly interacted with the other three transcription factors. Additionally, six clusters were selected from the PPI network. The DEG screening process and the construction of an interaction network enabled an understanding of the mechanism of AAA to be gleaned. HNF4A may exert an important role in AAA development through its interactions with the three other transcription factors (E2F4, NCOR1 and H4), and the mechanism of this coordinated regulation of the transcription factors in AAA may provide a suitable target for the development of therapeutic intervention strategies.
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Xudong
X
Chen
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Chengfei
C
Zheng
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Yunjun
Y
He
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Lu
L
Tian
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Jianhui
J
Li
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Donglin
D
Li
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Wei
W
Jin
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Ming
M
Li
Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Shusen
S
Zheng
D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D050704:E2F4 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D056971:Nuclear Receptor Co-Repressor 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D012984:Software
D050704:E2F4 Transcription Factor; C496592:HNF4A protein, human; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4; D006657:Histones; C539127:NCOR1 protein, human; D056971:Nuclear Receptor Co-Repressor 1