Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies Hub Genes and Molecular Pathways Involved in Sepsis-Induced Myopathy

Area of Science:

• Molecular biology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Sepsis-induced myopathy (SIM) is a serious complication of sepsis.
• SIM leads to prolonged mechanical ventilation, long-term disability, and increased mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify hub genes and molecular pathways in SIM using bioinformatics.
• Discover potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for SIM.

Main Methods:

• Acquired gene expression data from the GEO database (GSE13205).
• Analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment.
• Constructed and analyzed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks using STRING and MCODE.

Main Results:

• Identified 196 DEGs (93 upregulated, 103 downregulated).
• Upregulated DEGs linked to mineral absorption and the IL-17 signaling pathway.
• Downregulated DEGs associated with bile secretion signaling.
• Selected 16 hub genes, including HMOX1, NQO1, and MT-1E, from the PPI network.

Conclusions:

• Bioinformatics network analysis successfully identified key hub genes in SIM.
• This study reveals crucial molecular mechanisms underlying sepsis-induced myopathy.