Circulating mRNA and microRNA profiling analysis in patients with ischemic stroke

Area of Science:

• Genomics and Molecular Biology
• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Informatics

Background:

• Ischemic stroke (IS) poses a significant health challenge, necessitating advancements in molecular diagnosis and personalized treatment strategies.
• Understanding the molecular underpinnings of IS is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify differentially expressed genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) in ischemic stroke (IS) patients.
• To elucidate molecular pathways and interactions involved in IS pathogenesis.
• To discover potential molecular indicators for IS diagnosis and treatment.

Main Methods:

• Downloaded and analyzed mRNA and miRNA expression profiles from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE22255, GSE16561, GSE110993).
• Performed system-level clustering, gene ontology analysis, and pathway enrichment analysis.
• Constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and predicted miRNA-target gene interactions using bioinformatics databases.

Main Results:

• Identified sex-specific differentially expressed genes in IS patients compared to controls.
• Revealed distinct network center nodes (YWHAE, CUL3, JUN in males; CYLD, FOS, PIK3R1 in females) in PPI networks.
• Highlighted the involvement of immune inflammatory response, apoptosis, and blood coagulation pathways.
• Identified key transcription factors (e.g., DEFA1, MMP9) and miRNAs (e.g., miR-21, miR-143/145) potentially crucial for IS development and treatment.

Conclusions:

• The study identified significant molecular players, including specific genes and miRNAs, implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.
• These identified molecules may serve as valuable biomarkers for the molecular diagnosis and individualized treatment of IS.
• Further research into these identified factors could pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies for IS.