Comprehensive transcriptome mining identified the gene expression signature and differentially regulated pathways of

Hassan Saei1, Ali Govahi2, Ameneh Abiri3

  • 1Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Insights

This study identified key gene expression patterns in placenta tissue linked to preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy disorder. Findings reveal novel genetic markers and pathways crucial for understanding PE development and potential diagnostics.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Preeclampsia (PE) is a significant pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder with unknown exact pathogenic mechanisms.
  • Contributing factors include genetics, oxidative stress, maternal immune response, and environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify gene expression signatures in placental tissue to elucidate PE etiology.
  • To uncover novel candidate genetic markers and biological pathways involved in PE development.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive meta-analysis of fourteen publicly available microarray datasets for preeclampsia and normotensive controls.
  • Utilized GEO, PubMed, and ArrayExpress databases for data acquisition.
  • Employed in-house and INMEX meta-analysis pipelines and EnrichR for functional enrichment analysis.

Main Results:

  • Identified 1234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the in-house pipeline and 272 DEGs using INMEX.
  • Key enriched terms included "Asparagine N-linked glycosylation Homo sapiens", "Nef and signal transduction", "Hemostasis", and "immune system".

Conclusions:

  • This study provides a novel database of candidate genetic markers and biological pathways critical for PE.
  • These findings may aid in identifying diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic molecules for preeclampsia.