Macrophage-Related Genes Biomarkers in Left Ventricular Remodeling Induced by Heart Failure

Elevated left ventricular mass index contributes to morbidity and mortality induced by heart failure and M2 macrophages play a critical role in left ventricular remodeling. Here, our aim was to investigate the roles of M2 macrophage-related genes in heart failure.

GSE10161 was downloaded and the abundance of immune cells were estimated utilizing the CIBERSORT algorithm. Using the limma test and correlation analysis, differentially expressed plasm B cells and M2 macrophages-related genes (DEBRGs and DEMRGs) were documented. Functional pathways and the protein-protein interaction network were analyzed and the hub DEMRGs were obtained. The hub DEMRGs and their interactions were analyzed using NetworkAnalyst 3.0 and for validation, the hub DEMRGs expressions were analyzed using the GSE135055, GSE116250 and GSE74144 datasets.

103 differentially expressed genes were correlated with the abundance of M2 Macrophages and were identified as DEMRGs (PCC >0.4), which were mainly enriched in extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion molecule binding and postsynaptic membrane. After screening out, 5 hub DEMRGs were obtained, including FN1 (degree = 21), COL3A1 (degree = 13), COL1A2 (degree = 13), FBN1 (degree = 12), and MMP2 (degree = 11). However, no hub DEBRGs were obtained in the network. The expression patterns of the screened DEMRGs were further validated in the patients with heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy or hypertension.

The results can improve our understanding of the macrophages-associated molecular mechanisms in heart failure induced by dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy or hypertension and 5 hub DEMRGs may help prevent the adverse left ventricular remodeling to decrease mortality and morbidity.