Identifying hub genes and common biological pathways between COVID-19 and benign prostatic hyperplasia by machine...

Area of Science:

• Investigates the intersection of viral infections and chronic diseases.
• Utilizes bioinformatics to analyze gene expression data.
• Focuses on immunology and molecular biology.

Background:

• COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a severe respiratory illness with potential multi-organ effects.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in aging men.
• The relationship between SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection and BPH is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore potential biological targets and mechanisms linking SARS-CoV-2 and BPH.
• To identify common pathways and genetic factors involved in both conditions.
• To discover potential therapeutic strategies for patients with both COVID-19 and BPH.

Main Methods:

• Downloaded and analyzed COVID-19 (GSE157103, GSE166253) and BPH (GSE7307, GSE132714) gene expression datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).
• Identified common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using Limma package.
• Performed Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Screened hub genes using machine learning and validated them. Conducted CIBERSORT analysis and identified potential therapeutic agents.

Main Results:

• Identified 97 common DEGs between COVID-19 and BPH datasets.
• GO and KEGG analyses highlighted immune-related pathways.
• Five hub genes (BIRC5, DNAJC4, DTL, LILRB2, NDC80) showed diagnostic potential. Hub genes correlated with specific immune cells (CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells, NK cells). Ten drug candidates, including lucanthone and phytoestrogens, were identified.

Conclusions:

• Revealed shared signaling pathways, biological targets, and potential small molecule drugs for COVID-19 and BPH.
• The findings are crucial for understanding common pathogenic and susceptibility pathways between these conditions.
• Provides a basis for developing targeted treatments for coinfected individuals.