Investigating the impact of Wnt pathway-related genes on biomarker and diagnostic model development for osteoporosis...

Area of Science:

• Molecular biology
• Genetics
• Biomedical research

Background:

• The Wnt signaling pathway is crucial for bone development and skeletal homeostasis.
• Osteoporosis significantly impacts bone health, particularly in postmenopausal women.
• Understanding molecular pathways involved in osteoporosis is vital for developing effective diagnostics and treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify molecular clusters within the Wnt signaling pathway associated with osteoporosis.
• To develop a predictive diagnostic model for osteoporosis in postmenopausal Caucasian women.
• To identify potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis.

Main Methods:

• Downloaded and analyzed three osteoporosis-related gene expression datasets from the GEO database.
• Identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and Wnt pathway-associated genes.
• Utilized machine learning models (including XGB) to develop and validate a diagnostic model.
• Constructed a diagnostic nomogram and identified potential therapeutic compounds using DGIdb.

Main Results:

• Identified 371 DEGs, with 12 genes specifically linked to the Wnt pathway in osteoporosis.
• The XGB machine learning model demonstrated strong discriminative potential for osteoporosis diagnosis.
• A diagnostic nomogram was developed based on five key genes.
• Identified 30 molecular compounds as potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis.

Conclusions:

• The Wnt signaling pathway plays a significant role in osteoporosis pathogenesis.
• The developed diagnostic model and identified therapeutic targets offer promising avenues for osteoporosis management.
• This research provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying osteoporosis.