Exploring the association between rosacea and acne by integrated bioinformatics analysis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Rosacea frequently co-occurs with acne, suggesting shared underlying molecular pathways.
• The precise pathophysiological links between rosacea and acne remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving rosacea and acne pathogenesis.
• To identify common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key regulatory pathways.

Main Methods:

• Utilized limma and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify DEGs.
• Constructed protein-protein interaction networks to screen for hub genes.
• Performed transcription factor prediction, immune cell infiltration analysis (CIBERSORT), and correlation analyses.

Main Results:

• Identified 169 common DEGs, primarily enriched in immune-related pathways.
• Key hub genes identified include IL1B, PTPRC, CXCL8, MMP9, CCL4, CXCL10, CD163, CCR5, CXCR4, and TLR8.
• Significantly increased infiltration of gamma delta T cells was observed in rosacea and acne lesions, correlating positively with hub genes.

Conclusions:

• The identified hub genes and gamma delta T cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of both rosacea and acne.
• Findings suggest potential shared therapeutic targets for managing these common dermatological conditions.