Identifying the Pattern Characteristics of Anoikis-Related Genes in Keloid

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Anoikis, a form of programmed cell death, is crucial in cellular homeostasis.
• The role of anoikis-related genes (ARGs) in keloid disease (KD) remains largely unexplored.
• Keloids are characterized by excessive fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression and significance of ARGs in keloid fibroblasts (KFs).
• To identify hub ARGs associated with KD pathogenesis using bioinformatics analysis.
• To explore the correlation between ARGs, immune cell infiltration, and KD.

Main Methods:

• Downloaded and analyzed keloid fibroblast RNA sequencing datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).
• Utilized weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify key ARGs.
• Applied LASSO-Cox regression to screen hub ARGs and construct a predictive model.
• Validated hub gene expression using single-cell sequencing and whole RNA-seq data.

Main Results:

• Identified six hub ARGs (HIF1A, SEMA7A, SESN1, CASP3, LAMA3, SIK2) in KD.
• Revealed significant correlations between ARGs and the infiltration levels of multiple immune cells in KD patients.
• Demonstrated the involvement of numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating these hub ARGs.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of ARGs in KD.
• The identified hub genes represent potential therapeutic targets for KD.
• Findings offer novel insights into KD pathogenesis, supporting individualized therapy and immunotherapy approaches.