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Updated: Jun 18, 2025
Quantitative Analysis and Characterization of Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Murine Aortic Sinus
Published on: December 7, 2013
Correlation between Complement C1q A Chain (C1QA) and Macrophages in the Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis
Guanglong Dong1, Xiangwen Yu1, Mingyu Zhao1
1Vascular Surgery Department, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, Heilongjiang 161000, China.
Insights
This study identifies C1QA as a key gene regulating macrophage activity in carotid atherosclerosis (CAS). Understanding C1QA's role offers new strategies for controlling CAS progression.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Macrophages play a critical role in carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) development.
- The precise molecular mechanisms governing macrophage function in CAS remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key genes regulating macrophage activity in carotid atherosclerosis (CAS).
- To elucidate the role of specific genes in the progression of CAS.
Main Methods:
- Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify key gene modules in CAS datasets (GSE100927, GSE43292).
- Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and differential expression analysis were performed.
- ssGSEA (single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) was utilized for immune infiltration analysis.
Main Results:
- WGCNA identified significant gene modules (turquoise and brown) associated with CAS.
- Differentially expressed genes were co-enriched in the staphylococcus aureus infection signaling pathway.
- The gene C1QA was identified as a key regulator, with its high expression significantly correlating with increased macrophage infiltration in CAS.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights C1QA as a crucial gene involved in macrophage functional regulation during CAS.
- Targeting C1QA may offer novel therapeutic strategies for managing carotid atherosclerosis.
Background:
There is increasing evidence that macrophages are involved in the development of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS), but the specific mechanism is still unclear. We aimed to explore the key genes that play a regulatory role on macrophages in the progression of CAS.
Methods:
From 2021 August to 2023 August, GEO datasets GSE100927 and GSE43292 were downloaded and the key gene modules related to CAS were identified by weighted Gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genes (KEGG) pathway analysis was performed on the genes of the key modules to identify common gene enrichment pathways. Differential expression analysis of pathway-related genes was performed by the "limma" package of R software. Case groups were categorized into high and low expression groups based on the expression levels of key genes, and ssGSEA immune infiltration analysis was performed.
Results:
The turquoise module of GSE100924 (threshold=12) and the brown module of GSE43292 (threshold=7) were obtained through WGCNA analysis. The analysis of KEGG showed that the differentially expressed genes in the turquoise and brown modules were co-enriched in the staphylococcus aureus infection signaling pathway. Differential expression analysis identified 18 common differentially expressed genes, all of which were highly expressed in the case group. C1QA is the gene of interest. According to ssGSEA analysis, the high expression group of C1QA showed a significant increase in the number of macrophages (GSE43292, P=0.0011; GSE100927, P=0.025).
Conclusion:
This study identified the key gene C1QA involved in regulating macrophage functional activity during the CAS process, providing new ideas for effective control of CAS.
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