Identification of m⁶A-related biomarkers in Kawasaki disease

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Molecular biology
• Immunology

Background:

• Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children, characterized by acute vasculitis.
• The role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in cardiovascular diseases is established, but m6A-related biomarkers for KD are currently unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel m6A-related biomarkers for Kawasaki disease using bioinformatics analysis.
• To investigate the diagnostic value and potential therapeutic implications of identified m6A-related genes in KD.

Main Methods:

• Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was applied to GEO datasets to find m6A-related differentially expressed genes in KD.
• Machine learning algorithms (RF, SVM-RFE) and CIBERSORT were used to identify feature genes and correlate them with immune cells.
• Hub gene expression was validated in patient blood and a mouse model of vasculitis, with diagnostic accuracy assessed by ROC analysis.

Main Results:

• Four m6A-related hub genes (SNRK, PCCB, PIGP, PRPS1) were identified and showed a negative correlation with M2 macrophages.
• These hub genes demonstrated robust diagnostic accuracy for KD via ROC analysis.
• Reduced expression of these hub genes was observed in KD patients and a mouse vasculitis model, suggesting their involvement in disease pathogenesis.

Conclusions:

• SNRK, PCCB, PIGP, and PRPS1 are identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers for Kawasaki disease.
• These genes may also represent promising therapeutic targets for managing KD and its cardiovascular complications.