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Updated: May 15, 2025

Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
Study on the common mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and interstitial lung disease
Wen Zhang1, Qizhi Cai2, Liusheng You2
1Ningde Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Ningde City 352100 Fujian Province, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde City 352100 Fujian Province, China.
Objective:
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have complex interactions and can exacerbate severity of each other. This study aimed to screen shared genes between ILD and GERD and explore their common mechanisms and clinical value.
Methods:
We obtained microarray datasets of ILD and GERD from public databases. Shared genes were screened by differential expression analysis and Venn analysis. Hub genes were screened from shared genes using the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The ssGSEA algorithm was utilized to estimate immune infiltration level of ILD and GERD, and correlation of hub genes with immune cell infiltration was studied. Finally, potential drugs that may act on hub genes were screened using DSigDB.
Results:
52 shared genes were obtained through Venn analysis. PPI network analysis identified 10 hub genes (BMP4, NT5E, PPARG, EPCAM, DPP4, KLF2, MMP1, AGR2, ADAMTS1, GATA6) that may have diagnostic performance (p < 0.05). The results of immune infiltration showed that hub genes were highly linked to multiple immune cell infiltrations (p < 0.05). In addition, we identified 5 potential drugs. Notably, thioridazine may target 5 hub genes (MMP1, AGR2, KLF2, ADAMTS1, and PPARG) simultaneously (p < 0.05) and had the potential to be a novel therapeutic drug.
Conclusion:
In summary, we have screened out the hub genes with diagnostic value in ILD and GERD, and also revealed the close relationship between the hub genes and the disease immune microenvironment, providing new research directions for the common mechanism and interaction of the two diseases.
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