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Integrated bulk and single cell sequencing with experimental validation identifies type 2 diabetes biomarkers
Yan Cao1, Liqi Chen2, Yurui Zhuang2
1Department of Pharmacy, School of Health and Nursing, Wuxi Taihu University, Wuxi, 214063, Jiangsu, China.
Scientific Reports
|August 7, 2025
Summary
This study identifies SLC2A2 as a potential biomarker for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Lower SLC2A2 levels correlate with T2D, suggesting its role in disease progression and early diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes (T2D) involves chronic hyperglycemia and metabolic disruptions.
- Understanding T2D biomarkers and islet immune cell infiltration is crucial for therapeutic advancements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel biomarkers for T2D.
- To analyze immune cell infiltration patterns in T2D patient islets.
- To investigate the role of SLC2A2 in T2D pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Differential gene expression analysis of islet samples (GSE76895 dataset).
- Functional enrichment and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA).
- Biomarker identification using LASSO and SVM-RFE algorithms.
- Immune cell infiltration analysis via CIBERSORT and scRNA-seq.
- In vivo validation in T2D models.
Main Results:
- 112 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified between T2D and non-diabetic (ND) islets.
- SLC2A2 identified as a key candidate biomarker for T2D.
- Resting CD4+ memory T cells implicated in T2D, correlating positively with SLC2A2.
- SLC2A2 expression is down-regulated in T2D beta cells and animal models.
Conclusions:
- SLC2A2 is a promising biomarker for early T2D diagnosis.
- Altered SLC2A2 expression and immune cell infiltration are associated with T2D.
- Findings support SLC2A2's potential role in T2D pathogenesis and drug development.
