CX3CR1-TLR4 Axis as a Shared Neuroimmune Target in COVID-19 and Epilepsy: Integrative Transcriptomics and Gabapentin...

Introduction: Neuroinflammation is a common pathological hallmark of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and epilepsy; however, their shared immunogenomic mechanisms remain poorly defined. This study explores shared immune-inflammatory transcriptomic signatures and identifies potential repositioning therapeutics. Methods: We integrated single-cell RNA-seq data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of COVID-19 patients and healthy donors (GSE149689), and bulk RNA-seq data from hippocampal tissue of patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis (TLE-HS) and healthy controls (GSE256068). Common Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to GO/KEGG enrichment, a PPI network, hub gene detection (cytoHubba), and transcriptional regulation analysis (ENCODE-based TF/miRNA networks). Drug repositioning was performed using the LINCS L1000 database. Results: We identified 25 DEGs shared across datasets, including 22 upregulated genes enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, NF-κB, and Toll-like receptor pathways. PPI analysis revealed a CX3CR1-TLR4-centered immune module. Gabapentin emerged as a promising repositioning candidate with potential to downregulate CX3CR1, TLR4, and selectin P ligand (SELPLG). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed the diagnostic value of these targets (AUC > 0.90 in epilepsy). A mechanistic model was proposed to illustrate Gabapentin's dual action on microglial polarization and cytokine suppression. Conclusions: Our results reveal a shared CX3CR1-TLR4-NF-κB inflammatory axis in COVID-19 and epilepsy, supporting Gabapentin as a potential dual-action immunomodulator. These findings reveal a previously underappreciated immunomodulatory role for Gabapentin, providing mechanistic rationale for its repositioning in neuroinflammatory conditions beyond seizure control.