Exploring the molecular link between obstructive sleep apnea and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: A...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) are chronic conditions impacting quality of life.
• Shared prevalence suggests potential common pathophysiological links.
• Current understanding of IC/BPS pathophysiology is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify shared molecular mechanisms between OSA and IC/BPS.
• Discover common diagnostic biomarkers for both conditions.
• Utilize integrated bioinformatics approaches.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed transcriptomic data for OSA and IC/BPS using bioinformatics and machine learning.
• Identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched pathways.
• Employed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and immune infiltration analysis.
• Developed diagnostic models using machine learning algorithms.

Main Results:

• Identified 2,233 DEGs in OSA and 1,183 in IC/BPS, with 93 overlapping genes.
• DUSP9 was identified as the single common gene linking both disorders.
• Developed two-gene signatures: DUSP9/CCDC68 for OSA and DUSP9/KPNA2 for IC/BPS.
• DUSP9 expression correlated with specific immune cell populations in each condition.

Conclusions:

• DUSP9 is a pivotal shared biomarker and central regulator linking OSA and IC/BPS.
• Integrated bioinformatics analysis revealed common molecular pathways.
• Findings support DUSP9 as a potential therapeutic target and diagnostic marker.