Screening macrophage polarization genes in spinal cord injury as therapeutic targets

Macrophage polarization correlates strongly with the progression and prognosis of spinal cord injury (SCI), yet the therapeutic potential of macrophage polarization-related genes (MPRGs) in SCI remains unexplored. This study identified hub genes associated with MPRGs for SCI diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SCI and control groups were intersected with MPRGs to identify six differentially expressed MPRGs (DE-MPRGs). Machine learning algorithms, including LASSO, RF, and XGBoost, selected three hub genes (Soat1, Comt, and Myo1f) with elevated expression in SCI samples. Functional enrichment analysis indicated involvement in immune-related pathways. Immune infiltration analysis revealed differences in 11 immune gene sets between SCI and controls, all positively correlated with the hub genes. In silico drug prediction identified 37 small molecules, including dexamethasone and atorvastatin, as potential modulators of macrophage polarization in SCI. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed significantly higher expression of all hub genes in M2 than in M1 macrophages. RT-qPCR validation confirmed upregulation of the hub genes in SCI models. These results highlight Soat1, Comt, and Myo1f as novel hub genes in SCI, offering insights into macrophage polarization mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.