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Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Integrated Bioinformatics and Single-Cell
Jinling Zhang1,2, Ke Han1,2,3
1School of Pharmacy, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin 150076, China.
Genes
|July 28, 2026
Summary
This study identifies CXCL6, IFNG, and SLAMF1 as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It also highlights sesamin and other compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease causing joint damage and systemic issues.
- Many RA patients do not achieve sustained remission despite available treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate bioinformatics and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to find RA biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
- To explore potential bioactive compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for RA treatment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Mendelian randomization with eQTL, pQTL, and GWAS data to identify causal druggable genes for RA.
- Employed bulk transcriptomics, machine learning, and scRNA-seq for gene screening, validation, and cell-type specific analysis.
- Conducted TCM compound screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
Main Results:
- Identified CXCL6, IFNG, and SLAMF1 as RA-associated targets with immune relevance and diagnostic potential.
- Linked these genes to immune activation and intercellular communication pathways.
- Prioritized sesamin, (+)-Ganoderic acid Mf, and (24R)-saringosterol as candidate compounds, with IFNG-(+)-Ganoderic acid Mf showing stability in MD simulations.
Conclusions:
- CXCL6, IFNG, and SLAMF1 are proposed as candidate biomarkers and druggable targets for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Sesamin, (+)-Ganoderic acid Mf, and (24R)-saringosterol require further experimental validation.
- Findings support future mechanistic and translational research in RA therapeutics.
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