Identification and validation of target genes in postmenopausal osteoporosis based on bioinformatics technology

doi:10.3877/cma.j.issn.2096-0263.2025.04.001

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective

The differentially expressed genes of postmenopausal osteoporosis were identified by bioinformatics and clinical samples were collected for verification.

Methods

The gene expression microarray of postmenopausal osteoporosis patients and healthy controls was screened by GEO database; the differentially expressed miRNAs was screened by GEO2R, and the target genes were predicted by miRDB, miRTarBase and Targetscan online databases; the target genes were analyzed by GO enrichment analysis and KEGG signal pathway analysis by DAVID database; protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING online website and visualized in Cytoscape software. The MCODE plug-in was used to analyze the PPI network, and the Hubba plug-in was used to screen the Hub gene with the correlation degree > 10 as the standard. Collect clinical samples and use qRT-PCR and Westernblot to verify the key genes identified above at gene and protein level.

Results

In this study, 46 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and the target genes were predicted by miRDB, miRTarBase and Targetscan online databases. The predicted results were screened and intersected by multiple databases, and 97 target genes were selected from the three databases. Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, it was observed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in striated muscle regulation in biological process; in Cellular Component, genes were mainly enriched in cytoplasm and nucleus; in terms of molecular function, genes were mainly concentrated in transcriptional coactivator binding; in signal pathway, genes were mainly enriched in FoxO signal pathway and so on. Using STRING online website to build PPI network and visualization in Cytoscape software, it is concluded that the Hub genes in PPI network are CCND1, FOSL1, JUNB, IGF1R, BTG2 and so on. QRT-PCR and Westernblot methods were used to verify the above identified genes in clinical samples. Among them, the expression of BTG2, CCND1, JUNB and IGF1R in osteoporosis group was significantly higher than that in osteoporosis group, but there was no significant difference in FOSL1 expression between the two groups.

Conclusions

In this study, the differentially expressed key genes were identified by bioinformatics methods and clinical samples were collected for verification, which is helpful to explore new targets for diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. It provides a new starting point for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Key words: Postmenopausal osteoporosis, Micro-ribonucleic acid, Bioinformatics

Zutao Li, ReWT Abuduaini ·, Lixin Che, Jiangbo Xu, Qingbin Zhao. Identification and validation of target genes in postmenopausal osteoporosis based on bioinformatics technology[J]. Chinese Journal of Geriatric Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation(Electronic Edition), 2025, 11(04): 193-200.

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