Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis of the Shared Molecular Mechanisms Between Osteoporosis and Atherosclerosis

Liang Mo; Chao Ma; Zhangzheng Wang; Jianxiong Li; Wei He; Wei Niu; Zhengqiu Chen; Chi Zhou; Yuhao Liu

doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.950030

Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis of the Shared Molecular Mechanisms Between Osteoporosis and Atherosclerosis

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Jul 22:13:950030. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.950030. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Liang Mo¹, Chao Ma², Zhangzheng Wang¹, Jianxiong Li¹, Wei He^{1

3}, Wei Niu², Zhengqiu Chen¹, Chi Zhou¹, Yuhao Liu¹

Affiliations

¹ The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
² The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
³ Guangdong Research Institute for Orthopedics and Traumatology of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis and atherosclerosis are common in the elderly population, conferring a heavy worldwide burden. Evidence links osteoporosis and atherosclerosis but the exact underlying common mechanism of its occurrence is unclear. The purpose of this study is to further explore the molecular mechanism between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis through integrated bioinformatic analysis.

Methods: The microarray data of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were downloaded. The Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis were used to identify the co-expression genes related to osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. In addition, the common gene targets of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis were analyzed and screened through three public databases (CTD, DISEASES, and GeneCards). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed by Metascape. Then, the common microRNAs (miRNAs) in osteoporosis and atherosclerosis were screened out from the Human microRNA Disease Database (HMDD) and the target genes of whom were predicted through the miRTarbase. Finally, the common miRNAs-genes network was constructed by Cytoscape software.

Results: The results of common genes analysis showed that immune and inflammatory response may be a common feature in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. Six hub genes (namely, COL1A1, IBSP, CTSD, RAC2, MAF, and THBS1) were obtained via taking interaction of different analysis results. The miRNAs-genes network showed that has-let-7g might play an important role in the common mechanisms between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis.

Conclusion: This study provides new sights into shared molecular mechanisms between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. These common pathways and hub genes may offer promising clues for further experimental studies.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; bioinformatics; immune; inflammation; molecular mechanism; osteoporosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Atherosclerosis* / genetics
Computational Biology / methods
Gene Expression Profiling / methods
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
MicroRNAs* / genetics
Osteoporosis* / genetics

Substances

MicroRNAs