APC and ZBTB2 may mediate M2 macrophage infiltration to promote the development of renal fibrosis: Bioinformatics Analysis

AbstractBackground and PurposeM2 macrophages are closely associated with renal fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the infiltration of M2 macrophages in uremic patients and to seek new strategies to slow down the progression of renal fibrosis.MethodsExpression data were queried in the GEO database for uremic samples. Control and uremic DEGs were identified. Immune cell infiltration was investigated by CIBERSORT and modules associated with M2 macrophage infiltration were identified by WGCNA. Consistent genes were identified using the LASSO and SVM-RFE methods to search for overlapping genes. ROC curves were examined for the diagnostic value of candidate genes. PT-PCR examined the expression levels of candidate genes obtained from uremic patients in M2 macrophage.Results1298 DEGs were found in the GSE37171 dataset. Significant enrichment of DEGs was observed in 20 BP, 19 CC, 6 MF and 70 KEGG pathways. CIBERSORT analysis observed a significant increase in B cell memory, dendritic cell activation, M0, M1, M2 and plasma cell numbers in uremic samples. We identified the 10 most interrelated genes. In particular, APC and ZBTB2 were adversely associated with the infiltration of M2 macrophages. Importantly, the expression levels of APC and ZBTB2 were far lower in M2 macrophages from uremic patients than in healthy individuals.ConclusionAPC and ZBTB2 may mediate M2 macrophage infiltration to promote the development of renal fibrosis.