Identification of Key Candidate Biomarkers and Pathways in Atherosclerosis

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide for which lacks effective prevention and therapeutic strategy. Therefore, clinical indicators for early diagnosis and screening are in great need. The present study aimed to elucidate the key genetic signatures and pathways identifying the key candidate biomarker in atherosclerosis by integrative bioinformatics analysis combining with experimental assay. Methods The gene expression profiles (GSE30169, GSE6584) were achieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to examine the biological functions of identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was mapped using Cytoscape software. Results 91 DEGs were identified, including 68 up-regulated genes and 23 down-regulated genes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs genes were significantly enriched in ferroptosis, TNF signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway. 12 nodes with the highest degrees were selected as hub genes. CCL2, CXCL1, IL6, and DUSP1 can serve as a sensitive diagnostic indicator for the early stage of atherosclerosis; CEBPB and HMOX1 can serve as a diagnostic indicator for diabetic atherosclerosis; TRIB3 is a sensitive marker indicating atherosclerosis risks in diabetic women group.Conclusions In conclusion, we have identified key candidate genes that indicate the diagnosis of patients with atherosclerosis, and these genes may serve as potential therapeutic or drug development targets for atherosclerosis.