Identification and Validation of Lactate Metabolism-Related Genes in Retinopathy of Prematurity

Purpose: Lactic acid metabolism may play an imperative role in the development of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Through bioinformatics analysis, we strive to identify the potential lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) of ROP, and predict their functions and internal mechanisms. Methods: GSE158799 microarray dataset is located on the GPL18635 platform (Ion Torrent Proton), which is from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Firstly, we used R software to screen for potentially differentially expressed LMRGs related to ROP. Then we analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by protein–protein interactions (PPI), correlation analysis, gene-ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and assessment of immune cell infiltration. Results: A total of 41 differentially expressed LMRGs were identified among 284 genes in 3 P17_OIR mice and 3 P17_OIR mice. The results of PPI analysis indicated the interaction among these LMRGs. And the GO and KEGG analysis revealed several enriched pathways related to lactate metabolism, such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and Apelin signaling pathway. Moreover, immune infiltration analysis showed that the expression levels of immune cells in the sample changed greatly, especially M1 and M2 macrophages. Conclusion: We identified 41 potential LMRGs correlated to ROP. These DEGs may regulate lactate metabolism, leading to the changes of metabolism and immunity, thereby inducing the development of ROP. Our results will expand our understanding of the intrinsic mechanism of ROP and may be helpful for the directions for treatment of ROP in the future.