Key genes and pathways of ovarian granulosa cells in polycystic ovary syndrome identified by bioinformatics analysis

Purpose: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the factors leading to infertility. The specific pathogenesis of PCOS is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine key changes in gene expression during the formation of PCOS and to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PCOS. Methods We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the dataset GSE34526 from the bioinformatics array research tool (BART) online analysis tool (bart.salk.edu). Then, through the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) (https://david.ncifcrf.gov/) online analysis software for gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) rich path analysis, STRING (https://string-db.org/) online analysis tool for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Cytoscape software for Mcode module and HUB gene analysis Results a total of 91 DEGs, 7 up-regulated and 84 down-regulated, were found. Seven central HUB genes were identified, including integrin alpha-M (ITGAM), cytochrome BMUR 245 beta chain (CYBB), toll like receptor 1 (TLR1), platelet activating factor receptor (PTAFR), CD163 molecule, caspase 1 (CASP1), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP 9). Conclusion the DEGs, HUB genes and signaling pathways identified in this study help us understand the molecular mechanism of PCOS formation and provide new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of PCOS.