Purpose: To explore the pathogenesis of Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and provide bioinformatics basis for the prevention and treatment of PAD.
Methods: R software is used to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PAD patient and control blood samples in GSE27034 and screen for immune differential genes, and then perform GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis for immune differential genes. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by using STRING database, and functional modules were analyzed using Cytoscape software. Coexpedia database was used to analyze the gene co-expression network of immune differential genes. Finally, combined with CIBERSORT database, immune cells were obtained by R software.
Results: The 21 immune differential genes screened in PAD were mainly involved in TNF signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, viral protein interaction with cytokines and
cytokine receptor signaling pathways, and rheumatoid arthritis. Compared with the normal group, neutrophils were higher in number in the PAD group, while macrophages M0 were significantly lower (P<0.05).
Conclusions: TNF signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway and rheumatoid arthritis are most closely related to the occurrence and development of PAD, and immune differential genes may be the key molecules of PAD, which provides a new idea for further exploring the pathogenesis of PAD.