ACP5, TNF, and MMP8 were identified as potential biomarkers of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Abstract

Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is a progressive bone disorder that is characterized by femoral head collapse and hip joint dysfunction. To elucidate the biomarkers of SONFH, the GSE123568 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A total of 436 differentially expressed SONFH genes were screened in comparison with non-SONFH genes. Six biological processes and four KEGG pathways were enriched in SONFH by GSEA, and 68 candidate genes that were involved in these pathways were selected for subsequent analysis. Moreover, through an ingenuity pathway analysis, we obtained 10 canonical pathways and 20 molecule function modules related to SONFH, and acquired 121 candidate genes. Furthermore, we identified ACP5, TNF, and MMP8 as the genes most related to SONFH according to the VarElect and MalaCards database. Based on these hub genes, the targeted miRNAs and the lncRNAs were predicted. Finally, the ceRNA network was constructed by using ACP5, TNF, MMP8, seven miRNAs, and 956 candidate lncRNAs. In conclusion, the ACP5, TNF, and MMP8 might be potential biomarkers of SONFH.