Molecular Mechanisms underlying Aortic Dissection: A Preliminary Bioinformatics Analysis of Signal Pathways and Hub Genes

Abstract

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition involving tearing of the inner lining of the aorta, resulting in the separation of the layers of the aortic wall. Aortic dissection can lead to organ ischemia; however, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study examined the expression of genes associated with the promotion of aortic dissection and progression of vascular failure.We downloaded two publicly available gene expression profiles (GSE190635 and GSE52093) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for the combined analysis of samples from human aortic tissue and control subjects. After identifying the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the GEO2R online tool, we performed Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. We also analyzed the protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of DEGs using the NetworkAnalyst online tool.We identified 4,677 upregulated and 4,406 downregulated DEGs. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in cell population proliferation, regulation of DNA replication, inflammatory responses, cell cycle, mitosis, and positive regulation of cell adhesion. PPI network analysis identified the following 10 hub genes: SHC1, ECT2, MCM10, EIF3C, HELLS, CDC5L, ACTB, USP9X, YWHAZ, and MAPK1. Through bioinformatics analysis, we have identified potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for aortic dissection, providing a theoretical basis for future studies.