Frontiers in Genetics (Oct 2023)

Immune-related signature of periodontitis and Alzheimer’s disease linkage

  • Jieqi Jin,
  • Mengkai Guang,
  • Simin Li,
  • Yong Liu,
  • Liwei Zhang,
  • Bo Zhang,
  • Menglin Cheng,
  • Gerhard Schmalz,
  • Xiaofeng Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2023.1230245
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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Background: Periodontits (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are both associated with ageing and clinical studies increasingly evidence their association. However, specific mechanisms underlying this association remain undeciphered, and immune-related processes are purported to play a signifcant role. The accrual of publicly available transcriptomic datasets permits secondary analysis and the application of data-mining and bioinformatic tools for biological discovery.Aim: The present study aimed to leverage publicly available transcriptomic datasets and databases, and apply a series of bioinformatic analysis to identify a robust signature of immune-related signature of PD and AD linkage.Methods: We downloaded gene-expresssion data pertaining PD and AD and identified crosstalk genes. We constructed a protein-protein network analysis, applied immune cell enrichment analysis, and predicted crosstalk immune-related genes and infiltrating immune cells. Next, we applied consisent cluster analysis and performed immune cell bias analysis, followed by LASSO regression to select biomarker immune-related genes.Results: The results showed a 3 gene set comprising of DUSP14, F13A1 and SELE as a robust immune-related signature. Macrophages M2 and NKT, B-cells, CD4+ memory T-cells and CD8+ naive T-cells emerged as key immune cells linking PD with AD.Conclusion: Candidate immune-related biomarker genes and immune cells central to the assocation of PD with AD were identified, and merit investigation in experimental and clinical research.

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