Identification of potential target genes for ankylosing spondylitis treatment

This study aimed to identify the potential target genes for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Dataset GSE25101 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, including 16 AS and 16 normal control blood samples. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using unmatched t-test in limma package with adjusted P < .05. Gene ontology-biological process (GO-BP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted using multifaceted analysis tool for human transcriptome. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING and Cytoscape, and module analysis was performed using MCODE plug-in. Webgestal was utilized to predict transcriptional factor (TF)-microRNA-target network and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) was applied to predict chemical-target network. A total of 334 DEGs were identified, including 136 upregulated genes and 198 downregulated genes. According to STRING, a PPI network was constructed and 1 significant clustered module was screen out with score = 6.33. MAPK7 (degree = 11) and NDUFS4 (degree = 10) were 2 important nodes in PPI network, and both of them were significantly enriched in cAMP mediated signaling pathway (P = 2.02E–02). MAPK7 could be regulated by NFY. Both MAPK7 and NDUFS4 were 2 potential targets for Indomethacin. MAPK7 and NDUFS4 played important roles in the pathogenesis of AS via cAMP mediated signaling pathway. Both of them could be targeted by Indomethacin.