Screening and Bioinformatics Analysis of IgA Nephropathy Gene Based on GEO Databases

PURPOSE: To identify novel biomarkers of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) through bioinformatics analysis and elucidate the possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: The GSE93798 and GSE73953 datasets containing microarray data from IgAN patients and healthy controls were downloaded from the GEO database and analyzed by the GEO2R web tool to obtain different expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and Biological Networks Gene Oncology tool (BiNGO) were then performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of IgAN. RESULTS: A total of 223 DEGs were identified, of which 21 were hub genes, and involved in inflammatory response, cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, transcription factor activity, extracellular exosome, TNF signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: TNF and MAPK pathways likely form the basis of IgAN progression, and JUN/JUNB, FOS, NR4A1/2, EGR1, and FOSL1/2 are novel prognostic biomarkers of IgAN.