Back to Search Start Over

Integrated analysis of m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns and immune characteristics in Sjögren's syndrome

Authors :
Junhao Yin
Jiayao Fu
Jiabao Xu
Changyu Chen
Hanyi Zhu
Baoli Wang
Chuangqi Yu
Xiujuan Yang
Ruiyu Cai
Mengyang Li
Kaihan Ji
Wanning Wu
Yijie Zhao
Zhanglong Zheng
Yiping Pu
Lingyan Zheng
Source :
Heliyon, Vol 10, Iss 7, Pp e28645- (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
Elsevier, 2024.

Abstract

The epigenetic modifier N6-methyladenosine (m6A), recognized as the most prevalent internal modification in messenger RNA (mRNA), has recently emerged as a pivotal player in immune regulation. Its dysregulation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune conditions. However, the implications of m6A modification within the immune microenvironment of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction, remain unexplored. Herein, we leverage an integrative analysis combining public database resources and novel sequencing data to investigate the expression profiles of m6A regulatory genes in SS. Our cohort comprised 220 patients diagnosed with SS and 62 healthy individuals, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of peripheral blood at the transcriptomic level. We report a significant association between SS and altered expression of key m6A regulators, with these changes closely tied to the activation of CD4+ T cells. Employing a random forest (RF) algorithm, we identified crucial genes contributing to the disease phenotype, which facilitated the development of a robust diagnostic model via multivariate logistic regression analysis. Further, unsupervised clustering revealed two distinct m6A modification patterns, which were significantly associated with variations in immunocyte infiltration, immune response activity, and biological function enrichment in SS. Subsequently, we proceeded with a screening process aimed at identifying genes that were differentially expressed (DEGs) between the two groups distinguished by m6A modification. Leveraging these DEGs, we employed weight gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to uncover sets of genes that exhibited strong co-variance and hub genes that were closely linked to m6A modification. Through rigorous analysis, we identified three critical m6A regulators - METTL3, ALKBH5, and YTHDF1 - alongside two m6A-related hub genes, COMMD8 and SRP9. These elements collectively underscore a complex but discernible pattern of m6A modification that appears to be integrally linked with SS's pathogenesis. Our findings not only illuminate the significant correlation between m6A modification and the immune microenvironment in SS but also lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of m6A regulatory mechanisms. More importantly, the identification of these key regulators and hub genes opens new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of SS, presenting potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
24058440
Volume :
10
Issue :
7
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Heliyon
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.0aae891339fa42ad9420ecf989472dcf
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28645