Bioinformatics-based analysis of potential therapeutic target genes for polycystic ovary syndrome

Therapeutic targets in polycystic ovary syndrome genes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to screen differentially expressed genes in PCOS using gene chip data and investigate the biological functions of these DEGs in PCOS. Additionally, the study aimed to analyze the potential clinical significance of these genes using clinical data. In this study, we first screened the DEGs related to PCOS by using the gene chip data (GSE5090) from GEO database. Target gene prediction software was used to predict the target genes for these DEGs, and their functional enrichment was analysed. Subsequently, the STRING online tool and Cytoscape software were utilized to identify key genes by constructing protein-protein interaction networks (PPI). In the analysis of the GSE5090 dataset, seventeen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these DEGs are predominantly associated with biological functions related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Moreover, the tissue-specific expression analysis highlighted immune system markers, with a notable difference observed in 18 of these markers, accounting for 20.5% of the total. By constructing PPI networks and key gene regulatory networks, a total of three genes (RPL13, LEP, and ANXA1) were identified as key genes. In addition, the column-line graphical model performed well in predicting the risk of PCOS. Using ROC curves, the model proved to be effective in diagnosis. This study represents the first application of a bioinformatics approach to identify and confirm high expression levels of RPL13, LEP, and ANXA1 in patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). These key genes—RPL13, LEP, and ANXA1—may present viable targets for therapeutic interventions in PCOS, underscoring their potential clinical importance.