Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Major depressive disorder (MDD) act as risk factors for each other, and the comorbidity of both significantly increases the all-cause mortality rate. Therefore, studying the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes with depression (DD) is of great significance...

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Main Authors: Yikai Zhang, Linyue Wu, Chuanjie Zheng, Huihui Xu, Weiye Lin, Zheng Chen, Lingyong Cao, Yiqian Qu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01175-z
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author Yikai Zhang
Linyue Wu
Chuanjie Zheng
Huihui Xu
Weiye Lin
Zheng Chen
Lingyong Cao
Yiqian Qu
author_facet Yikai Zhang
Linyue Wu
Chuanjie Zheng
Huihui Xu
Weiye Lin
Zheng Chen
Lingyong Cao
Yiqian Qu
author_sort Yikai Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Major depressive disorder (MDD) act as risk factors for each other, and the comorbidity of both significantly increases the all-cause mortality rate. Therefore, studying the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes with depression (DD) is of great significance. In this study, we progressively identified hub genes associated with T2DM and depression through WGCNA analysis, PPI networks, and machine learning, and constructed ROC and nomogram to assess their diagnostic efficacy. Additionally, we validated these genes using qRT-PCR in the hippocampus of DD model mice. The results indicate that UBTD1, ANKRD9, CNN2, AKT1, and CAPZA2 are shared hub genes associated with diabetes and depression, with ANKRD9, CNN2 and UBTD1 demonstrating favorable diagnostic predictive efficacy. In the DD model, UBTD1 (p > 0.05) and ANKRD9 (p < 0.01) were downregulated, while CNN2 (p < 0.001), AKT1 (p < 0.05), and CAPZA2 (p < 0.01) were upregulated. We have discussed their mechanisms of action in the pathogenesis and therapy of DD, suggesting their therapeutic potential, and propose that these genes may serve as prospective diagnostic candidates for DD. In conclusion, this work offers new insights for future research on DD.
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spelling doaj-art-0eb20953a52f44478d99e894fedbfabc2025-08-20T02:32:03ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-01175-zExploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experimentsYikai Zhang0Linyue Wu1Chuanjie Zheng2Huihui Xu3Weiye Lin4Zheng Chen5Lingyong Cao6Yiqian Qu7School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityInstitute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityThe First College of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversitySchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityAbstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Major depressive disorder (MDD) act as risk factors for each other, and the comorbidity of both significantly increases the all-cause mortality rate. Therefore, studying the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes with depression (DD) is of great significance. In this study, we progressively identified hub genes associated with T2DM and depression through WGCNA analysis, PPI networks, and machine learning, and constructed ROC and nomogram to assess their diagnostic efficacy. Additionally, we validated these genes using qRT-PCR in the hippocampus of DD model mice. The results indicate that UBTD1, ANKRD9, CNN2, AKT1, and CAPZA2 are shared hub genes associated with diabetes and depression, with ANKRD9, CNN2 and UBTD1 demonstrating favorable diagnostic predictive efficacy. In the DD model, UBTD1 (p > 0.05) and ANKRD9 (p < 0.01) were downregulated, while CNN2 (p < 0.001), AKT1 (p < 0.05), and CAPZA2 (p < 0.01) were upregulated. We have discussed their mechanisms of action in the pathogenesis and therapy of DD, suggesting their therapeutic potential, and propose that these genes may serve as prospective diagnostic candidates for DD. In conclusion, this work offers new insights for future research on DD.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01175-zDiabetes with depressionMajor depressive disorder (MDD)Type 2 diabetes mellitusMachine learningBioinformatics analysisDiagnosis learning
spellingShingle Yikai Zhang
Linyue Wu
Chuanjie Zheng
Huihui Xu
Weiye Lin
Zheng Chen
Lingyong Cao
Yiqian Qu
Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
Scientific Reports
Diabetes with depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD)
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Machine learning
Bioinformatics analysis
Diagnosis learning
title Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
title_full Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
title_fullStr Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
title_full_unstemmed Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
title_short Exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
title_sort exploring potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus with major depressive disorder through bioinformatics and in vivo experiments
topic Diabetes with depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD)
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Machine learning
Bioinformatics analysis
Diagnosis learning
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01175-z
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