A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) co-existing with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is associated with increased rates of treatment failure and mortality. Therefore, greater understanding of the occurrence and prevalence of this comorbidity and research to address the prevention and treatment of PTB in pa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Liu, Yonglan Pu, Jie Wang, Zhiyong Li, Songliang Liu, Shenjie Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00928-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849326712131682304
author Yan Liu
Yonglan Pu
Jie Wang
Zhiyong Li
Songliang Liu
Shenjie Tang
author_facet Yan Liu
Yonglan Pu
Jie Wang
Zhiyong Li
Songliang Liu
Shenjie Tang
author_sort Yan Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) co-existing with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is associated with increased rates of treatment failure and mortality. Therefore, greater understanding of the occurrence and prevalence of this comorbidity and research to address the prevention and treatment of PTB in patients with T2DM (PTB + T2DM) have become paramount. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were employed to identify key gene modules and functions related to PTB + T2DM. Immune cell infiltration and drug sensitivity were compared between PTB + T2DM patients and healthy controls (HCs), with a bioinformatic approach. Several key genes were chosen for in vitro expression assays using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared to HCs and T2DM-only patients, PTB + 2DM patients showed upregulated expression of complement component C1q. WGCNA identified five crucial genes associated with PTB + T2DM: C1QA, CD248, LINC00278, MMP8, and MMP9. Multiscale embedded gene co-expression network analysis further identified FN1. The main KEGG pathways in PTB + T2DM patients were related to extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that CD248, MMP8, MMP9, LINC00278, and C1QA have potential as diagnostic markers for PTB + T2DM. The expression levels of C1QA, LINC00278, MMP8, and MMP9 were significantly higher, and that of CD248 was significantly lower, in PTB + T2DM patients than in HCs. A network comprising highly correlated hub genes and microRNAs revealed the following interactions: C1QA with hsa-miR-363-5p, hsa-miR-671-5p, and hsa-miR-25-5p; CD248 with COL1 A2, COL1 A1, and COL4 A1; MMP8 with hsa-miR-539-5p, MMP9, and CEACAM8; and MMP9 with FN1, MMP8, hsa-miR-29b-3p, hsa-miR-942-3p, hsa-miR-302-5p, and hsa-miR-133a-5p. Seven drugs (ERK_440_1713, JAK_8517_1739, Palbociclib_1054, PLX.4720_1036, Savolitinib_1936, Selumetinib_1736, and VX.11e_2096) exhibited significant sensitivity in patients with high-expression or low-expression of C1QA. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and WB analyses confirmed the upregulated expression of C1QA, MMP8, and MMP9 in the peripheral blood of PTB + T2DM patients. This study elucidated the intricate molecular connections between PTB and T2DM and identified potential shared targets. Five genes (C1QA, MMP8, MMP9, CD248, and LINC00278) have potential as diagnostic markers for PTB + T2DM, and three genes (C1QA, MMP8, and MMP9) were upregulated in the peripheral blood of PTB + T2DM patients. Our findings may serve as a valuable reference for future research and clinical applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-6344bd7340ef4b34a2d6da96c7e37ed1
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-6344bd7340ef4b34a2d6da96c7e37ed12025-08-20T03:48:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-00928-0A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosisYan Liu0Yonglan Pu1Jie Wang2Zhiyong Li3Songliang Liu4Shenjie Tang5Clinical Medical Center for Tuberculosis, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People’s Hospital of TaicangDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People’s Hospital of TaicangDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People’s Hospital of TaicangDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People’s Hospital of TaicangClinical Medical Center for Tuberculosis & Beijing Tuberculosis Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityAbstract Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) co-existing with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is associated with increased rates of treatment failure and mortality. Therefore, greater understanding of the occurrence and prevalence of this comorbidity and research to address the prevention and treatment of PTB in patients with T2DM (PTB + T2DM) have become paramount. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were employed to identify key gene modules and functions related to PTB + T2DM. Immune cell infiltration and drug sensitivity were compared between PTB + T2DM patients and healthy controls (HCs), with a bioinformatic approach. Several key genes were chosen for in vitro expression assays using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared to HCs and T2DM-only patients, PTB + 2DM patients showed upregulated expression of complement component C1q. WGCNA identified five crucial genes associated with PTB + T2DM: C1QA, CD248, LINC00278, MMP8, and MMP9. Multiscale embedded gene co-expression network analysis further identified FN1. The main KEGG pathways in PTB + T2DM patients were related to extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that CD248, MMP8, MMP9, LINC00278, and C1QA have potential as diagnostic markers for PTB + T2DM. The expression levels of C1QA, LINC00278, MMP8, and MMP9 were significantly higher, and that of CD248 was significantly lower, in PTB + T2DM patients than in HCs. A network comprising highly correlated hub genes and microRNAs revealed the following interactions: C1QA with hsa-miR-363-5p, hsa-miR-671-5p, and hsa-miR-25-5p; CD248 with COL1 A2, COL1 A1, and COL4 A1; MMP8 with hsa-miR-539-5p, MMP9, and CEACAM8; and MMP9 with FN1, MMP8, hsa-miR-29b-3p, hsa-miR-942-3p, hsa-miR-302-5p, and hsa-miR-133a-5p. Seven drugs (ERK_440_1713, JAK_8517_1739, Palbociclib_1054, PLX.4720_1036, Savolitinib_1936, Selumetinib_1736, and VX.11e_2096) exhibited significant sensitivity in patients with high-expression or low-expression of C1QA. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and WB analyses confirmed the upregulated expression of C1QA, MMP8, and MMP9 in the peripheral blood of PTB + T2DM patients. This study elucidated the intricate molecular connections between PTB and T2DM and identified potential shared targets. Five genes (C1QA, MMP8, MMP9, CD248, and LINC00278) have potential as diagnostic markers for PTB + T2DM, and three genes (C1QA, MMP8, and MMP9) were upregulated in the peripheral blood of PTB + T2DM patients. Our findings may serve as a valuable reference for future research and clinical applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00928-0Pulmonary tuberculosisType 2 diabetesWeighted gene co-expression network analysisC1QC1QAMMP8
spellingShingle Yan Liu
Yonglan Pu
Jie Wang
Zhiyong Li
Songliang Liu
Shenjie Tang
A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
Scientific Reports
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Type 2 diabetes
Weighted gene co-expression network analysis
C1Q
C1QA
MMP8
title A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
title_full A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
title_fullStr A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
title_full_unstemmed A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
title_short A bioinformatics-driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
title_sort bioinformatics driven approach to identify biomarkers and elucidate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes concurrent with pulmonary tuberculosis
topic Pulmonary tuberculosis
Type 2 diabetes
Weighted gene co-expression network analysis
C1Q
C1QA
MMP8
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00928-0
work_keys_str_mv AT yanliu abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT yonglanpu abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT jiewang abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT zhiyongli abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT songliangliu abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT shenjietang abioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT yanliu bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT yonglanpu bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT jiewang bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT zhiyongli bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT songliangliu bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis
AT shenjietang bioinformaticsdrivenapproachtoidentifybiomarkersandelucidatethepathogenesisoftype2diabetesconcurrentwithpulmonarytuberculosis