The integrated transcriptome bioinformatics analysis identifies key genes and cellular components for proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) is a chronic complication of Diabetes and the main cause of blindness among the world’s working population at present. While there have been many studies on the pathogenesis of PDR, its intrinsic molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. In recent years, several studies have employed bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and cellular components associated with PDR. This study adds to this expanding body of work by identifying PDR’s target genes and cellular components by conducting an integrated transcriptome bioinformatics analysis. This study integrately examined two public bulk RNA-seq datasets(including 11 PDR patients and 7 controls) and one single-cell RNA-seq datasets(including 5 PDR patients) of Fibro (Vascular) Membranes (FVMs) from PDR patients and control. A total of 176 genes were identified as DEGs between PDR patients and control among both bulk RNA-seq datasets. Based on these DEGs, 14 proteins were identified in the protein overlap within the significant ligand-receptor interactions of retinal FVMs and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network, three of which were associated with PDR (CD44, ICAM1, POSTN), and POSTN might act as key ligand. This finding may provide novel gene signatures and therapeutic targets for PDR.