2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (23): 3670-3675

Comprehensive analysis of competing endogenous RNA network and potential biomarkers in alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Qian Xiaofen1, Zeng Ping2, Liu Jinfu2, Chen Cai1, Fan Siqi2, Nong Jiao2, Deng Wei2   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head is highly correlated with alcohol consumption. However, its specific pathogenesis is still unclear and there are certain individual differences.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential pathogenesis of alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head by constructing a gene network map of alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
METHODS: Three patients with alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head and three healthy volunteers were recruited from the Second Department of Orthopedics in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine. Differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNA were screened out through gene sequencing of peripheral blood samples, to predict the interaction targets of lncRNA-miRNA and miRNA-mRNA. The competitive endogenous RNA regulatory network was constructed using cytoscape software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Differential expression analysis identified 127 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 921 differentially expressed mRNAs from the samples of alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Then, through target gene prediction, 205 miRNAs and 5 184 mRNA targets were predicted, and finally the competing endogenous RNA network containing 3 lncRNAs (SNHG3, MUC19, LINC00476), 5 miRNAs (hsa-miR-146b-5p, hsa-miR-139-5p, hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-193a-3p, hsa-miR-135a-5p), and 11 mRNAs (PEX5, ACTR3B, CHMP4B, CSMD1, MTRF1, ZNF3, HTR7, NR5A2, SYT14, CASK, ING5) was constructed, involved in stem cell differentiation, inflammatory response, neuroendocrine, gene polymorphism, and other biological processes. To conclude, a series of potential biomarkers of alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head have been screened out by constructing the competing endogenous RNA network, which provides new ideas for further research on its molecular mechanism and therapeutic targets.
Key words: alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head, competing endogenous RNA network, lncRNA, mRNA, miRNA, biomarker