Identification of Shared Gene Signatures in Different Stages of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using Integrated Microarray Datasets

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of chronic liver disease worldwide. Left untreated, it can be a risk factor for developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although experts have made many efforts to find the underlying mechanisms of NAFLD, they remain a mystery.

This study aimed to distinguish common gene signatures and pathways in the human liver during NAFLD progression through systems biology.

In this study, the researchers selected three microarray datasets, GSE48452, GSE63067, and GSE89632, from the NCBI GEO database to explore differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among healthy controls, simple steatosis, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and pathway enrichment analyses were used to detect common genes and biological pathways in different stages of NAFLD.

The current study included 45 healthy participants, 36 simple steatosis patients, and 46 NASH patients. Common genes for NAFLD progression were Chi3L1, ICAM1, MT1A, MT1H, ABCB11, ACOT1, CYP2C9, HSP90B1, and CPB2, which are involved in inflammation and oxidative stress pathways.

The present study investigated the shared vital genes and pathways between different stages of NAFLD, which may facilitate understanding NAFLD mechanisms and identifying potential therapeutic targets in this disease.