Identification of CTSK as a TLR-related critical biomarker in liver cirrhosis via integrative bioinformatics and pathological characterization.

ABSTRACT: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a common chronic disease worldwide with a poor prognosis, and its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are crucial in LC progression. Here, we identified TLR-related genes, providing novel insights related to LC diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment. Data from public databases were analyzed using "limma" and WGCNA to screen candidate genes, and four hub genes (CXCL9, CXCL10, SPP1, CTSK) were selected through machine learning. These hub genes were validated through bioinformatics, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Both the hub genes and risk models demonstrated strong diagnostic potential for LC. The hub genes were enriched in various pathways and strongly correlated with immune infiltration. Subt

SUBMITTER: Wang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12267413 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature