Integrated PPI- and WGCNA-retrieval of hub gene signatures for soft substrates inhibition of human fibroblasts proliferation and differentiation.

ABSTRACT: Fibroblasts (FBs) are the most important functional cells in the process of wound repair, and their functions can be activated by different signals at the pathological site. Although wound repair is associated with microenvironmental stiffness, the effect of matrix stiffness on FBs remains elusive. In this study, TGF-β1 was used to mimic the fibrotic environment under pathological conditions. We found that the soft substrates made FBs slender compared with tissue culture plastic, and the main altered biological function was the inhibition of proliferation and differentiation ability. Through PPI and WGCNA analysis, 63 hub genes were found, including GADD45A, CDKN3, HIST2H3PS2, ACTB, etc., which may be the main targets of soft substrates affecting the proliferation and differentiation of FB

SUBMITTER: Xu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9512501 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature