Identifying effective immune biomarkers in alopecia areata diagnosis based on machine learning methods.
Journal:
BMC medical informatics and decision making
Published Date:
Jan 14, 2025
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common non-scarring hair loss disorder associated with autoimmune conditions. However, the pathobiology of AA is not well understood, and there is no targeted therapy available for AA. METHODS: In this study, differential gene expression analysis, immune status assessment, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), and functional enrichment analysis were performed to identify shared genes associated with both immunological response and AA. Machine learning methods were then used to identify three hub genes as potential diagnostic markers for AA. External validation was performed, and the correlation of hub genes with immune infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, and key marker genes and pathways were evaluated.