Integrated analysis of single-cell sequencing and machine learning identifies a signature based on monocyte/macrophage hub genes to analyze the intracranial aneurysm associated immune microenvironment.

Journal: Frontiers in immunology
PMID:

Abstract

Monocytes are pivotal immune cells in eliciting specific immune responses and can exert a significant impact on the progression, prognosis, and immunotherapy of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). The objective of this study was to identify monocyte/macrophage (Mo/MΦ)-associated gene signatures to elucidate their correlation with the pathogenesis and immune microenvironment of IAs, thereby offering potential avenues for targeted therapy against IAs. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of IAs were acquired from the Gene Expression Synthesis (GEO) database. The significant infiltration of monocyte subsets in the parietal tissue of IAs was identified using single-cell RNA sequencing and high-dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis (hdWGCNA). The integration of six machine learning algorithms identified four crucial genes linked to these Mo/MΦ. Subsequently, we developed a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural model for the diagnosis of IAs (independent external test AUC=1.0, sensitivity =100%, specificity =100%). Furthermore, we employed the CIBERSORT method and MCP counter to establish the correlation between monocyte characteristics and immune cell infiltration as well as patient heterogeneity. Our findings offer valuable insights into the molecular characterization of monocyte infiltration in IAs, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the immune microenvironment of IAs. Recognizing this characterization is crucial for comprehending the limitations associated with targeted therapies for IAs. Ultimately, the results were verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Immunohistochemistry.

Authors

  • Yifan Xu
    Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China. xuyifan_1992@163.com.
  • Pin Guo
    Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Guipeng Wang
    Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Xiaojuan Sun
    Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Chao Wang
    College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, China.
  • Huanting Li
    The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Zhenwen Cui
    Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Pining Zhang
    Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
  • Yugong Feng
    Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.