| خلاصه مقاله | Myotonic dystrophy (DM), characterized by its intricate multi-system involvement and
diverse subtypes, poses significant challenges in therapeutic strategies and interdisciplinary research.
Among the pivotal genes associated with myotonia dystrophy, the MEF2 gene assumes a central role
[1]. This study employs bioinformatics analysis to explore a microarray dataset (GSE13608; Affymetrix
Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array) sourced from the NCBI's GEO database [2]. Focusing on skeletal
muscle biopsies from DM1 (10 samples) and DM2 patients (20 samples), the analysis compares these
profiles with those of normal individuals (n = 6). Transcriptome profiling serves as a pivotal tool in
deciphering the molecular intricacies underlying neuromuscular disorders, offering insights into the
regulatory mechanisms that underlie the complexities of myotonic dystrophy.
The analysis pipeline involved loading the data using GEOquery, quality control, log2 transformation,
and generating descriptive plots (e.g., box-and-whisker plots, expression value distribution plots, and
mean-variance trends) using R programming [3]. Notably, our focus centered on the dysregulation of
MEF2 and MEF2-related genes. Out of 36 samples, seven genes displayed significant (adj.P.val < 0.01
and |log2 FC| > 1) dysregulation including, COL4A3, nebulin, MTUS1, COPE, TTN, AMPD1, and
GRAPL, proposing as significant biomarkers. In the context of myotonic dystrophy, our analysis reveals
distinct expression patterns, illustrated through box-and-whisker plots showcasing variability in gene
expression across the case and control conditions. The GeneCards, Reactome and KEGG pathway
databases showed that these genes exert regulatory control over various crucial biological processes
and pathways, including Tibial muscular dystrophy, Metabolic pathways, and ECM-receptor
interaction, extracellular matrix organization, collagen formation, signal transduction, striated muscle
contraction pathway, and collagen biosynthesis. Our study not only contributes valuable insights into
the molecular signatures associated with myotonic dystrophy but also suggests potential therapeutic
interventions targeting these dysregulated pathways. |