Bioinformatics analysis reveals the diagnostic and therapeutic value of the centrosome replication-related gene SPICE1 in keloid

Abstract

Keloids are the abnormal accumulation of collagen in the dermis, which leads to the formation of raised fibrous tissue at the site of injury and the development of a hard scar. The underlying pathological mechanisms associated with keloids have not been fully elucidated. In this study, two GEO datasets (GSE44270 and GSE7890) were employed alongside two machine learning algorithms, Support Vector Machine-Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE) and Random Forest, to identify diagnostic biomarkers associated with centrosome replication. Following identifying these biomarkers, researchers conducted a functional enrichment analysis to elucidate their biological significance and constructed a gene regulatory network to map their interactions. Furthermore, the study investigated the role of SPICE1 in keloid formation, utilizing a mouse model to explore its potential implications in this pathological process. Researchers identified ten diagnostic markers associated with centrosome replication, among which SPICE1 was significantly upregulated in keloid tissues and fibroblasts. In vivo experiments further demonstrated that the overexpression of SPICE1 promotes keloid formation. Additionally, functional enrichment analysis revealed a connection between these markers and immune cells, suggesting that the immune system may play a crucial role in the development of keloids. This study indicates that SPICE1 is a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for keloids. It offers new insights into the pathological mechanisms of keloids and the development of novel treatments.