Common biomarker genes associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus: Implications for cross-disease therapeutic strategies and Cancer prognosis

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are two prevalent chronic diseases that share interconnected risk factors, including chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Recent studies have identified molecular links between these conditions and cancer, indicating shared pathways in inflammation and immune responses. The objective of this study is to identify potential biomarkers shared between CVD and DM; and to explore their relevance in cancer prognosis. By examining these biomarkers, the study aims to uncover common molecular mechanisms that may link CVD, DM, and cancer, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets and cross-disease pathways that could inform clinical approaches for these interconnected diseases. To identify common biomarker genes associated with CVD and DM using bioinformatics analysis, six gene expression datasets from the NCBI GEO database were employed. Differential gene expression analysis revealed 90 common genes between CVD and DM. Furthermore, the dataset was individually analyzed with Cytoscape, and the 24 key biomarkers were identified using Cytohubba and MCODE. Pathway and GO ontology analysis was performed for the correlation with other diseases, and the common key upregulated biomarkers, IL6, CCR1, and CCR2, were identified for their significant roles in inflammation and immune responses. Pathway analysis revealed the involvement of these genes in the IL6 signaling, TNF signaling, and chemokine-mediated pathways. Further expression analysis demonstrated the upregulation of IL6 in lung cancer subtypes and CCR1 in breast cancer, indicating a possible link to cancer progression. Additionally, survival analysis showed that high CCR1 expression was associated with poor survival outcomes in cancer patients.