Abstract
Post-myocardial infarction heart failure (HF) is a major public health concern. Previous studies have reported the critical role of immune response in HF pathogenesis. However, limited studies have reported predictive immune-associated biomarkers for HF. So we attempted to identify potential immune-related indicators for HF early diagnosis and therapy guidance. This study identified two potential immune-related hub genes (IRHGs), namely CXCR5 and FOS, using bioinformatic approaches. The expression levels of CXCR5 and FOS and their ability to predict long-term HF were analyzed. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the hub genes were enriched in immune system processes, including the interleukin-17 and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways, which are involved in the pathogenesis of HF. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the Fos mRNA levels, but not the Cxcr5 mRNA levels, were downregulated in the mice of the HF group. This study successfully identified two IRHGs that were significantly and differentially expressed in the HF group and could predict long-term HF, providing novel insights for future studies on HF and developing novel therapeutic targets for HF.