Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to elucidate the underlying pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD) and to identify potential biomarkers for KD. METHODS: Gene expression profiles for the GSE68004 dataset were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The pathways and functional annotations of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in KD were examined by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) tool. Protein–protein interactions of the above-described DEGs were investigated using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING). RESULTS: Gene Ontology analysis revealed that DEGs in KD were significantly enriched in biological processes, including the inflammatory response, innate immune response, defense response to Gram-positive bacteria, and antibacterial humoral response. In addition, 10 hub genes with high connectivity were selected from among these DEGs (ITGAM, MPO, MAPK14, SLC11A1, HIST2H2BE, ELANE, CAMP, MMP9, NTS, and HIST2H2AC). CONCLUSION: The identification of several novel hub genes in KD enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of this disease. These genes may be potential diagnostic biomarkers and/or therapeutic molecular targets in patients with KD. ITGAM inhibitors in particular may be potential targets for KD therapy.