Abstract
Sepsis, a complex and multifaceted condition, is a common occurrence with serious implications for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The YWHAH gene encodes the 14-3-3n protein, a member of the 14-3-3 protein family. While existing research primarily focuses on the role of 14-3-3n in conditions such as schizophrenia and various cancers, our study revealed that the expression of the YWHAH gene remained relatively stable in both infected individuals and healthy controls. Through Venn plot analysis following weighted gene correlation network analysis, we observed a potential association between elevated YWHAH expression and the transition from infection to sepsis. In a comprehensive analysis of public single-cell transcriptome databases, the expression of YWHAH was found to be distinctive in cases of sepsis and infection. These findings were corroborated through an in vitro analysis utilizing real-time polymerase chain reaction. This study represents the initial identification of variations in YWHAH gene expression between patients with infection and sepsis, potentially offering insights for the development of early detection and treatment strategies for sepsis.