Screening of key genes in the pathogenesis of muscle atrophy in CKD-PEW children based on RNA sequencing

In children with CKD, Protein Energy Wasting (PEW) is common, which affects the outcome of children and is an important cause of poor prognosis. We are aiming to explore the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in CKD-PEW children.

A variety of inflammatory factors are involved in the pathogenesis of CKD-PEW in children, and chronic inflammation may lead to the development of muscle atrophy in CKD-PEW. It is suggested for the first time that NF-κB is a key gene in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in CKD-PEW children, and its increased expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in children with CKD-PEW.

Blood samples of 32 children diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and protein energy wasting (PEW) in our hospital from January 2016 to June 2021 were collected. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed.

Based on GO (Gene Ontology) functional enrichment analysis, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment analysis and differential gene expression analysis, a total of 25 CKD-PEW related genes were obtained including CRP, IL6, TNF, IL1B, CXCL8, IL12B, IL12A, IL18, IL1A, IL4, IL10, TGFB2, TGFB1, TGFB3, ADIPOQ, NAMPT, RETN, RETNLB, LEP, CD163, ICAM1, VCAM1, SELE, NF-κB1, NF-κB2. The most significantly differentially expressed gene was NF-κB2 (adjusted P = 2.81 × 10-16), and its expression was up-regulated by 3.92 times (corresponding log2FoldChange value was 1.979). Followed by RETN (adjusted P = 1.63 × 10-7), and its expression was up-regulated by 8.306 times (corresponding log2FoldChange value was 2.882). SELE gene were secondly significant (adjusted P = 5.81 × 10-7), and its expression was down-regulated by 22.05 times (corresponding log2FoldChange value was -4.696). Conclusions: A variety of inflammatory factors are involved in the pathogenesis of CKD-PEW in children, and chronic inflammation may lead to the development of muscle atrophy in CKD-PEW. It is suggested for the first time that NF-κB is a key gene in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in CKD-PEW children, and its increased expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in children with CKD-PEW.