Abstract
The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) treatment. We used a meta-analysis approach to integrate four publicly available microarray datasets, containing control and epithelium samples treated by either AgNPs- or Ag ions. The Fisher's method combined p-values of studies. Post hoc analyses including protein-protein interaction (PPI) and the overrepresentation test were conducted. Analytical results identified 1652 DEGs associated with AgNPs exposure. The most significant up-regulated genes, including MT1H, MT1X, and MT2A were metallothionein family members. The most significant down-regulated gene, TM4SF5, is a novel biomarker for AgNPs exposure. The PPI network analysis revealed that a member of the heat shock protein family, HSP90AA1, is the top up-regulated “hub” gene. Up-regulation of heat shock proteins and metallothionein genes is part of a cellular response to oxidative stress induced by AgNPs treatment. Interestingly, AgNPs may interact negatively with blood coagulation and amino acid metabolism systems.
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