Network Clusters Analysis Based on Protein–Protein Interaction Network Constructed in Phosgene-Induced Acute Lung Injury

Abstract

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by impairment in gas exchange and/or lung mechanics that leads to hypoxemia with the presence of diffuse pulmonary infiltrate. Assessments of lung injury play important roles in the development of rational medical countermeasures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the molecular mechanisms of phosgene-induced lung injury. We downloaded the gene expression profile of lung tissue from mice exposed to air or phosgene from gene expression omnibus database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ALI. Furthermore, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and identified network clusters. In total, 582 DEGs were found and 4 network clusters were identified in the constructed PPI network. Gene set enrichment analysis found that DEGs were mainly involved in mitochondrion organization and biogenesis, mRNA metabolic process, negative regulation of transferase activity or catalytic activity, and coenzyme metabolic process. Pathways of spliceosome, glutathione metabolism, and cell cycle were dysregulated in phosgene-induced ALI. Besides, we identified four genes, including F3, Meis1, Pvf, and Cdc6 in network clusters, which may be used as biomarkers of phosgene-induced ALI. Our results revealed biological processes and pathways involved in phosgene-induced ALI and may expand understandings of phosgene-induced ALI. However, further experiments are needed to confirm our findings.