PCDH7 as the key gene related to the co-occurrence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis

Abstract

Sarcopenia and osteoporosis, two degenerative diseases in older patients, have become severe health problems in aging societies. Muscles and bones, the most important components of the motor system, are derived from mesodermal and ectodermal mesenchymal stem cells. The adjacent anatomical relationship between them provides the basic conditions for mechanical and chemical signals, which may contribute to the co-occurrence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Identifying the potential common crosstalk genes between them may provide new insights for preventing and treating their development. In this study, DEG analysis, WGCNA, and machine learning algorithms were used to identify the key crosstalk genes of sarcopenia and osteoporosis; this was then validated using independent datasets and clinical samples. Finally, four crosstalk genes (ARHGEF10, PCDH7, CST6, and ROBO3) were identified, and mRNA expression and protein levels of PCDH7 in clinical samples from patients with sarcopenia, with osteoporosis, and with both sarcopenia and osteoporosis were found to be significantly higher than those from patients without sarcopenia or osteoporosis. PCDH7 seems to be a key gene related to the development of both sarcopenia and osteoporosis.

Unraveling the intricacies of osteoclast differentiation and maturation: insight into novel therapeutic strategies for bone-destructive diseases

“…Note that caution should be exercised due to the potential involvement of these molecules in other tissues. Indeed, in mice, Pkn3 deficiency could impact angiogenesis 146 , and bioinformatic analysis identified Pcdh7 as a key gene related to the development of sarcopenia and osteoporosis 147 . Understanding the molecular intricacies underlying late-phase osteoclast differentiation, in addition to its physiological roles, will assist in improving the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis and other bone-destructive diseases.…”

Identification of shared gene signatures and pathways for diagnosing osteoporosis with sarcopenia through integrated bioinformatics analysis and machine learning

“…Muscles and bones, originating from mesodermal and ectodermal mesenchymal stem cells, share close anatomical proximity, facilitating mechanical and chemical signal exchange. Identifying shared crosstalk genes could offer novel prevention and treatment avenues [ 8 ]. After identifying shared genetic markers, validate the functionality of these genes using cellular or animal models, and determine their potential mechanisms in disease progression.…”