Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is often linked to aortic valve calcification (AVC), leading to compromised valve elasticity and increased morbidity. Although clinically overlapping, the molecular interplay between AF and AVC has not been well elucidated. This study aimed to dissect the genetic and regulatory landscape of AF and AVC to identify potential therapeutic targets.
Methods: We systematically retrieved genes related to AF and AVC from databases and clinical datasets. Intersection analysis identified common genes, followed by differential expression analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, and transcription factor (TF) regulatory network analysis.
Results: Enrichment analyses revealed ten genes common to both AF and AVC, revealing their involvement in multiple pathways. PPI analysis highlighted six hub proteins: FCGR3A, S100A12, MNDA, S100A8, NCF2, and CASP1. The key transcription factors ETS1 and SPI1 were found to regulate these common genes, underpinning distinct TF-gene and TF-miRNA networks.
Conclusion: This study identified key genes and transcription factors, including FCGR3A, MNDA, S100A8, S100A12, ETS1, and SPI1, that are central to both AF and AVC. Our findings offer insights into their molecular connections and propose avenues for further research and therapeutic intervention.