Title:The Sphingolipids Metabolism Mechanism and Associated Molecular
Biomarker Investigation in Keloid
Volume: 26
Issue: 11
Author(s): Chengyu Zang, Yanxin Liu and Huaxia Chen*
Affiliation:
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, China
Keywords:
Keloid, fibroblasts, sphingolipids metabolism, glycosphingolipids, UGCG, SPTLC3.
Abstract:
Background: Sphingolipid metabolism plays important roles in maintaining cell growth
and signal transduction. However, this pathway has not been investigated in keloid, a disease characterized
by the excessive proliferation of fibroblasts.
Methods: Based on the expression profiles of three datasets, the differentially expressed genes
(DEGs) were explored between keloid fibroblasts and normal fibroblasts. Metabolism-related
genes were obtained from a previous study. Then, enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction
(PPI) network analysis were performed for genes. Differences in metabolism-related pathways
between keloid fibroblasts and normal fibroblasts were analyzed by the gene set variation analysis
(GSVA). Quantitative PCR was used to confirm the expression of key genes in keloid fibroblast.
Results: A total of 42 up-regulated co-DEGs and 77 down-regulated co-DEGs were revealed based
on three datasets, and were involved in extracellular matrix structural constituent, collagencontaining
extracellular matrix and sphingolipid metabolism pathway. A total of 15 metabolism-
DEGs were screened, including serine palmitoyltransferase long chain base subunit (SPTLC) 3,
UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) and sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SGMS2). All
these three genes were enriched in the sphingolipid pathway. GSVA showed that the biosynthesis
of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in keloid fibroblasts was lower than that in normal fibroblasts. Quantitative
PCR suggested SPTLC3, UGCG and SGMS2 were regulated in keloid fibroblasts.
Conclusion: Sphingolipids metabolism pathway might take part in the disease progression of keloid
by regulating keloid fibroblasts. SPTLC3, UGCG and SGMS2 might be key targets to investigate
the underlying mechanism.