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Brain & Heart Alzheimer’s disease: Gene and protein network analysis

Figure 6. Receiver operating characteristic curves for the top five human ribosomal protein-encoding genes
Abbreviations: AUC: Area under the curve; ROC: Receiver operating characteristic.

the further exploration of specific molecular pathways high AUC value in the ROC curve analysis. A prior study
contributing to AD pathogenesis. Subsequently, the PPI exhibited that Rpl18 was markedly upregulated in the
network analysis revealed densely connected regions and hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice, illustrating that this gene
hub genes in the AD-related network. The construction may be related to the pathogenesis of AD. Consistently,
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of the PPI network, particularly the discovery of the our results displayed a substantial association between
prominent clusters and their high-confidence interactions, RPL18 expression and AD pathophysiology, providing a
offers new targets for therapeutic interventions or compelling argument for its role in the early detection of
potential biomarkers for early diagnosis in AD. The AD. In addition to protein synthesis, ribosomal proteins
identification of hub genes, including RPL12, RPL15, possess a wide range of extra-ribosomal functions, such
RPL18, RPL19, RPL27, RPL35, RPL36, RPS16, RPS19, and as modulating gene transcription, mRNA translation,
RPS9, underlines the potential significance of ribosomal cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell apoptosis
proteins and translational control in AD. Accordingly, the independently of the ribosome. Therefore, the tight
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roles of these genes in neurodegeneration warrant further regulation of ribosomal protein expression is essential to
research, 31,32 and further functional studies on these hub maintain the normal physiological function of cells.
genes may uncover new therapeutic targets and contribute The ribosome is an intracellular organelle composed of
to the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies multiple rRNAs and small (40S) and large (60S) subunits
for AD. responsible for protein translation in eukaryotic cells.
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Moreover, the CytoHubba plugin in Cytoscape was The implication of ribosomal proteins, including RPL12,
used to identify hub genes in the PPI network. These RPL15, RPL19, RPL27, RPL35, RPL36, RPS16, RPS19,
hub genes, including RPL15 and RPS19, 33,34 may be key and RPS9 in AD, emphasizes a potentially complex
mediators of AD-related pathways and warrant further relationship between protein synthesis processes and
research attention. In the realm of AD research, RPL18 neurodegeneration, which calls for further molecular
has emerged as a potential biomarker, evidenced by its interrogation. 38,39 The combination of these analyses offers

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 8 doi: 10.36922/bh.2906