Consensus co-expression analysis identifies a common set of co-expressed genes associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

BACKGROUND

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) are major clinical challenges with limited therapeutic options. While these conditions arise from different causes, they may share common molecular mechanisms that could be targeted for intervention.

METHODS

We performed consensus weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on two publicly available datasets: GSE185011 (DPN vs healthy controls in peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and GSE173610 (paclitaxel-treated vs control iPSC-derived sensory neurons). After filtering all but the most variable genes, consensus analysis was used to identify conserved co-expression modules across both conditions.

RESULTS

Consensus analysis identified a 193-gene module (ME3/brown) significantly associated with both DPN (correlation = 0.817, p = 0.0040) and CIPN (correlation = 0.971, p = 0.0060). Functional enrichment analysis of this module revealed pathways related to Glycolysis, FoxO signaling, Apoptosis, and Autophagy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis reveals a convergent molecular signature underlying both DPN and CIPN, centered on metabolic reprogramming, transcriptional stress, and programmed cell death. These findings provide a systems-level framework for developing therapies targeting shared pathological mechanisms.