Diagnostic value and immune infiltration characterization of WTAP as a critical m6A regulator in liver transplantation  

作　　者：Shan-Shan Li Deng-Liang Lei Hua-Rong Yu Song Xiang Yi-Hua Wang Zhong-Jun Wu Li Jiang Zuo-Tian Huang 

机构地区：[1]Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University,Chongqing 400000,China [2]Department of Basic Medical Sciences,Chongqing Medical University,Chongqing 400000,China [3]The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550004,China [4]Department of General Surgery,Division of Liver Surgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610041,China

出　　处：《Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases International》2025年第2期138-146,共9页国际肝胆胰疾病杂志(英文版)

基　　金：supported by grants from Chongqing Re-search Performance Incentive and Guidance Project(No.cstc2022jxjl120032);Chongqing Technology Innovation and Application Development(Key Project,No.cstc2021jscx-gksb X0060)。

摘　　要：Background:RNA N6-methyladenosine(m6A)regulators are essential for numerous biological processes and are implicated in various diseases.However,the comprehensive role of m6A regulators in the context of liver transplantation(LT)remains poorly understood.This study aimed to illustrate the relationship between m6A regulators and ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI)following LT.Methods:Datasets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.Differential analysis of the merged data identified the differentially expressed m6A regulators.Random forest(RF)models and nomograms were used to forecast the incidence and assess the IRI risk following LT.m6A regulators were classified into distinct subgroups using cluster analysis.The differential gene expression was validated using immunohistochemistry,immunofluorescence,and Western blotting.Results:We found significant disparities in the gene expression levels of the three m6A regulators between patients with and without LT.Wilms’tumor 1-associating protein(WTAP)expression was upregulated following LT.The RF models exhibited a high degree of accuracy in predicting IRI risk.Immune infiltration analysis showed that WTAP was an immune-associated m6A regulator that was closely associated with T and B cells.WTAP expression in the rat LT model was upregulated after 24 h of reperfusion,which was consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis.Conclusions:WTAP has a high diagnostic value for IRI in LT and influences the immune status of patients.Hence,WTAP,as a significant regulator of m6A,is a potential biomarker for the detection and implementation of immunotherapy for IRI following LT.

关 键 词：Ischemia-reperfusion injury Liver transplantation N6-methyladenosine WTAP 

分 类 号：R657.3[医药卫生—外科学]