ArticlePloS one2026
Transcriptome sequencing combined with experimental verification to explore potential key genes related to uric acid in diabetic retinopathy.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeDiabetic retinopathy (DR), a major microvascular complication of diabetes and leading global blindness cause, involves uric acid (UA) in its onset and progression. This study aimed to identify UA-related genes (UARGs) in DR and clarify their molecular mechanisms for improved diagnosis and treatment.
methodsUsing public database transcriptome data, key UARGs were screened via differential expression analysis, machine learning, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and expression profiling, followed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune infiltration analysis, molecular regulatory network construction, and clinical validation with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
resultsMMP15 and FOXK1 were identified as potential key genes, with significantly elevated expression in DR patient blood samples. GSEA showed MMP15 enriched in Apc targets requiring Myc and Smarca2 targets up, and FOXK1 in phosphatidylinositol signaling system and proteasome. Immune infiltration analysis revealed differences in 7 immune cell types, with central memory CD8 T cells and natural killer cells showing the strongest positive correlation; MMP15 was negatively correlated with NK cells, and FOXK1 with central memory CD4 T cells and effector memory CD8 T cells. Twelve transcription factors (e.g., HOXB7, CATA6) jointly targeted both genes.
conclusionMMP15 and FOXK1 were identified as potential key genes associated with uric acid in DR, which may provide a reference for further exploration of the pathogenesis and targeted therapy of DR.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.