Bioinformatics and functional experiments reveal that MRC2 inhibits atrial fibrillation via the PPAR signaling pathway.

{"sci_version": "1.2", "schema": "https://corpus.bntrg.co.uk/sci/1.0/sci.schema.json", "id": "pmid:37969297", "kind": "science-record", "revision": 3, "content_hash": "sha256:8933ec1f21a7ab763c8f502d43fbdbd69bdef4e5b2be8d29cdb4839f9181cf92", "created_at": "2026-11-01T19:02:52Z", "updated_at": "2026-11-01T21:31:57Z", "generator": {"name": "corpus-assay-engine", "run_id": "reading-sci-2026-11-01"}, "paper": {"state": "complete", "title": "Bioinformatics and functional experiments reveal that MRC2 inhibits atrial fibrillation via the PPAR signaling pathway.", "doi": "10.21037/jtd-23-1235", "pmid": "37969297", "authors": ["Pengxiang Zheng", "Wenjia Zhang", "Jiahong Wang", "Qunlin Gong", "Nan Xu", "Nannan Chen"], "journal": "Journal of thoracic disease", "year": 2023, "abstract": "Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia that requires improved clinical markers to increase diagnostic accuracy and provide insight into its pathogenesis. Although some biomarkers are available, new ones need to be discovered to better capture the complex physiology of AF. However, their limitations are still not fully addressed. Bioinformatics and functional studies can help find new clinical markers and improve the understanding of AF, meeting the need for early diagnosis and individualized treatment.\nMethods: To identify AF-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), We applied the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profile retrieved in Series Matrix File format from the GSE143924 microarray dataset obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and then used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the overlapping genes. These genes were analyzed by enrichment analysis, expression analysis and others to obtain the hub gene. Additionally, the potential signaling pathway of hub gene in AF was explored and verified by functional experiments, like quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and Western blotting (WB) assay.\nResults: From the GSE143924 data (410 DEGs) and tan module (57 genes), 10 overlapping genes were identified. A central down-regulated gene in AF, MRC2, was identified through bioinformatics analysis. based on these results, it was hypothesized that the PPAR signaling pathway is related to the mechanism of action of MRC2 in AF. Moreover, over-MRC2 markedly reduced the growth speed of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) and increased apoptosis. Conversely, knockdown of MRC2 promoted HCFs cell proliferation number. Additionally, MRC2 over-expression increased the protein expression level of PPARα, PPARγ, CPT-1, and SIRT3 in Ang II-induced HCFs.\nConclusions: While meeting the need for new biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of AF, this study reveals the inherent limitations of current biomarkers. We identified MRC2 as a key player as an inhibitory gene in AF, highlighting its role in suppressing AF progression through the PPAR signaling pathway. MRC2 may not only serve as a diagnostic indicator, but also as a promising therapeutic target for patients with AF, which is expected to be applied in clinical practice and open up new avenues for individualized interventions.", "claims": [{"id": "claim-method", "statement": "We performed WGCNA using expression data from GSE143924.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:37969297", "locator": "sections[7] \"WGCNA\" paragraph 2", "quote": "We performed WGCNA using expression data from GSE143924."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-data-access", "statement": "Data Sharing Statement: Available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-23-1235/dss", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:37969297", "locator": "sections[28] \"fn-group\" paragraph 1", "quote": "Data Sharing Statement: Available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-23-1235/dss"}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-target-result", "statement": "A central down-regulated gene in AF, MRC2, was identified through bioinformatics analysis.", "kind": "qualitative", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:37969297", "locator": "sections[0] \"Abstract\" paragraph 3", "quote": "A central down-regulated gene in AF, MRC2, was identified through bioinformatics analysis."}], "state": "complete"}], "gaps": []}, "experiment": {"state": "complete", "objective": "A central down-regulated gene in AF, MRC2, was identified through bioinformatics analysis.", "steps": [{"id": "read_published_estimate", "order": 1, "name": "Read the published estimate from the source", "kind": "other", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The claim, method and evidence span published with the source article.", "duration_hours": null, "parameters": {}, "inputs": ["source:pmid:37969297"], "outputs": ["the published estimate and its evidence"], "instruments": [], "reagents": []}, {"id": "obtain_source_data", "order": 2, "name": "Obtain the source data from the named repository", "kind": "data-preparation", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The GEO series accession resolves and its sample accessions are listed. 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Conversely, knockdown of MRC2 promoted HCFs", "ain reaction (qRT-PCR), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and Western blotting (WB)"], "order_basis": "paper_text_order:1286", "id": "assay:1"}, {"role": "data_generation", "definition_id": "flow_cytometry", "definition_version": "99e1195c7d6f", "definition_digest": null, "required_operations": [], "support_state": "partial", "source_hashes": {"assay_lexicon": "99e1195c7d6f"}, "confidence": 0.93, "evidence": ["tion (qRT-PCR), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and Western blotting (WB) assay. Results: F"], "order_basis": "paper_text_order:1294", "id": "assay:2"}, {"role": "data_generation", "definition_id": "western_blot", "definition_version": "99e1195c7d6f", "definition_digest": null, "required_operations": [], "support_state": "partial", "source_hashes": {"assay_lexicon": "99e1195c7d6f"}, "confidence": 0.93, "evidence": ["counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and Western blotting (WB) assay. Results: From the GSE143924 data"], "order_basis": "paper_text_order:1315", "id": "assay:3"}, {"role": "data_generation", "definition_id": "transfection", "definition_version": "99e1195c7d6f", "definition_digest": null, "required_operations": [], "support_state": "partial", "source_hashes": {"assay_lexicon": "99e1195c7d6f"}, "confidence": 0.99, "evidence": ["(HCFs) and increased apoptosis. Conversely, knockdown of MRC2 promoted HCFs cell proliferation num", "Methods Cell culture and transfection Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) were obtain", "ensin II (Ang II)/mock to build the AF model transfected with Lipofectamine 2000 reagent. After a per", "d of time, the next step was performed after transfection. Statistical analysis GraphPadPrismV6 (Prism"], "order_basis": "paper_text_order:1832", "id": "assay:4"}]}