Abstract:

This study investigated key genes linked to ferroptosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and examined their immune infiltration profiles, establishing a theoretical foundation for COPD diagnosis and treatment. Employing bioinformatics methodologies, ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (FeDEGs) in COPD were identified using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. These FeDEGs underwent comprehensive Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, alongside machine learning algorithms, to pinpoint characteristic genes. The CIBERSORT algorithm further evaluated the association between core FeDEGs and immune cell infiltration patterns. In total, 175 FeDEGs were identified. GO enrichment analysis highlighted their roles in biological processes such as cellular responses to chemical and oxidative stress, while KEGG pathways indicated significant associations with ferroptosis and necroptosis signaling. Machine learning and diagnostic validation pinpointed DUOX2, CDO1, POM121L12, IFNA17, MICU1, NQO1, NFS1, and PARP4 as core genes, revealing their strong correlation with diverse immune cell types involved in COPD pathogenesis. This study elucidated critical genes connected to ferroptosis and immune infiltration in COPD, providing fresh insights into its pathogenesis and diagnostic approaches, while establishing a theoretical basis for therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways and genes.

Key words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Ferroptosis, Bioinformatics, Immunoinfiltration analysis