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- Academic Editor
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†These authors contributed equally.
Background: Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIR) following a
stroke results in secondary damage and is a leading cause of adult disability.
The present study aimed to identify hub genes and networks in CIR to explore
potential therapeutic agents for its treatment. Methods: Differentially
expressed genes based on the GSE23163 dataset were identified, and weighted gene
co-expression network analysis was performed to explore co-expression modules
associated with CIR. Hub genes were identified by intersecting immune gene
profiles, differentially expressed genes, and modular genes. Gene Ontology, Kyoto
Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, and transcription factor-microRNA-gene
regulatory network analyses were then conducted in selected crucial modules.
Subsequently, their expression levels in animal models were verified using
real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Finally,
potential drug molecules were screened for, and molecular docking simulations
were performed to identify potential therapeutic targets. Results: Seven
hub genes—namely, Ccl3, Ccl4, Ccl7, Cxcl1, Hspa1a, Cd14, and
Socs3—were identified. Furthermore, we established a protein
interaction network using the STRING database and found that the core genes
selected through the cytohubba plugin remained consistent. Animal experiments
showed that at the transcriptional level, all seven genes showed significant
differences (p