Identification of key genes influenced by fixation stability in early fracture hematoma and elucidation of their roles in fracture healing

The present study aimed to identify the key genes influenced by fixation stability in early fracture hematoma and to elucidate their roles in fracture healing. The GSE53256 gene expression profile, including six fracture hematoma tissues, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the fracture hematoma tissues from old rats with rigid fixation compared with semi-rigid fixation were identified using the limma package. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis for DEGs was performed using BiNGO, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database. A total of 265 DEGs (158 upregulated and 107 downregulated) in the fracture hematoma tissues were screened out. Additionally, the overrepresented GO terms were mainly associated with the extracellular region, positive regulation of locomotion and response to external stimulus. Transforming growth factor, β 1 (Tgfβ1), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (Cxcl12), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (mmp9) and serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 1 (serpine1) had higher degrees and were hub nodes in the PPI network. In conclusion, fixation stability may influence the fracture healing process, and important DEGs, including Cxcl12, mmp9, Tgfβ1 and serpine1, may be important in this process.