Objective To screen the prognostic related genes specific to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), understand the pathogenesis of IPF and provide potential therapeutic targets, as well as provide a data basis for the related research focusing on the functional verification and clinical transformation potential of prognostic gene targets. Methods Transcriptome datasets of multiple disease groups diagnosed in accordance with the IPF diagnostic criteria from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were included. Difference analyses were conducted between disease groups and control groups for datasets of different data types respectively. The difference analysis results of the up-regulated genes and down-regulated genes were respectively summarized and analyzed using the robust rank aggregation (RRA) algorithm. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and survival analyses were performed on the top 30 up-regulated genes in the ranking. Results Among the GO analysis results of the top 30 upregulated genes in the ranking, the key biological processes and mechanisms of IPF were mainly extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and abnormal differentiation and repair of epithelial cells. In the KEGG analysis results, the IPF-related signaling pathways include the relaxin signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway. Among them, the seven genes with positive significance in survival analysis were as follows: complement factor H (CFH), collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), keratin 14 (KRT14), lymphocyte antigen 6 family member D (LY6D), matrix metallopeptidase1 (MMP1), matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), Versican (VCAN). ConclusionsCFH, COL1A1, KRT14, LY6D, MMP1, MMP7, and VCAN are potential prognostic genes related to IPF. Among them, MMP7 has the greatest potential.
