Identification of Key Genes in Type 2 Diabetes-Induced Erectile Dysfunction Rats with Stem Cell Therapy Through High-Throughput Sequencing and Bioinformatic Analysis

In a study from March 23, 2021, researchers investigated the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus erectile dysfunction (DMED) and the therapeutic mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). They established a rat model of DMED and treated it with MSCs through intracavernous injection. Transcriptome sequencing of the rats' penile tissue revealed 1,097 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) when comparing the normal control group, DMED group, and MSC-treated group. This included 189 upregulated genes and 908 downregulated genes. Upregulated DEGs were enriched in functions related to extracellular matrix and wound healing, while downregulated DEGs were associated with peptidase activity and hair follicle development, among others. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, identifying 15 hub genes with high connectivity, suggesting their potential roles in the development of ED. The study concluded that these 15 hub genes are key in DMED and warrant further research to understand the molecular mechanisms involved.