Work

Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals Convergent Immune Dysregulation in Th17 Cell Differentiation and JAK-STAT Signaling Pathways in Cytomegalovirus Infection and Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: -associated GBS, the immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying CMV-associated GBS remain poorly defined. Using an integrative immunoinformatic approach, we separately analyzed disease-associated genes from DisGeNET and publicly available PBMC transcriptomic datasets from CMV-infected and GBS patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), protein-protein interaction networks, and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to identify shared immune signatures. We identified 245 common DEGs, with hub genes including TNF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TLR4, and ICAM-1. Pathway analyses revealed significant enrichment of Th17 cell differentiation, JAK-STAT signaling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and chemokine signaling in both diseases. Despite convergence on shared pathways, key immune genes were predominantly downregulated in CMV infection but upregulated in GBS, suggesting context-dependent pathway regulation across the transition from acute viral infection to post-infectious autoimmunity. These findings provide a mechanistic framework linking CMV-induced immune perturbation and autoimmune neuropathy, and highlight Th17 differentiation and JAK-STAT signaling as central dysregulated pathways in CMV-associated GBS warranting experimental validation.

Source: Bioinformatics and Biology Insights

DOI: 10.1177/11779322261489938