Background and Aims: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have potential in
regenerative medicine due to their ability to differentiate into various cell types, including cardiomyocytes. Understanding the differences in
gene expression between undifferentiated
iPSCs and iPSC-derived
cardiomyocytes is critical for identifying key signaling pathways involved in cardiac development and function. Such insights can be applied to optimize protocols for
tissue engineering and improve therapeutic approaches for heart disease. By comparing the molecular profiles of these two cell states, we aim to uncover mechanisms that may enhance the use of stem cells in cardiac regeneration and repair. Methods: We employed in silico methods to compare
iPSCs with iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Microarray datasets from the GEO repository were analyzed through the GEO۲R tool. Significantly differentially expressed genes were used to construct and analyze a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network utilizing the STRING and Cytoscape tools. Functional enrichment analysis was performed using the Enrichr platform to investigate the roles of key clusters. This approach, which identifies crucial nodes in the PPI network, offers valuable insights into the molecular distinctions between
iPSCs and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, opening new avenues for therapeutic development. Result: Our microarray analysis revealed that MYL۲, TECRL, POPDC۲, SLC۷A۳, USP۴۴, and TDGF۱ exhibited the highest fold changes among the differentially expressed genes. To visualize the protein-protein interactions of these DEGs, we employed the STRING database to construct a comprehensive interaction network. Using Cytoscape, we identified key genes driving the differentiation of
iPSCs into cardiomyocytes. Notably, ACTIN۲, MYH۶, EGF, RYR۲, TNNI۳, SOX۲, and CDH۱ emerged as the most critical nodes in the network. Further functional enrichment analysis predicted that these central DEGs play pivotal roles in processes such as ventricular cardiac muscle tissue morphogenesis, myofibril formation, fibroblast growth factor receptor binding, platelet alpha granule function, as well as involvement in the MAPK and Rap۱ signaling pathways. Conclusion: We identified molecular differences between
iPSCs and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, highlighting critical genes like ACTIN۲, MYH۶, SOX۲, and CDH۱ involved in cardiac muscle morphogenesis and signaling
