Integrins, Which Serve as Biomarkers, Are Involved in the Immune Infiltration Observed in Carotid Atherosclerosis

Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) is a significant factor in cerebrovascular disease; however, the lack of novel and reliable biomarkers hinders the current assessment of this condition. This study focuses on integrins in CAS to offer fresh ways for knowing about the disease. qRT-PCR was implemented to quantify the expression levels of intergrins in CAS. Subsequently, we used STRING and Friend analyses to identify integrin molecules from the differentially expressed genes and analyzed the correlation of these integrin molecules with immune. Finally, we examined immune subgroups of CAS and explored the roles of immune and integrin molecules in different subgroups. Immune analysis enunciation, macrophage was the predominant immune cell types in CAS plaques. Additionally, most immune checkpoint molecules possessed higher expression levels in CAS than in control group. Two subtypes, namely, C1 immune subtype and C2 nonimmune subtype, were classified across carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Through STRING and Friend analyses, ITGAX, ITGAM, and ITGB7 were intended to be pivotal molecules of CAS, and these integrin molecules were more highly expressed in the C1 subgroup. Furthermore, these integrin molecules were interrelated with the soakage of immunological cells and the immune regulatory molecules in CAS. Our findings identify several promising genes related to CAS and immune subtypes, offering new therapeutic targets for immunotherapy in CAS.