Integrative Analysis and Experimental Validation Identify Potential m6A-Related Biomarkers for Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulators in osteoporosis (OP) and their interplay with the immune microenvironment, aiming to identify potential m6A-related biomarkers for OP risk assessment and treatment. METHODS: Transcriptomic data from GEO datasets were analyzed for differential expression of 22 m6A regulators and immune infiltration patterns. Consensus clustering and m6Ascore grouping defined molecular subtypes, while machine learning algorithms identified potential biomarkers, leading to the construction and validation of a nomogram. Experimental validation involved peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) transcriptome sequencing and Western blot of bone tissue. RESULTS: RNA downregulation in OP PBMCs, and Western blot verified decreased HIRA protein in OP bone tissue. CONCLUSIONS: is a consistently downregulated biomarker, linking epigenetic modification to immune dysregulation in osteoporosis.