# Identification of the key genes in children with sepsis by WGCNA in multiple GEO datasets

## TL;DR

This study identifies key genes in children with sepsis using gene expression data and highlights XCL1 as a crucial gene for understanding pediatric sepsis.

## Contribution

The study identifies XCL1 as a key gene specific to pediatric sepsis through integrated analysis of multiple datasets.

## Key findings

- XCL1 was validated as a key gene in pediatric sepsis.
- Differentially expressed genes were identified and integrated with WGCNA module genes.
- The study highlights the importance of immune-related pathways in pediatric sepsis.

## Abstract

Pediatric sepsis is a serious condition causing organ failure owing to immune dysregulation, linked to high morbidity and mortality, highlighting the need for quick detection and treatment. This study aims to identify key genes involved in pediatric sepsis using three gene expression datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus. We first identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with R, then conducted a gene set enrichment analysis, and integrated DEGs with important module genes from weighted gene coexpression network analysis. We also screened adult sepsis datasets to find genes specific to pediatric cases, ultimately validating XCL1 as a key gene. This study suggests that XCL1 is crucial in understanding pediatric sepsis etiology and its molecular mechanisms.