Fig. 3

NRF2-regulated key DEGs in PBMCs from patients with silicosis. A Significant related genes and pathways in PBMCs of silicosis obtained by GSEA. ES, enrichment scores. Positive and negative ES indicate higher and lower expression in silicosis patients, respectively. B Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of screened NRF2-related genes about glutathione metabolism, TGF-β signaling pathway and ECM receptor interaction were constructed a gene co-expression network. Red cycle nodes represent up-regulated genes, green cycle nodes represent down-regulated genes, and blue cycle nodes represent predicted genes. Each node represents one gene; edges indicate the interaction relationship. C NRF2-regulated DEGs associated with glutathione metabolism, TGF-β and ECM receptor interaction signaling pathway in silicosis patients PBMC. D Correlation of the mRNA expression levels among Nrf2, TGF-β pathway, and ECM pathway-related genes. C All data are expressed as fold change vs. HC, Error bar indicates mean ± SD (n = 36 per group). * P < 0.05 vs. HC, # P < 0.01 vs. HC