Table 3.

Hub genes identified in the glomerular PIN

Rank	Gene symbol	Full name	Description	Degrees
1	AGR2	Anterior gradient 2, protein disulfide isomerase family member	This gene encodes a member of the disulfide isomerase family of ER proteins that catalyze protein folding and thiol-disulfide interchange reactions. The encoded protein has an N-terminal ER-signal sequence, a catalytically active thioredoxin domain and a C-terminal ER-retention sequence. This protein plays a role in cell migration, cellular transformation and metastasis and is as a p53 inhibitor. As an ER-localized molecular chaperone, it plays a role in the folding, trafficking and assembly of cysteine-rich transmembrane receptors and the cysteine-rich intestinal gylcoprotein mucin. This gene has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease and cancer progression	10
2	VIM	Vimentin	This gene encodes a type III intermediate filament protein. Intermediate filaments, along with microtubules and actin microfilaments, make up the cytoskeleton. The encoded protein is responsible for maintaining cell shape and integrity of the cytoplasm and stabilizing cytoskeletal interactions. This protein is involved in neuritogenesis and cholesterol transport and functions as an organizer of a number of other critical proteins involved in cell attachment, migration and signaling. Bacterial and viral pathogens have been shown to attach to this protein on the host cell surface. Mutations in this gene are associated with congenital cataracts in human patients	4
3	CSNK2A1	Casein kinase 2 alpha 1	Casein kinase II is a serine/threonine-protein kinase that phosphorylates acidic proteins such as casein. It is involved in various cellular processes, including cell cycle control, apoptosis and circadian rhythm	4
4	ANXA2	Annexin A2	This gene encodes a member of the annexin family. Members of this calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein family play a role in the regulation of cellular growth and in signal transduction pathways. This protein functions as an autocrine factor, which heightens osteoclast formation and bone resorption	4
5	TERF1	Telomeric repeat binding factor 1	This gene encodes a telomere- specific protein that is a component of the telomere nucleoprotein complex. This protein is present at telomeres throughout the cell cycle and functions as an inhibitor of telomerase, acting in cis to limit the elongation of individual chromosome ends	3

ER: endoplasmic reticulum. Descriptions of the genes were abstracted from the RefSeq database.