Shared diagnostic genes and potential mechanism between allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis revealed by integrated transcriptomic analysis and machine learning.

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AD) frequently co-occur, yet their shared molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. We used an integrative bioinformatics approach to identify common diagnostic biomarkers and mechanistic links between them. Methods: Transcriptomic datasets from AR and AD patients were analyzed to identify overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Hub genes were subsequently identified using protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and random forest modeling, followed by functional enrichment and immune infiltration analyses. Results: Our analysis identified 36 overlapping DEGs between AR and AD. From these, five hub genes-CD274, CYP2E1, FOLH1, SERPINB4, and SPRR1B-were revealed, all of which demonstrated strong diagnostic value in both diseases. Functional analysis indicated their involvement in epithelial barrier regulation, immune cell signaling, and oxidative stress pathways. Immune infiltration profiling showed a significant association between these genes and dendritic cells, T cells, and natural killer cells in both AR and AD cohorts. Conclusion: AR and AD share a common molecular landscape, and the five hub genes identified here represent robust biomarkers for diagnosis and potential therapeutic targets for these interconnected diseases.