Objective  To analyze the differentially expressed genes in muscular tissue of patients with muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury by bioinformatic analysis, and the genes related to the disease were screened out.

  Methods  The GSE21497 chip from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was selected and the differential genes were screened by R language software. The screened differentially expressed genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG, and the protein interaction network was constructed. Molecular Complex Detection Algorithm (MCODE) was used to screen for significantly differentially expressed genes with close interactions.

  Results  A total of 294 differentially expressed genes were screened, including 8 up-regulated genes and 286 down-regulated genes. In GO enrichment analysis, differential genes mainly existed in the structure of myosin complex, myosin complex and myosin complex, involved the binding of muscle composition and combination of β-catenin, heat shock protein and other substances, and mainly involved in muscle phylogeny, regulation of cell differentiation and apoptosis, synaptic pruning and other processes. Totally 18 differentially expressed genes that might be closely related to the occurrence and development of muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury were screened through the Protein Protein Interaction Network (PPI Network), including TNNI1, GYS1, C1QA and so on.

  Conclusion  The differentially expressed genes screened in this study can provide a new way to further explore the mechanism and treatment of muscle atrophy after spinal cord injury.