Network-based insights into disturbed circadian rhythm, male infertility, and muscular dystrophy

Circadian (CirC) rhythm disruption is increasingly implicated in diverse pathological conditions, including muscular dystrophy (MD) and male infertility (MI), yet the extent of their shared molecular basis remains poorly defined. In this study, we employed an integrative network biology approach to investigate potential common genetic mechanisms linking CirC dysregulation with MI and MD. Gene sets were curated from DisGeNET, OMIM, GeneCards, and NCBI Gene, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction using STRING and downstream analyses in Cytoscape and SRplot. A total of 985 shared genes formed an interconnected network enriched in immune pathways, with CXCL8, TNF, IL family members, and IFNG as central hubs. However, the prominence of these genes likely reflects their broad roles in generalized inflammatory processes and potential database and network centrality biases, rather than disease-specific or CirC-driven mechanisms. Identified hub genes are indirect CirC associates via immune signaling, suggesting an inflammatory link among conditions without establishing causality or CirC specificity. Overall, this study provides a systems-level, hypothesis-generating framework that highlights potential shared molecular interactions, while emphasizing the necessity of future studies incorporating tissue-specific, time-resolved, and experimental validation to elucidate mechanistic relevance and translational potential.