Identification of CLOCK and MARK2 as Candidate Blood-Based Biomarkers in Type 2 Diabetes: An Integrated Bulk and Single-Cell Transcriptomic Study

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is often accompanied by nervous system complications. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying T2DM remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to identify candidate blood-based biomarkers associated with T2DM by screening a neural-related gene set through integrated bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood. The present analysis focused on the systemic expression patterns of the selected genes in peripheral blood as indicators of T2DM-associated immunometabolic dysregulation, rather than on neurological involvement. The neural-related gene set was used only as a predefined screening starting point.