IPA demonstrated the involvement of relevant genes (OPN, POSTN, MMP-1, MMP-7, Prominin-1, and others) in the network “connective tissue disease, organismal injury and abnormality” (Additional file 5: Figure S4A), and other functions related to cell movement and connective tissue disorder (Additional file 3: Table S2). Here, MMP7 is linked to connective tissue disorder.