KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were remarkedly enriched in pathways associated with mineral absorption, interleukin 17 (IL-17) signalling, advanced glycation end product (AGE) receptor (RAGE) signalling in diabetic complications, protein digestion and absorption, relaxin signalling, TNF signalling, malaria, ECM–receptor interaction and rheumatoid arthritis (Supplementary File 4). Here, IL17A is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.