Based on the STRING database, the PPI network was shown in Fig. 1F. The cytohubba plug-in identified that in the PPI network, the COL1A1, COL3A1, COL11A1, COL1A2, POSTN and DCN were the hub nodes, which might exert a wide regulatory effect in the BC bone metastasis (Fig. 1G). The gene discussed is COL3A1; the disease is breast cancer.