1.The significance of plasma BMPR1A and PLAC8 gene methylation levels in predicting early postoperative recurrence in liver cancer patients
Yongheng HUANG ; Chan XIE ; Bo HU ; Hui WANG ; Yuan FENG ; Nan LIN
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;47(4):413-418
Objective:To explore the role of combined detection of cell free BMPR1A and PLAC8 gene methylation in plasma in predicting postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Case series study. Patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅳ hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun-Yat-sen University from January 2022 to July 2023 were selected. All enrolled patients underwent alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and imaging assessments 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months after treatment. Simultaneously, peripheral blood of patients was extracted for plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) methylation detection, and the results of free BMPR1A and PLAC8 gene methylation detection in patients′ plasma after treatment were compared with the positive rate of traditional tumor marker AFP detection. Draw the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of the subjects to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in predicting the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Based on the results of cell free DNA methylation and whether AFP is more than 7 μg/L, hepatocellular carcinoma patients were divided into high-risk methylation group (12 cases), low-risk methylation group (21 cases), high-risk AFP group (15 cases), and Kaplan Meier survival analysis was performed on them.Results:The sensitivity and specificity of combined detection of free BMPR1A PLAC8 gene methylation in plasma for predicting liver cancer recurrence were 66.7% and 88.9%, respectively. The area under curve (AUC) of BMPR1A PLAC8 gene methylation detection for liver cancer recurrence were 0.770 and 0.778, and the AFP was 0.522 in ROC curve analysis. Compared to imaging examinations, cell free DNA methylation detection can detect the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma on average by 58.3 days in advance(53.8 days vs 112.1 days). The progression free survival rate of the high-risk group based on free DNA methylation prediction at 400 days was 22.2%, significantly lower than the low-risk group (76.2%, P<0.001). Conclusion:Compared to AFP, detecting the methylation of BMPR1A and PLAC8 genes can predict the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma more accurately, making it a practical method for monitoring liver cancer recurrence.
2.A multicenter study of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China
Li-Xiu SHI ; Jin-Xing FENG ; Yan-Fang WEI ; Xin-Ru LU ; Yu-Xi ZHANG ; Lin-Ying YANG ; Sheng-Nan HE ; Pei-Juan CHEN ; Jing HAN ; Cheng CHEN ; Hui-Ying TU ; Zhang-Bin YU ; Jin-Jie HUANG ; Shu-Juan ZENG ; Wan-Ling CHEN ; Ying LIU ; Yan-Ping GUO ; Jiao-Yu MAO ; Xiao-Dong LI ; Qian-Shen ZHANG ; Zhi-Li XIE ; Mei-Ying HUANG ; Kun-Shan YAN ; Er-Ya YING ; Jun CHEN ; Yan-Rong WANG ; Ya-Ping LIU ; Bo SONG ; Hua-Yan LIU ; Xiao-Dong XIAO ; Hong TANG ; Yu-Na WANG ; Yin-Sha CAI ; Qi LONG ; Han-Qiang XU ; Hui-Zhan WANG ; Qian SUN ; Fang HAN ; Rui-Biao ZHANG ; Chuan-Zhong YANG ; Lei DOU ; Hui-Ju SHI ; Rui WANG ; Ping JIANG ; Shenzhen Neonatal Data Network
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2024;26(5):450-455
Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75%(27/36);boys accounted for 64%(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86%)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53%)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61%)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36%)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75%)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72%)and seizures in 10 neonates(34%).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33%,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44%(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.
3.E2 signaling in myofibers promots macrophage efferocytosis in mouse skeletal muscles with cardiotoxin-induced acute injury
Qihui CAI ; Haiqiang LAN ; Bojun XIAN ; Lian LIU ; Nan WANG ; Xiaolei HUANG ; Xiaolu NIU ; Xinyu HU ; Chen LI ; Junyi XIE ; Zhaohong LIAO
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(11):2192-2200
Objective To investigate the effect of E2 signaling in myofibers on muscular macrophage efferocytosis in mice with cardiotoxin-induced acute skeletal muscle injury.Methods Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice with and without ovariectomy and male C57BL/6 mice were given a CTX injection into the anterior tibial muscle to induce acute muscle injury,followed by intramuscular injection of β-estradiol(E2)or 4-hydroxytamoxifen(4-OHT).The changes in serum E2 of the mice were detected using ELISA,and the number,phenotypes,and efferocytosis of the macrophages in the inflammatory exudates and myofiber regeneration and repair were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.C2C12 cells were induced to differentiate into mature myotubes,which were treated with IFN-γ for 24 before treatment with β-Estradiol or 4-OHT.The treated myotubes were co-cultured with mouse peritoneal macrophages in a 1:2 ratio,followed by addition of PKH67-labeled apoptotic mouse mononuclear spleen cells induced by UV irradiation,and macrophage efferocytosis was observed using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.Results Compared with the control mice,the female mice with ovariectomy showed significantly increased mononuclear macrophages in the inflammatory exudates,with increased M1 cell percentage,reduced M2 cell percentage and macrophage efferocytosis in the injured muscle,and obviously delayed myofiber regeneration and repair.In the cell co-culture systems,treatment of the myotubes with β-estradiol significantly increased the number and proportion of M2 macrophages and macrophage efferocytosis,while 4-OHT treatment resulted in the opposite changes.Conclusion In injured mouse skeletal muscles,myofiber E2 signaling promotes M1 to M2 transition to increase macrophage efferocytosis,thereby relieving inflammation and promoting muscle regeneration and repair.
4.Single-cell transcriptomics reveals cell atlas and identifies cycling tumor cells responsible for recurrence in ameloblastoma
Xiong GAN ; Xie NAN ; Nie MIN ; Ling RONGSONG ; Yun BOKAI ; Xie JIAXIANG ; Ren LINLIN ; Huang YAQI ; Wang WENJIN ; Yi CHEN ; Zhang MING ; Xu XIUYUN ; Zhang CAIHUA ; Zou BIN ; Zhang LEITAO ; Liu XIQIANG ; Huang HONGZHANG ; Chen DEMENG ; Cao WEI ; Wang CHENG
International Journal of Oral Science 2024;16(2):251-264
Ameloblastoma is a benign tumor characterized by locally invasive phenotypes,leading to facial bone destruction and a high recurrence rate.However,the mechanisms governing tumor initiation and recurrence are poorly understood.Here,we uncovered cellular landscapes and mechanisms that underlie tumor recurrence in ameloblastoma at single-cell resolution.Our results revealed that ameloblastoma exhibits five tumor subpopulations varying with respect to immune response(IR),bone remodeling(BR),tooth development(TD),epithelial development(ED),and cell cycle(CC)signatures.Of note,we found that CC ameloblastoma cells were endowed with stemness and contributed to tumor recurrence,which was dominated by the EZH2-mediated program.Targeting EZH2 effectively eliminated CC ameloblastoma cells and inhibited tumor growth in ameloblastoma patient-derived organoids.These data described the tumor subpopulation and clarified the identity,function,and regulatory mechanism of CC ameloblastoma cells,providing a potential therapeutic target for ameloblastoma.
5.E2 signaling in myofibers promots macrophage efferocytosis in mouse skeletal muscles with cardiotoxin-induced acute injury
Qihui CAI ; Haiqiang LAN ; Bojun XIAN ; Lian LIU ; Nan WANG ; Xiaolei HUANG ; Xiaolu NIU ; Xinyu HU ; Chen LI ; Junyi XIE ; Zhaohong LIAO
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(11):2192-2200
Objective To investigate the effect of E2 signaling in myofibers on muscular macrophage efferocytosis in mice with cardiotoxin-induced acute skeletal muscle injury.Methods Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice with and without ovariectomy and male C57BL/6 mice were given a CTX injection into the anterior tibial muscle to induce acute muscle injury,followed by intramuscular injection of β-estradiol(E2)or 4-hydroxytamoxifen(4-OHT).The changes in serum E2 of the mice were detected using ELISA,and the number,phenotypes,and efferocytosis of the macrophages in the inflammatory exudates and myofiber regeneration and repair were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.C2C12 cells were induced to differentiate into mature myotubes,which were treated with IFN-γ for 24 before treatment with β-Estradiol or 4-OHT.The treated myotubes were co-cultured with mouse peritoneal macrophages in a 1:2 ratio,followed by addition of PKH67-labeled apoptotic mouse mononuclear spleen cells induced by UV irradiation,and macrophage efferocytosis was observed using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.Results Compared with the control mice,the female mice with ovariectomy showed significantly increased mononuclear macrophages in the inflammatory exudates,with increased M1 cell percentage,reduced M2 cell percentage and macrophage efferocytosis in the injured muscle,and obviously delayed myofiber regeneration and repair.In the cell co-culture systems,treatment of the myotubes with β-estradiol significantly increased the number and proportion of M2 macrophages and macrophage efferocytosis,while 4-OHT treatment resulted in the opposite changes.Conclusion In injured mouse skeletal muscles,myofiber E2 signaling promotes M1 to M2 transition to increase macrophage efferocytosis,thereby relieving inflammation and promoting muscle regeneration and repair.
6.Research progress on nurse organizational silence assessment tools
Fang SHAN ; Yanqiong PENG ; Rui HUANG ; Xiaoqin ZHENG ; Xiao WANG ; Nan XIE
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2024;30(2):256-261
This paper reviewed the concept of organizational silence, elaborated on the content, evaluation methods, reliability, validity, characteristics, and other aspects of nurse organizational silence assessment tools, and compares the basic characteristics, content, and application of each tool. The aim was to provide reference for selection of appropriate assessment tools to identify nurse organizational silence, as well as for the development of comprehensive assessment tools and the early formulation of management strategies.
7.Surveillance of bacterial resistance in tertiary hospitals across China:results of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program in 2022
Yan GUO ; Fupin HU ; Demei ZHU ; Fu WANG ; Xiaofei JIANG ; Yingchun XU ; Xiaojiang ZHANG ; Fengbo ZHANG ; Ping JI ; Yi XIE ; Yuling XIAO ; Chuanqing WANG ; Pan FU ; Yuanhong XU ; Ying HUANG ; Ziyong SUN ; Zhongju CHEN ; Jingyong SUN ; Qing CHEN ; Yunzhuo CHU ; Sufei TIAN ; Zhidong HU ; Jin LI ; Yunsong YU ; Jie LIN ; Bin SHAN ; Yunmin XU ; Sufang GUO ; Yanyan WANG ; Lianhua WEI ; Keke LI ; Hong ZHANG ; Fen PAN ; Yunjian HU ; Xiaoman AI ; Chao ZHUO ; Danhong SU ; Dawen GUO ; Jinying ZHAO ; Hua YU ; Xiangning HUANG ; Wen'en LIU ; Yanming LI ; Yan JIN ; Chunhong SHAO ; Xuesong XU ; Wei LI ; Shanmei WANG ; Yafei CHU ; Lixia ZHANG ; Juan MA ; Shuping ZHOU ; Yan ZHOU ; Lei ZHU ; Jinhua MENG ; Fang DONG ; Zhiyong LÜ ; Fangfang HU ; Han SHEN ; Wanqing ZHOU ; Wei JIA ; Gang LI ; Jinsong WU ; Yuemei LU ; Jihong LI ; Qian SUN ; Jinju DUAN ; Jianbang KANG ; Xiaobo MA ; Yanqing ZHENG ; Ruyi GUO ; Yan ZHU ; Yunsheng CHEN ; Qing MENG ; Shifu WANG ; Xuefei HU ; Wenhui HUANG ; Juan LI ; Quangui SHI ; Juan YANG ; Abulimiti REZIWAGULI ; Lili HUANG ; Xuejun SHAO ; Xiaoyan REN ; Dong LI ; Qun ZHANG ; Xue CHEN ; Rihai LI ; Jieli XU ; Kaijie GAO ; Lu XU ; Lin LIN ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Jianlong LIU ; Min FU ; Yinghui GUO ; Wenchao ZHANG ; Zengguo WANG ; Kai JIA ; Yun XIA ; Shan SUN ; Huimin YANG ; Yan MIAO ; Mingming ZHOU ; Shihai ZHANG ; Hongjuan LIU ; Nan CHEN ; Chan LI ; Jilu SHEN ; Wanqi MEN ; Peng WANG ; Xiaowei ZHANG ; Yanyan LIU ; Yong AN
Chinese Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy 2024;24(3):277-286
Objective To monitor the susceptibility of clinical isolates to antimicrobial agents in tertiary hospitals in major regions of China in 2022.Methods Clinical isolates from 58 hospitals in China were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using a unified protocol based on disc diffusion method or automated testing systems.Results were interpreted using the 2022 Clinical &Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)breakpoints.Results A total of 318 013 clinical isolates were collected from January 1,2022 to December 31,2022,of which 29.5%were gram-positive and 70.5%were gram-negative.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains in Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermidis and other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species(excluding Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi)was 28.3%,76.7%and 77.9%,respectively.Overall,94.0%of MRSA strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 90.8%of MRSE strains were susceptible to rifampicin.No vancomycin-resistant strains were found.Enterococcus faecalis showed significantly lower resistance rates to most antimicrobial agents tested than Enterococcus faecium.A few vancomycin-resistant strains were identified in both E.faecalis and E.faecium.The prevalence of penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae was 94.2%in the isolates from children and 95.7%in the isolates from adults.The resistance rate to carbapenems was lower than 13.1%in most Enterobacterales species except for Klebsiella,21.7%-23.1%of which were resistant to carbapenems.Most Enterobacterales isolates were highly susceptible to tigecycline,colistin and polymyxin B,with resistance rates ranging from 0.1%to 13.3%.The prevalence of meropenem-resistant strains decreased from 23.5%in 2019 to 18.0%in 2022 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and decreased from 79.0%in 2019 to 72.5%in 2022 in Acinetobacter baumannii.Conclusions The resistance of clinical isolates to the commonly used antimicrobial agents is still increasing in tertiary hospitals.However,the prevalence of important carbapenem-resistant organisms such as carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae,P.aeruginosa,and A.baumannii showed a downward trend in recent years.This finding suggests that the strategy of combining antimicrobial resistance surveillance with multidisciplinary concerted action works well in curbing the spread of resistant bacteria.
8.Early diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography combined with serum SPINK1 and SPP1 in esophageal cancer
Chuang HUANG ; Yumei XIE ; Yuanyun ZI ; Nan FENG ; Mingsheng JIAN
China Journal of Endoscopy 2024;30(8):23-30
Objective To explore the clinical value of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)combined with serum serine protease inhibitor Kazal 1(SPINK1)and secretory phosphoprotein 1(SPP1)in early diagnosis of esophageal cancer.Methods 276 patients from June 2021 to May 2023 were selected as the study objects.92 cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed by operation and pathology were esophageal cancer group,another 89 patients diagnosed as benign esophageal lesions through tissue biopsy were selected as the benign lesion group,and 95 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations were collected as the healthy control group,general information such as age and gender of subjects in three groups were collected and organized;using pathological results as the gold standard,the accuracy of EUS in diagnosing esophageal cancer was verified;the expression of serum SPINK1 and SPP1 was compared among the esophageal cancer group,benign lesion group,and healthy control group;the relationship between the expression of serum SPINK1 and SPP1 in esophageal cancer patients and their clinical and pathological characteristics was explored;efficacy of EUS combined with serum SPINK1,SPP1 levels for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer was analyzed using receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC curve).Results Compared with the gold standard,the results of EUS examination showed that 81 cases were diagnosed with esophageal cancer,79 cases were diagnosed with benign lesions,11 cases were missed diagnosed,and 10 cases were misdiagnosed,with an accuracy rate of 88.40%(160/181);Compared with the healthy control group and the benign lesion group,the expression levels of serum SPINK1 and SPP1 in the esophageal cancer group were obviously increased,the expression levels of serum SPINK1 and SPP1 in the benign lesion group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);Serum SPINK1 expression was linked to tumor diameter>2 cm,presence of lymph node metastasis,lymph node positivity,and tissue grading level 3 in patients(P<0.05).Serum SPP1 expression level was related to tumor diameter>2 cm,presence of lymph node metastasis,lymph node positivity,and estrogen receptor positivity of patients(P<0.05);ROC curve showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of EUS,serum SPINK1,SPP1 levels,and their combination in the early diagnosis of esophageal cancer was 0.862,0.834,0.782,and 0.926,respectively,the clinical efficacy of the combination of the three in the early diagnosis of esophageal cancer was superior to that of EUS,serum SPINK1,and SPP1 alone(Z=2.30,Z=3.70,Z=4.23,P=0.022,P=0.000,P=0.000).Conclusion The expression levels of serum SPINK1 and SPP1 in esophageal cancer patients are abnormally up-regulated.The combination of EUS and serum SPINK1 and SPP1 has high clinical value in early diagnosis of esophageal cancer.
9.Correlation analysis of muscle mass and functional mobility in patients with cerebral small vessel disease
Hongyang XIE ; Cuiqiao XIA ; Zhenxi XIA ; Nan ZHANG ; Jie SHEN ; Hongyi ZHAO ; Yonghua HUANG
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2024;21(8):514-524
Objective To investigate the correlation between muscle mass and gait parameters in patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD),as well as the impact of reduced muscle mass on the occurrence of falls in CSVD patients.Methods This study was employed a cross-sectional design.Ninety-five inpatients with CSVD confirmed by the Department of Neurology of the Seventh Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 1,2022 to June 1,2023 were included consecutively.The 95 patients with CSVD were divided into two groups,namely the reduced muscle mass group and the normal muscle mass group,based on the criteria of appendicular skeletal muscle mass(ASM)≤7.0 kg/m2 for males and ASM ≤5.7 kg/m2 for females as reduced muscle mass.Baseline data(sex,age,years of schooling,number of accompanying diseases[hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes,angina pectoris,myocardial infarction,and migraines]),cognitive function assessment results(mini-mental status examination[MMSE],verbal fluency test[VFT],clock drawing test[CDT],and trail-making test part-B[TMT-B]),gait characteristics(basic gait parameters[gait speed,stride time,stride length,stride frequency]and reanalysis gait parameters[variation coefficient of gait speed,stride time,stride length,stride frequency,and time-phase coordination index,gait asymmetry index]),CSVD imaging findings(cerebral microbleeds,lacunar infarcts,and white matter hyperintensities),and history of falls.The differences in baseline data,cognitive function assessment results,and gait characteristics between the reduced muscle mass group and the normal muscle mass group were compared and analyzed.Linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between muscle mass and gait parameters.The 95 CSVD patients were divided into fall group and non-fall group,and the differences in baseline data,cognitive function assessment results,gait characteristics,CSVD imaging findings,and muscle mass between the two groups were compared.Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of reduced muscle mass on falls.Results(1)The majority of patients in the reduced muscle mass group were females(67.7%[21/31]).There was a statistically significant difference in the sex distribution between the reduced muscle mass group and the normal muscle mass group(x2=6.143,P=0.013).There were no statistically significant differences in the other baseline characteristics and cognitive function between the two groups(all P>0.05).(2)Compared to the normal muscle mass group,patients in the reduced muscle mass group had slower gait speed([0.72±0.16]m/s vs.[0.94±0.15]m/s),longer stride time([1.22±0.12]s vs.[1.08±0.08]s),shorter stride length([0.84±0.19]m vs.[1.00±0.14]m),and lower step frequency([100±9]steps/min vs.[112±8]steps/min).The coefficients of variation for gait speed(11.579[8.163,15.870]%vs.7.304[5.873,9.959]%),stride time(3.876[2.778,5.769]%vs.2.480[1.874,3.001]%),stride length(7.800[5.400,10.700]%vs.5.600[4.100,7.950]%),step frequency(5.313[3.568,7.272]%vs.3.674[3.099,5.082]%),and time-phase coordination index(5.894[4.392,9.080]%vs.3.828[3.031,5.972]%)were all increased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in gait asymmetry index between the two groups(P>0.05).Further analysis with sex and lacunar infarction as potential confounding factors showed that there were statistically significant differences in baseline gait parameters between the normal muscle mass group and the reduced muscle mass group(all P<0.01).In the reanalysis of gait parameters,only the differences in the coefficients of variation for gait speed and stride time were statistically significant(both P<0.05).(3)When analyzing ASM as a continuous variable,age and CDT as potential confounders,and stratifying by sex,the results showed that in male patients,baseline gait parameters(gait speed,stride time,stride length,and step frequency with 95%CI ranging from 0.057 to 0.152,-0.105 to-0.023,0.013 to 0.097,and 1.686 to 8.854,respectively),as well as coefficients of variation for stride time(95%CI-0.016 to-0.003)and stride length(95%CI-0.026 to-0.006),were correlated with muscle mass reduction(all P<0.05).In female patients,gait speed(95%CI0.034 to 0.166)and coefficient of variation for gait speed(95%CI-0.059 to-0.010),stride time(95%CI-0.110 to-0.011),coefficient of variation for stride time(95%CI-0.025 to-0.001),and stride length(95%CI 0.018 to 0.163)were correlated with muscle mass reduction(all P<0.05).(4)Muscle mass reduction was an independent risk factor for falls(OR,5.044,95%CI 1.840 to 13.827,P=0.002).Conclusions The preliminary analysis of this study suggests that there is a certain correlation between muscle mass and gait parameters in patients with CSVD.Additionally,the study indicates that a decrease in muscle mass among CSVD patients may increase the risk of falls.Therefore,it is important to prioritize the management of muscle mass in CSVD patients.
10.Study on the characteristics of mononuclear phagocyte subsets after sciatic nerve injury in rats based on single cell sequencing technology
Shuai FENG ; Zhenjun XIE ; Jinsheng HUANG ; Guohong ZHAO ; Nan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Microsurgery 2024;47(3):312-320
Objective:To reveal the molecular characteristics of mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) in rat model of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology that would provide the developmental changes and major biological process involved in the function of MPs after PNI.Methods:Twenty-seven male SD rats (200-300 g in weight) were selected from the Department of Hand and Foot Microscopy and Wound Repair Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital (People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University) and the Department of Orthopaedics of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2023 to December 2023. The rats were divided into a Sham operation group (Sham group), a 3 days post crush group (3 dpc group) and a 7 days post crush group (7 dpc group), following the randomised table method with 9 rats per group. After 7 days of environmental acclimatisation, the 3 dpc group and 7 dpc group were subjected to have the right sciatic nerve crushed in order to create a model of crush injury. And as a control group, the Sham group was subjected to Sham surgery only. Nine right sciatic nerves of rats were collected from each group at the corresponding time pints. Single-cell isolation was performed on the 10X Genomics platform. ScRNA-seq libraries were constructed using the Gel Bead Kit V3 and the libraries were sequenced using an Illumina Novaseq 6000 sequencer. Dimensionality reduction was performed using Principal Component Analysis and T-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding to visualise and explore the cellular heterogeneity within the dataset. Nine distinct cell clusters and their corresponding marker genes were identified based on the dimensionality-reduced data. Differential gene expression analysis was then performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MPs between different groups. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed to uncover the biological processes and pathways based on the DEGs. Monocle program for pseudo-time analysis was used to infer the developmental trajectory of MPs after injury.Results:A total of 19 054 cells were obtained by sequencing, and the results showed that the proportion of MPs in peripheral nerves was significantly up-regulated after PNI, and MPs were classified into 9 cellular subgroups based on the clustering analysis of the scRNA-seq data, which were Cluster 1 (3 398 cells), Cluster 2 (3 388 cells), Cluster 3 (3 262 cells), Cluster 4 (2 825 cells), Cluster 5 (2 753 cells), Cluster 6 (1 894 cells), Cluster 7 (648 cells), Cluster 8 (492 cells) and Cluster 9 (394 cells), respectively. Based on the expression of different cell subpopulation markers, MPs in the Sham group, 3 dpc group and 7 dpc group of sciatic nerves were classified into 9 cell clusters and the distributions of different MPs clusters in the 9 sciatic nerve samples were identified, among which, the Sham group had the lowest number of MPs cells in the sciatic nerve samples (a total of 2 719 cells) and the clusters were mainly dominated by clusters 5 (1 119 cells) and clusters 6 (1 240 cells). The 3 dpc group had the highest number of MPs cells (9 760 cells in total) and the clusters were mainly dominated by cluster 2 (1 760 cells), cluster 3 (3 130 cells) and cluster 4 (2 300 cells). The MPs (6 575 cells in total) in the 7 dpc group were mainly dominated by cluster 1 (2 406 cells) and cluster 2 (1 628 cells). Compared with the Sham group, the GO and KEGG annotations of the DEGs were significantly upregulated in the 3 dpc group, indicating that MPs in the rat sciatic nerves would have the ability to bind to extracellular molecules and remove debris from the injury site at 3 days post-injury, and the 7 dpc group would have the ability to activate the signalling pathways related to nerve repair. The proposed time-series analysis revealed that, in the uninjured condition, the MPs were mainly in the cluster 5 (Ccl17 +Cd80 +) and cluster 6 (Fcmr +Slc9a9 +). At 3 days post-injury, MPs developed into cell types dominated by cluster 2 (Cd8b +Meis3 +), cluster 3 (Il10 +Cd163 +) and cluster 4 (Ccl24 +Prg4 +). At 7 days post-injury, the effector state of cluster 2 among the main cell types of MPs was still maintained but the other parts had developed into cluster 1 (Hspa1b +Apobec1 +) related phenotypes. Conclusion:The molecular characteristics of MPs in the peripheral nerve revealed through scRNA-seq data provide valuable insights into the role of MPs in mediating inflammation and neural regeneration after PNI.

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