1
|
O'Leary K, Zheng D. Metacell-based differential expression analysis identifies cell type specific temporal gene response programs in COVID-19 patient PBMCs. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:36. [PMID: 38580667 PMCID: PMC10997786 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00364-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
By profiling gene expression in individual cells, single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) can resolve cellular heterogeneity and cell-type gene expression dynamics. Its application to time-series samples can identify temporal gene programs active in different cell types, for example, immune cells' responses to viral infection. However, current scRNA-seq analysis has limitations. One is the low number of genes detected per cell. The second is insufficient replicates (often 1-2) due to high experimental cost. The third lies in the data analysis-treating individual cells as independent measurements leads to inflated statistics. To address these, we explore a new computational framework, specifically whether "metacells" constructed to maintain cellular heterogeneity within individual cell types (or clusters) can be used as "replicates" for increasing statistical rigor. Toward this, we applied SEACells to a time-series scRNA-seq dataset from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after SARS-CoV-2 infection to construct metacells, and used them in maSigPro for quadratic regression to find significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) over time, followed by clustering expression velocity trends. We showed that such metacells retained greater expression variances and produced more biologically meaningful DEGs compared to either metacells generated randomly or from simple pseudobulk methods. More specifically, this approach correctly identified the known ISG15 interferon response program in almost all PBMC cell types and many DEGs enriched in the previously defined SARS-CoV-2 infection response pathway. It also uncovered additional and more cell type-specific temporal gene expression programs. Overall, our results demonstrate that the metacell-pseudoreplicate strategy could potentially overcome the limitation of 1-2 replicates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin O'Leary
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li JP, Liu YJ, Yin Y, Li RN, Huang W, Zou X. Stroma-associated FSTL3 is a factor of calcium channel-derived tumor fibrosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21317. [PMID: 38044354 PMCID: PMC10694158 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48574-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most widespread histological form of primary liver cancer, and it faces great diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties owing to its tumor diversity. Herein, we aim to establish a unique prognostic molecular subtype (MST) and based on this to find potential therapeutic targets to develop new immunotherapeutic strategies. Using calcium channel molecules expression-based consensus clustering, we screened 371 HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas to screen for possible MSTs. We distinguished core differential gene modules between varying MSTs, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion scores were employed for the reliable assessment of HCC patient immunotherapeutic response rate. Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescence staining were used for validation of predicted immunotherapy outcomes and underlying biological mechanisms, respectively. We identified two MSTs with different clinical characteristics and prognoses. Based on the significant differences between the two MSTs, we further identified Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) as a potential indicator of immunotherapy resistance and validated this result in our own cohort. Finally, we found that FSTL3 is predominantly expressed in HCC stromal components and that it is a factor in enhancing fibroblast-M2 macrophage signaling crosstalk, the function of which is relevant to the pathogenesis of HCC. The presence of two MSTs associated with the calcium channel phenotype in HCC patients may provide promising directions for overcoming immunotherapy resistance in HCC, and the promotion of FSTL3 expressed in stromal components for HCC hyperfibrosis may be responsible for the poor response rate to immunotherapy in Cluster 2 (C2) patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Pin Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor System Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan-Jie Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Yin
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruo-Nan Li
- Shihezi Labor Personnel Dispute Arbitration Committee, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xi Zou
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Egli A. ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Other Large Language Models: The Next Revolution for Clinical Microbiology? Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:1322-1328. [PMID: 37399030 PMCID: PMC10640689 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Bard are highly advanced natural language process-based computer programs (chatbots) that simulate and process human conversation in written or spoken form. Recently released by the company OpenAI, ChatGPT was trained on billions of unknown text elements (tokens) and rapidly gained wide attention for its ability to respond to questions in an articulate manner across a wide range of knowledge domains. These potentially disruptive large language model (LLM) technologies have a broad range of conceivable applications in medicine and medical microbiology. In this opinion article, I describe how chatbot technologies work and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT, GPT-4, and other LLMs for applications in the routine diagnostic laboratory, focusing on various use cases for the pre- to post-analytical process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Egli
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huang P, Hu YD, Liu YJ, Li JP, Zhang YH. An Analysis Regarding the Association Between the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC) and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:959-978. [PMID: 37377841 PMCID: PMC10292625 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s417501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the main mediator of nuclear and cytoplasmic communication, and delaying or blocking nuclear RNA export and protein shuttling can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Although NPC is a research hotspot in structural biology, relevant studies in hepatocellular carcinoma are scarce, especially in terms of translation into clinical practice. Methods This study used a bioinformatics approach combining validation experiments to investigate the biological mechanisms that may be related with NPC. A series of experiments performed to explore the function of the Targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) in HCC. Results Patients with HCC can be divided into two NPC clusters. Patients with high NPC levels (C1) had a shorter survival time than those with low NPC levels (C2) and are characterised by high levels of proliferative signals. We demonstrated that TPX2 regulates HCC growth and inhibits apoptosis in an NPC-dependent manner and contributes to the maintenance of HCC stemness. We developed the NPCScore to predict the prognosis and degree of differentiation in HCC patients. Conclusion NPC plays an important role in the malignant proliferation of HCC. Assessing NPC expression patterns could help enhance our understanding of tumor cell proliferation and could guide more effective chemotherapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pan Huang
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, 215600, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi-dou Hu
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, 215600, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan-jie Liu
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie-pin Li
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, 215600, People’s Republic of China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor System Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong-hua Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, 215600, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang X, Gu X, Wang C, He Y, Liu D, Sun S, Li H. Loss of ndrg2 Function Is Involved in Notch Activation in Neuromast Hair Cell Regeneration in Zebrafish. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3100-3112. [PMID: 36800156 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03262-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The regeneration of hair cells in zebrafish is a complex process involving the precise regulation of multiple signaling pathways, but this complicated regulatory network is not fully understood. Current research has primarily focused on finding molecules and pathways that can regulate hair cell regeneration and restore hair cell functions. Here, we show the role of N-Myc downstream regulated gene 2 (ndrg2) in zebrafish hair cell regeneration. We first found that ndrg2 was dynamically expressed in neuromasts of the developing zebrafish, and this expression was increased after neomycin-induced hair cell damage. Then, ndrg2 loss-of-function larvae showed reduced numbers of regenerated hair cells but increased numbers of supporting cells after neomycin exposure. By in situ hybridization, we further observed that ndrg2 loss of function resulted in the activation of Notch signaling and downregulation of atoh1a during hair cell regeneration in vivo. Additionally, blocking Notch signaling rescued the number of regenerated hair cells in ndrg2-deficient larvae. Together, this study provides evidence for the role of ndrg2 in regulating hair cell regeneration in zebrafish neuromasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
- Department of ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, People's Republic of China
- Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Gu
- Department of ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingzi He
- Department of ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Liu
- Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shan Sun
- Department of ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huawei Li
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
- Department of ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China.
- The Institutes of Brain Science and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lan T, Hutvagner G, Zhang X, Liu T, Wong L, Li J. Density-based detection of cell transition states to construct disparate and bifurcating trajectories. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e122. [PMID: 36124665 PMCID: PMC9757071 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree- and linear-shaped cell differentiation trajectories have been widely observed in developmental biologies and can be also inferred through computational methods from single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets. However, trajectories with complicated topologies such as loops, disparate lineages and bifurcating hierarchy remain difficult to infer accurately. Here, we introduce a density-based trajectory inference method capable of constructing diverse shapes of topological patterns including the most intriguing bifurcations. The novelty of our method is a step to exploit overlapping probability distributions to identify transition states of cells for determining connectability between cell clusters, and another step to infer a stable trajectory through a base-topology guided iterative fitting. Our method precisely re-constructed various benchmark reference trajectories. As a case study to demonstrate practical usefulness, our method was tested on single-cell RNA sequencing profiles of blood cells of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. We not only re-discovered the linear trajectory bridging the transition from IgM plasmablast cells to developing neutrophils, and also found a previously-undiscovered lineage which can be rigorously supported by differentially expressed gene analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tian Lan
- Data Science Institute and School of Computer Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Gyorgy Hutvagner
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Data Science Institute and School of Computer Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Children’s Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Limsoon Wong
- School of Computing, National University of Singapore, 13 Computing Drive, 117417, Singapore
| | - Jinyan Li
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +61 295149264; Fax: +61 295149264;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kleino I, Frolovaitė P, Suomi T, Elo LL. Computational solutions for spatial transcriptomics. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:4870-4884. [PMID: 36147664 PMCID: PMC9464853 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome level expression data connected to the spatial organization of the cells and molecules would allow a comprehensive understanding of how gene expression is connected to the structure and function in the biological systems. The spatial transcriptomics platforms may soon provide such information. However, the current platforms still lack spatial resolution, capture only a fraction of the transcriptome heterogeneity, or lack the throughput for large scale studies. The strengths and weaknesses in current ST platforms and computational solutions need to be taken into account when planning spatial transcriptomics studies. The basis of the computational ST analysis is the solutions developed for single-cell RNA-sequencing data, with advancements taking into account the spatial connectedness of the transcriptomes. The scRNA-seq tools are modified for spatial transcriptomics or new solutions like deep learning-based joint analysis of expression, spatial, and image data are developed to extract biological information in the spatially resolved transcriptomes. The computational ST analysis can reveal remarkable biological insights into spatial patterns of gene expression, cell signaling, and cell type variations in connection with cell type-specific signaling and organization in complex tissues. This review covers the topics that help choosing the platform and computational solutions for spatial transcriptomics research. We focus on the currently available ST methods and platforms and their strengths and limitations. Of the computational solutions, we provide an overview of the analysis steps and tools used in the ST data analysis. The compatibility with the data types and the tools provided by the current ST analysis frameworks are summarized.
Collapse
Key Words
- AOI, area of illumination
- BICCN, Brain Initiative Cell Census Network
- BOLORAMIS, barcoded oligonucleotides ligated on RNA amplified for multiplexed and parallel in situ analyses
- Baysor, Bayesian Segmentation of Spatial Transcriptomics Data
- BinSpect, Binary Spatial Extraction
- CCC, cell–cell communication
- CCI, cell–cell interactions
- CNV, copy-number variation
- Computational biology
- DSP, digital spatial profiling
- DbiT-Seq, Deterministic Barcoding in Tissue for spatial omics sequencing
- FA, factor analysis
- FFPE, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded
- FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization
- FISSEQ, fluorescence in situ sequencing of RNA
- FOV, Field of view
- GRNs, gene regulation networks
- GSEA, gene set enrichment analysis
- GSVA, gene set variation analysis
- HDST, high definition spatial transcriptomics
- HMRF, hidden Markov random field
- ICG, interaction changed genes
- ISH, in situ hybridization
- ISS, in situ sequencing
- JSTA, Joint cell segmentation and cell type annotation
- KNN, k-nearest neighbor
- LCM, Laser Capture Microdissection
- LCM-seq, laser capture microdissection coupled with RNA sequencing
- LOH, loss of heterozygosity analysis
- MC, Molecular Cartography
- MERFISH, multiplexed error-robust FISH
- NMF (NNMF), Non-negative matrix factorization
- PCA, Principal Component Analysis
- PIXEL-seq, Polony (or DNA cluster)-indexed library-sequencing
- PL-lig, padlock ligation
- QC, quality control
- RNAseq, RNA sequencing
- ROI, region of interest
- SCENIC, Single-Cell rEgulatory Network Inference and Clustering
- SME, Spatial Morphological gene Expression normalization
- SPATA, SPAtial Transcriptomic Analysis
- ST Pipeline, Spatial Transcriptomics Pipeline
- ST, Spatial transcriptomics
- STARmap, spatially-resolved transcript amplicon readout mapping
- Single-cell analysis
- Spatial data analysis frameworks
- Spatial deconvolution
- Spatial transcriptomics
- TIVA, Transcriptome in Vivo Analysis
- TMA, tissue microarray
- TME, tumor micro environment
- UMAP, Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection for Dimension Reduction
- UMI, unique molecular identifier
- ZipSeq, zipcoded sequencing.
- scRNA-seq, single-cell RNA sequencing
- scvi-tools, single-cell variational inference tools
- seqFISH, sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization
- sequ-smFISH, sequential single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization
- smFISH, single molecule FISH
- t-SNE, t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iivari Kleino
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Paulina Frolovaitė
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tomi Suomi
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura L. Elo
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Qian F, Wei G, Gao Y, Wang X, Gong J, Guo C, Wang X, Zhang X, Zhao J, Wang C, Xu M, Hu Y, Yin G, Kang J, Chai R, Xie G, Liu D. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of zebrafish hair cells reveals novel genes potentially involved in hearing loss. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:385. [PMID: 35753015 PMCID: PMC11072488 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04410-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Hair cells play key roles in hearing and balance, and hair cell loss would result in hearing loss or vestibular dysfunction. Cellular and molecular research in hair cell biology provides us a better understanding of hearing and deafness. Zebrafish, owing to their hair cell-enriched organs, have been widely applied in hair cell-related research worldwide. Similar to mammals, zebrafish have inner ear hair cells. In addition, they also have lateral line neuromast hair cells. These different types of hair cells vary in morphology and function. However, systematic analysis of their molecular characteristics remains lacking. In this study, we analyzed the GFP+ cells isolated from Tg(Brn3c:mGFP) larvae with GFP expression in all hair cells using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). Three subtypes of hair cells, namely macula hair cell (MHC), crista hair cell (CHC), and neuromast hair cell (NHC), were characterized and validated by whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis of marker genes. The hair cell scRNA-seq data revealed hair cell-specific genes, including hearing loss genes that have been identified in humans and novel genes potentially involved in hair cell formation and function. Two novel genes were discovered to specifically function in NHCs and MHCs, corresponding to their specific expression in NHCs and MHCs. This study allows us to understand the specific genes in hair cell subpopulations of zebrafish, which will shed light on the genetics of both human vestibular and cochlear hair cell function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuping Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Guanyun Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yajing Gao
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Jie Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Chao Guo
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xiaoning Wang
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Jinxiang Zhao
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Mengting Xu
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yuebo Hu
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Guoli Yin
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Jiahui Kang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100864, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China.
| | - Gangcai Xie
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Dong Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, School of Life SciencesKey Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
New insights into Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells via Single-Cell Omics. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:1322-1336. [PMID: 35318612 PMCID: PMC8939482 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10330-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Residing at the apex of the hematopoietic hierarchy, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) give rise to all mature blood cells. In the last decade, significant progress has been made in single-cell RNA sequencing as well as multi-omics technologies that have facilitated elucidation of the heterogeneity of previously defined human HSPCs. From the embryonic stage through the adult stage to aging, single-cell studies have enabled us to trace the origins of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), demonstrating different hematopoietic differentiation during development, as well as identifying novel cell populations. In both hematological benign diseases and malignancies, single-cell omics technologies have begun to reveal tissue heterogeneity and have permitted mapping of microenvironmental ecosystems and tracking of cell subclones, thereby greatly broadening our understanding of disease development. Furthermore, advances have also been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms for relapse and identifying therapeutic targets of hematological disorders and other non-hematological diseases. Extensive exploration of hematopoiesis at the single-cell level may thus have great potential for broad clinical applications of HSPCs, as well as disease prognosis.
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang J, Zhang Y, Nie W, Luo Y, Deng L. Computational anti-COVID-19 drug design: progress and challenges. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:bbab484. [PMID: 34850817 PMCID: PMC8690229 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines have made gratifying progress in preventing the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the emergence of variants, especially the latest delta variant, has brought considerable challenges to human health. Hence, the development of robust therapeutic approaches, such as anti-COVID-19 drug design, could aid in managing the pandemic more efficiently. Some drug design strategies have been successfully applied during the COVID-19 pandemic to create and validate related lead drugs. The computational drug design methods used for COVID-19 can be roughly divided into (i) structure-based approaches and (ii) artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches. Structure-based approaches investigate different molecular fragments and functional groups through lead drugs and apply relevant tools to produce antiviral drugs. AI-based approaches usually use end-to-end learning to explore a larger biochemical space to design antiviral drugs. This review provides an overview of the two design strategies of anti-COVID-19 drugs, the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies and discussions of future developments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinxian Wang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University,410075, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang Province Land Reclamation Headquarters General Hospital, 150001, Harbin, China
| | - Wenjuan Nie
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University,410075, Changsha, China
| | - Yi Luo
- School of Science, The University of Auckland,Auckland 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lei Deng
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University,410075, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Li CX, Gao J, Zhang Z, Chen L, Li X, Zhou M, Wheelock ÅM. Multiomics integration-based molecular characterizations of COVID-19. Brief Bioinform 2021; 23:6447675. [PMID: 34864875 PMCID: PMC8769889 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), rapidly became a global health challenge, leading to unprecedented social and economic consequences. The mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 are both unique and complex. Omics-scale studies are emerging rapidly and offer a tremendous potential to unravel the puzzle of SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology, as well as moving forward with diagnostics, potential drug targets, risk stratification, therapeutic responses, vaccine development and therapeutic innovation. This review summarizes various aspects of understanding multiomics integration-based molecular characterizations of COVID-19, which to date include the integration of transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics, lipidomics, immunomics and metabolomics to explore virus targets and developing suitable therapeutic solutions through systems biology tools. Furthermore, this review also covers an abridgment of omics investigations related to disease pathogenesis and virulence, the role of host genetic variation and a broad array of immune and inflammatory phenotypes contributing to understanding COVID-19 traits. Insights into this review, which combines existing strategies and multiomics integration profiling, may help further advance our knowledge of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Xing Li
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine & Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine & Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Heart and Lung Centre, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zicheng Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lu Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Meng Zhou
- School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Åsa M Wheelock
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine & Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|