1
|
Chang MJ, Feng QF, Hao JW, Zhang YJ, Zhao R, Li N, Zhao YH, Han ZY, He PF, Wang CH. Deciphering the molecular landscape of rheumatoid arthritis offers new insights into the stratified treatment for the condition. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1391848. [PMID: 38983856 PMCID: PMC11232074 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1391848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background For Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a long-term chronic illness, it is essential to identify and describe patient subtypes with comparable goal status and molecular biomarkers. This study aims to develop and validate a new subtyping scheme that integrates genome-scale transcriptomic profiles of RA peripheral blood genes, providing a fresh perspective for stratified treatments. Methods We utilized independent microarray datasets of RA peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were subjected to functional enrichment analysis. Unsupervised cluster analysis was then employed to identify RA peripheral blood gene expression-driven subtypes. We defined three distinct clustering subtypes based on the identified 404 up-regulated DEGs. Results Subtype A, named NE-driving, was enriched in pathways related to neutrophil activation and responses to bacteria. Subtype B, termed interferon-driving (IFN-driving), exhibited abundant B cells and showed increased expression of transcripts involved in IFN signaling and defense responses to viruses. In Subtype C, an enrichment of CD8+ T-cells was found, ultimately defining it as CD8+ T-cells-driving. The RA subtyping scheme was validated using the XGBoost machine learning algorithm. We also evaluated the therapeutic outcomes of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Conclusions The findings provide valuable insights for deep stratification, enabling the design of molecular diagnosis and serving as a reference for stratified therapy in RA patients in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jing Chang
- Department of Rheumatology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Immunomicroecology, Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qi-Fan Feng
- Department of Rheumatology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Immunomicroecology, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jia-Wei Hao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ya-Jing Zhang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Rong Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Immunomicroecology, Taiyuan, China
| | - Nan Li
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yu-Hui Zhao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Zi-Yi Han
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Pei-Feng He
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Cai-Hong Wang
- Department of Rheumatology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Immunomicroecology, Taiyuan, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kim CW, Joo SY, Kim B, Kim JY, Jang S, Tzeng SJ, Lee SJ, Kim M, Kim I. Single cell transcriptome analyses reveal the roles of B cells in fructose-induced hypertension. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1279439. [PMID: 38045685 PMCID: PMC10691591 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1279439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale While the immune system plays a crucial role in the development of hypertension, the specific contributions of distinct immune cell populations remain incompletely understood. The emergence of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology enables us to analyze the transcriptomes of individual immune cells and to assess the significance of each immune cell type in hypertension development. Objective We aimed to investigate the hypothesis that B cells play a crucial role in the development of fructose-induced hypertension. Methods and Results Eight-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) male rats were divided into two groups and given either tap water (TW) or a 20% fructose solution (HFS) for 4 weeks. Systolic blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method. ScRNA-seq analysis was performed on lamina propria cells (LPs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from SS rats subjected to either TW or HFS. The HFS treatment induced hypertension in the SS rats. The analysis revealed 27 clusters in LPs and 28 clusters in PBMCs, allowing for the identification and characterization of various immune cell types within each cluster. Specifically, B cells and follicular helper T (Tfh) cells were prominent in LPs, while B cells and M1 macrophages dominated PBMCs in the HFS group. Moreover, the HFS treatment triggered an increase in the number of B cells in both LPs and PBMCs, accompanied by activation of the interferon pathway. Conclusions The significant involvement of B cells in intestinal and PBMC responses indicates their pivotal contribution to the development of hypertension. This finding suggests that targeting B cells could be a potential strategy to mitigate high blood pressure in fructose-induced hypertension. Moreover, the simultaneous increase in follicular B cells and Tfh cells in LPs, along with the upregulation of interferon pathway genes in B cells, underscores a potential autoimmune factor contributing to the pathogenesis of fructose-induced hypertension in the intestine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheong-Wun Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus Kyungpook National University (KNU) Biomedical Convergence Program, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Yong Joo
- Department of Animal Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Boa Kim
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Young Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus Kyungpook National University (KNU) Biomedical Convergence Program, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungmin Jang
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus Kyungpook National University (KNU) Biomedical Convergence Program, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Shiang-Jong Tzeng
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sang Jin Lee
- Division of Rheumatology, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Myunghoo Kim
- Department of Animal Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Republic of Korea
| | - Inkyeom Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus Kyungpook National University (KNU) Biomedical Convergence Program, Cardiovascular Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang X, Hou X, Zhang J, Liu Z, Wang G. Research progress on the application of single-cell sequencing in autoimmune diseases. Genes Immun 2023; 24:220-235. [PMID: 37550409 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-023-00216-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) are caused by immune tolerance deficiency or abnormal immune regulation, leading to damage to host organs. The complicated pathogenesis and varied clinical symptoms of AIDs pose great challenges in diagnosing and monitoring this disease. Regrettably, the etiological factors and pathogenesis of AIDs are still not completely understood. It is noteworthy that the development of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology provides a new tool for analyzing the transcriptome of AIDs. In this essay, we have summarized the development of scRNA-seq technology, and made a relatively systematic review of the current research progress of scRNA-seq technology in the field of AIDs, providing a reference to preferably understand the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of AIDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Yang
- Central Laboratory, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, China
| | - Xianliang Hou
- Central Laboratory, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, China.
| | - Junning Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, China
| | - Zhenyu Liu
- Central Laboratory, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, China
| | - Guangyu Wang
- Central Laboratory, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Single-cell RNA sequencing in orthopedic research. Bone Res 2023; 11:10. [PMID: 36828839 PMCID: PMC9958119 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00245-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Although previous RNA sequencing methods have been widely used in orthopedic research and have provided ideas for therapeutic strategies, the specific mechanisms of some orthopedic disorders, including osteoarthritis, lumbar disc herniation, rheumatoid arthritis, fractures, tendon injuries, spinal cord injury, heterotopic ossification, and osteosarcoma, require further elucidation. The emergence of the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique has introduced a new era of research on these topics, as this method provides information regarding cellular heterogeneity, new cell subtypes, functions of novel subclusters, potential molecular mechanisms, cell-fate transitions, and cell‒cell interactions that are involved in the development of orthopedic diseases. Here, we summarize the cell subpopulations, genes, and underlying mechanisms involved in the development of orthopedic diseases identified by scRNA-seq, improving our understanding of the pathology of these diseases and providing new insights into therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
|
5
|
Ge L, Wang T, Shi D, Geng Y, Fan H, Zhang R, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Li S, Li Y, Shi H, Song G, Pan J, Wang L, Han J. ATF6α contributes to rheumatoid arthritis by inducing inflammatory cytokine production and apoptosis resistance. Front Immunol 2022; 13:965708. [PMID: 36300114 PMCID: PMC9590309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.965708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The contribution of activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis, especially on fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), has been suggested by its sensitivity to inflammatory stimulus. However, the exact role and therapeutic potential of ATF6α in RA remains to be fully elucidated. Methods ATF6α expression was determined in joint tissues and FLS, and gain-of-function and loss-of-function analyses were applied to evaluate the biological roles of ATF6α in RA FLSs. A murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, combining both gene deletion of ATF6α and treatment with the ATF6α inhibitor Ceapin-A7, was employed. Joint inflammation, tissue destruction, circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines were assessed in CIA mice. Transcriptome sequencing analysis (RNASeq), molecular biology, and biochemical approaches were performed to identify target genes of ATF6α. Results ATF6α expression was significantly increased in synovium of RA patients and in synovium of mice subjected to CIA. ATF6α silencing or inhibition repressed RA FLSs viability and cytokine production but induced the apoptosis. CIA-model mice with ATF6α deficiency displayed decreased arthritic progression, leading to profound reductions in clinical and proinflammatory markers in the joints. Pharmacological treatment of mice with Ceapin-A7 reduced arthritis severity in CIA models. RNA-sequencing of wild-type and knockdown of ATF6α in RA FLSs revealed a transcriptional program that promotes inflammation and suppresses apoptosis, and subsequent experiments identified Baculoviral IAP Repeat Containing 3 (BIRC3) as the direct target for ATF6α. Conclusion This study highlights the pathogenic role of ATF6α-BIRC3 axis in RA and identifies a novel pathway for new therapies against RA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luna Ge
- Department of Rheumatology and Autoimmunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Dandan Shi
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Yun Geng
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji’nan, China
| | - Huancai Fan
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Ruojia Zhang
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Yuang Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Autoimmunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Jianli Zhao
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
| | - Shufeng Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Provincial Hospital), Jinan, China
| | - Haojun Shi
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guanhua Song
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji’nan, China
| | - Jihong Pan
- Department of Rheumatology and Autoimmunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Autoimmunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Wang, ; Jinxiang Han,
| | - Jinxiang Han
- Department of Rheumatology and Autoimmunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Ji’nan, China
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drugs (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Ji’nan, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Wang, ; Jinxiang Han,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Revealing the Immune Heterogeneity between Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Multi-Omics Data Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095166. [PMID: 35563556 PMCID: PMC9101622 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are greatly influenced by different immune cells. Nowadays both T-cell receptor (TCR) and B-cell receptor (BCR) sequencing technology have emerged with the maturity of NGS technology. However, both SLE and RA peripheral blood TCR or BCR repertoire sequencing remains lacking because repertoire sequencing is an expensive assay and consumes valuable tissue samples. This study used computational methods TRUST4 to construct TCR repertoire and BCR repertoire from bulk RNA-seq data of both SLE and RA patients’ peripheral blood and analyzed the clonality and diversity of the immune repertoire between the two diseases. Although the functions of immune cells have been studied, the mechanism is still complicated. Differentially expressed genes in each immune cell type and cell–cell interactions between immune cell clusters have not been covered. In this work, we clustered eight immune cell subsets from original scRNA-seq data and disentangled the characteristic alterations of cell subset proportion under both SLE and RA conditions. The cell–cell communication analysis tool CellChat was also utilized to analyze the influence of MIF family and GALECTIN family cytokines, which were reported to regulate SLE and RA, respectively. Our findings correspond to previous findings that MIF increases in the serum of SLE patients. This work proved that the presence of LGALS9, PTPRC and CD44 in platelets could serve as a clinical indicator of rheumatoid arthritis. Our findings comprehensively illustrate dynamic alterations in immune cells during pathogenesis of SLE and RA. This work identified specific V genes and J genes in TCR and BCR that could be used to expand our understanding of SLE and RA. These findings provide a new insight inti the diagnosis and treatment of the two autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
|