Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.45 Changchun Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.45 Changchun Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2023 Sep;165:115224. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115224. Epub 2023 Jul 27.
Over the past decade, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has revolutionized research on biological mechanisms of diseases. Moreover, this technique has been utilized to identify and characterize unique cell types and subpopulations, thereby illuminating cellular heterogeneity. The true value of scRNA-seq lies in its ability to detect transcriptional alterations or perturbed pathways within specific cell types under pathological conditions. In the context of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), the pathophysiological foundation is largely rooted in inflammation. The primary target cells of IVDD are nucleus pulposus cells, annulus fibrosus cells, cartilage endplate cells, and macrophages. The advancements in scRNA-seq technology have triggered remarkable progress in IVDD treatment, leading to breakthroughs in the identification of cell subsets, functional analysis, novel therapeutic targets, and the differentiation and development of various cell types. This review is the first of its kind to introduce the application of scRNA-seq techniques in IVDD, with a focus on the most recent scRNA-seq studies that have defined the populations of various cell types and specific cell-cell interactions in IVDD. Furthermore, we highlight several promising future research directions for scRNA-seq in IVDD.
在过去的十年中，单细胞 RNA 测序 (scRNA-seq) 彻底改变了疾病的生物学机制研究。此外，这项技术还被用于鉴定和描述独特的细胞类型和亚群，从而阐明细胞异质性。scRNA-seq 的真正价值在于其能够检测特定细胞类型在病理条件下的转录变化或失调途径。在椎间盘退变 (IVDD) 中，病理生理学基础主要源于炎症。IVDD 的主要靶细胞是髓核细胞、纤维环细胞、软骨终板细胞和巨噬细胞。scRNA-seq 技术的进步推动了 IVDD 治疗的显著进展，导致细胞亚群的鉴定、功能分析、新的治疗靶点以及各种细胞类型的分化和发育方面取得突破。这是第一篇介绍 scRNA-seq 技术在 IVDD 中的应用的综述，重点介绍了最近的 scRNA-seq 研究，这些研究定义了 IVDD 中各种细胞类型和特定细胞-细胞相互作用的群体。此外，我们还强调了 scRNA-seq 在 IVDD 中的几个有前途的未来研究方向。
