Tang Zhi, Lu Hengyang, Yang Xiao, Wu Mao, Yang Junfeng, Li Shaoshuo, Liu Heng, Zhou Junkang, Tang Bin, Du Xinyao, Xu Fei, Shao Yang, Wang Jianwei
Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
Biochem Biophys Rep. 2025 Jan 18;41:101917. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.101917. eCollection 2025 Mar.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurological disease in which astrocytes play a central role. Understanding the relationship between different subtypes of astrocytes and neuron subtypes during the progression of SCI is critical to understanding the disease.
In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to analyze the transcriptome data of acute, subacute and intermediate stages of SCI in mice as well as normal tissues. Different subtypes of astrocytes and neuronal cells were identified and their dynamic changes and functionalities during the development of SCI. An intriguing discovery was the identification of a specific subtype of astrocytes characterized by unique expression of Gap43, Vim, Aldoc, and Mt1. This subtype of cells shows similarities in gene expression with neurons and potentially transitioned into neurons during the course of SCI. Furthermore, we have uncovered the important role of the glycolytic pathway in this cellular transformation process. Furthermore, through cellular interaction analysis, we validated pathways (mdk-ptprz1,ptn-ptprz1,ptn-sdc3) associated with the potential conversion of these specific cell subsets into neurons. Finally, these cells were observed by fluorescence microscopy and critical gene expressions were validated by Western blot.
The results of this study not only deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying SCI, but also provide new insights and opportunities for the development of novel therapeutic strategies and interventions.
脊髓损伤（SCI）是一种毁灭性的神经疾病，星形胶质细胞在其中起着核心作用。了解SCI进展过程中不同亚型的星形胶质细胞与神经元亚型之间的关系对于理解该疾病至关重要。
在本研究中，使用单细胞RNA测序（scRNA-seq）分析小鼠SCI急性、亚急性和中期阶段以及正常组织的转录组数据。鉴定了不同亚型的星形胶质细胞和神经元细胞，并分析了它们在SCI发展过程中的动态变化和功能。一个有趣的发现是鉴定出一种特定亚型的星形胶质细胞，其特征在于Gap43、Vim、Aldoc和Mt1的独特表达。这种细胞亚型在基因表达上与神经元相似，并可能在SCI过程中转变为神经元。此外，我们揭示了糖酵解途径在这种细胞转化过程中的重要作用。此外，通过细胞相互作用分析，我们验证了与这些特定细胞亚群向神经元潜在转化相关的途径（mdk-ptprz1、ptn-ptprz1、ptn-sdc3）。最后，通过荧光显微镜观察这些细胞，并通过蛋白质免疫印迹验证关键基因的表达。
本研究结果不仅加深了我们对SCI潜在机制的理解，也为开发新的治疗策略和干预措施提供了新的见解和机会。
