Lan Xianfeng, Zheng Yanmei, You Yongliang, Wu Xuejun, Wu Shaojie, Chen Nengfu, Wang Lihong, Yang Wenfu
Department of Orthopaedics, Fuzhou Second General Hospital, Fuzhou, 350007, China.
The Third Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350007, China.
Open Med (Wars). 2025 May 21;20(1):20251186. doi: 10.1515/med-2025-1186. eCollection 2025.
Peripheral nerve injury can lead to sensory, motor, and autonomic nerve dysfunction, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Schwann cells (SCs), as key components of the peripheral nervous system, play a crucial role in nerve repair. However, many functionally specialized and flexible SC subtypes remain unidentified. Recent advancements in single-cell transcriptomics have enabled a deeper understanding of SC heterogeneity during peripheral nervous system development.
In this study, we utilized single-cell transcriptomics to investigate SC heterogeneity in the dorsal root ganglia of both normal and spinal nerve injury mouse models.
We identified a novel SC subtype associated with pressure sensation, which we termed stress response related SCs (SRSCs). These cells are terminally differentiated and highly express the pressure-sensing gene . Following peripheral nerve injury, SRSCs function as stimulus receptors, receiving external stimuli and transmitting signals to typical repair SCs via the SPP1 signaling network. This interaction promotes dedifferentiation and facilitates injury repair.
Our findings enhance the understanding of SC heterogeneity and reveal SRSCs as key players in nerve repair. These insights provide potential targets for developing novel therapeutic strategies for peripheral nerve diseases.
周围神经损伤可导致感觉、运动和自主神经功能障碍，严重影响患者的生活质量。雪旺细胞（SCs）作为周围神经系统的关键组成部分，在神经修复中发挥着至关重要的作用。然而，许多功能特异且灵活的雪旺细胞亚型仍未被识别。单细胞转录组学的最新进展使人们能够更深入地了解周围神经系统发育过程中的雪旺细胞异质性。
在本研究中，我们利用单细胞转录组学来研究正常和脊神经损伤小鼠模型背根神经节中的雪旺细胞异质性。
我们鉴定出一种与压力感觉相关的新型雪旺细胞亚型，我们将其命名为应激反应相关雪旺细胞（SRSCs）。这些细胞是终末分化的，并且高度表达压力感应基因。在周围神经损伤后，SRSCs作为刺激受体发挥作用，接收外部刺激并通过SPP1信号网络将信号传递给典型的修复雪旺细胞。这种相互作用促进去分化并有助于损伤修复。
我们的研究结果加深了对雪旺细胞异质性的理解，并揭示SRSCs是神经修复的关键参与者。这些见解为开发周围神经疾病的新型治疗策略提供了潜在靶点。
