Jiang Kaisheng, He Yang, Hu Bingjie, Quan Li, Peng Longyun, Tian Juntao, Zhou Nan, Huang Erwen, Zhao Qianhao
Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):22360. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-04398-2.
Atherosclerosis (AS), the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, is a chronic inflammatory disorder involving lipid metabolism, immune dysregulation, and cell death. Pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory programmed cell death, is implicated in AS progression, yet its molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential remain incompletely understood. A multi-omics framework integrating transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and machine learning to identify and prioritize pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in AS. Functional enrichment, immune infiltration profiling, and protein-protein interaction network analyses were conducted. Experimental validation was conducted using in vitro and in vivo models. Thirty-six PRGs were identified, with TREM2, TNF, MMP9, IL1B, and CASP1 emerging as key regulators of pyroptosis and inflammation. These PRGs demonstrated robust diagnostic potential in internal and external datasets. Immune infiltration analysis stratified AS patients into subtypes, with Cluster 2 characterized by elevated macrophage pyroptosis and a pro-inflammatory immune microenvironment. Single-cell analysis confirmed TREM2 upregulation in macrophages and monocytes, linking it to immune activation and plaque instability. Experimental validation revealed TREM2's dual role in promoting macrophage lipid accumulation and pyroptosis. This study establishes PRGs, particularly TREM2, as critical modulators of AS progression. These findings enhance our understanding of pyroptosis in AS and provide a framework for developing PRG-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
动脉粥样硬化(AS)是心血管疾病的主要病因,是一种涉及脂质代谢、免疫失调和细胞死亡的慢性炎症性疾病。细胞焦亡是一种炎症程序性细胞死亡形式,与AS进展有关,但其分子机制和治疗潜力仍未完全了解。本研究采用多组学框架,整合转录组学、单细胞RNA测序和机器学习,以识别AS中与细胞焦亡相关的基因(PRG)并对其进行优先级排序。进行了功能富集、免疫浸润分析和蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用网络分析。使用体外和体内模型进行了实验验证。共鉴定出36个PRG,其中TREM2、TNF、MMP9、IL1B和CASP1成为细胞焦亡和炎症的关键调节因子。这些PRG在内部和外部数据集中显示出强大的诊断潜力。免疫浸润分析将AS患者分为不同亚型,其中Cluster 2的特征是巨噬细胞焦亡增加和促炎免疫微环境。单细胞分析证实巨噬细胞和单核细胞中TREM2上调,将其与免疫激活和斑块不稳定联系起来。实验验证揭示了TREM2在促进巨噬细胞脂质积累和细胞焦亡中的双重作用。本研究确定PRG,尤其是TREM2,是AS进展的关键调节因子。这些发现加深了我们对AS中细胞焦亡的理解,并为开发基于PRG的诊断和治疗策略提供了框架。
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