Cellular census of human fibrosis defines functionally distinct stromal cell types and states

Nat Commun. 2020 Jun 2;11(1):2768. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16264-y.

Abstract

Fibrotic disorders are some of the most devastating and poorly treated conditions in developed nations, yet effective therapeutics are not identified for many of them. A major barrier for the identification of targets and successful clinical translation is a limited understanding of the human fibrotic microenvironment. Here, we construct a stromal cell atlas of human fibrosis at single cell resolution from patients with Dupuytren's disease, a localized fibrotic condition of the hand. A molecular taxonomy of the fibrotic milieu characterises functionally distinct stromal cell types and states, including a subset of immune regulatory ICAM1+ fibroblasts. In developing fibrosis, myofibroblasts exist along an activation continuum of phenotypically distinct populations. We also show that the tetraspanin CD82 regulates cell cycle progression and can be used as a cell surface marker of myofibroblasts. These findings have important implications for targeting core pathogenic drivers of human fibrosis.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Chemokines, CXC / metabolism
  • Dupuytren Contracture / immunology*
  • Dupuytren Contracture / metabolism*
  • Dupuytren Contracture / pathology
  • Fibrosis / immunology*
  • Fibrosis / metabolism*
  • Fibrosis / pathology
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Myofibroblasts / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism*
  • Tetraspanins / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment / physiology

Substances

  • ACTA2 protein, human
  • Actins
  • Biomarkers
  • CXCL14 protein, human
  • Chemokines, CXC
  • ICAM1 protein, human
  • Tetraspanins
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1