Single-cell and bulk tissue sequencing unravels the heterogeneity of synovial microenvironment in arthrofibrosis

Xi Chen; Lihua Gong; Cheng Li; Siyuan Wang; Ziyuan Wang; Ming Chu; Yixin Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.107379

Single-cell and bulk tissue sequencing unravels the heterogeneity of synovial microenvironment in arthrofibrosis

iScience. 2023 Jul 13;26(9):107379. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107379. eCollection 2023 Sep 15.

Authors

Xi Chen^{1

2}, Lihua Gong³, Cheng Li¹, Siyuan Wang¹, Ziyuan Wang¹, Ming Chu², Yixin Zhou¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Adult Joint Reconstructive Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 31 East Xinjiekou Street, Beijing 100035, China.
² Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology (Peking University), Beijing, China.
³ Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.

Abstract

Arthrofibrosis (AF) is a debilitating complication that occurs after trauma or surgery, leading to functional impairment and surgical failures worldwide. This study aimed to uncover the underlying mechanism of AF. A total of 141 patients were enrolled, and synovial samples were collected from both patients and animal models at different time points. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk tissue RNA sequencing (bulk-seq) were employed to profile the distinct synovial microenvironment. This study revealed changes in cell proportions during AF pathogenesis and identified Engrailed-1 (EN1) as a key transcription factor strongly associated with disease severity and clinical prognosis. Additionally, the researchers discovered a specific type of synovial fibroblast called DKK3-SLF, which played a critical role in driving AF development. These findings shed light on the composition and heterogeneity of the synovial microenvironment in AF, offering potential avenues for identifying therapeutic targets and developing clinical treatments for AF and other fibrotic diseases.

Keywords: Fibrosis; Immune system disorder; Molecular biology experimental approach; Transcriptomics.