Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness

Abstract Keloid is a dermatofibrotic disease known for its aggressive nature and characterized by pathological scarring, which often leads to disfigurement and frequent recurrences. Effective therapies for keloids are still limited, presumably due to the inadequate comprehension of their aggressive...

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Main Authors: Xinwei Cheng, Zhen Gao, Shengzhou Shan, Haoyu Shen, Hongkun Zheng, Lu Jin, Qingfeng Li, Jia Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07311-1
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author Xinwei Cheng
Zhen Gao
Shengzhou Shan
Haoyu Shen
Hongkun Zheng
Lu Jin
Qingfeng Li
Jia Zhou
author_facet Xinwei Cheng
Zhen Gao
Shengzhou Shan
Haoyu Shen
Hongkun Zheng
Lu Jin
Qingfeng Li
Jia Zhou
author_sort Xinwei Cheng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Keloid is a dermatofibrotic disease known for its aggressive nature and characterized by pathological scarring, which often leads to disfigurement and frequent recurrences. Effective therapies for keloids are still limited, presumably due to the inadequate comprehension of their aggressive mechanisms. In our study, we examined the unique scenario where both keloid and non-aggressive pathological scar originate from the same patient, providing a rare opportunity to explore the aggressive mechanisms of keloids through single-cell RNA sequencing. We found that the dominant fibroblast subgroup in keloids is mechanoresponsive group, which showed enhanced mechanotransduction and migration. This mechanoresponsive fibroblast subgroup is likely to be the key cell population and confer aggressive growth of keloids. The results also indicate that the endothelial cells and keratinocytes in keloid involve in endothelial-mesenchymal and epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. This study demonstrated the mechanoresponsive fibroblasts and multiple cellular mesenchymal processes could pave the way for further investigations into the keloid aggressiveness.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2399-3642
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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spelling doaj-art-1154f6cc7a76456a8ef66b0d4d07a24c2024-12-22T12:41:59ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422024-12-017111210.1038/s42003-024-07311-1Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressivenessXinwei Cheng0Zhen Gao1Shengzhou Shan2Haoyu Shen3Hongkun Zheng4Lu Jin5Qingfeng Li6Jia Zhou7Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineCAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineSchool of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract Keloid is a dermatofibrotic disease known for its aggressive nature and characterized by pathological scarring, which often leads to disfigurement and frequent recurrences. Effective therapies for keloids are still limited, presumably due to the inadequate comprehension of their aggressive mechanisms. In our study, we examined the unique scenario where both keloid and non-aggressive pathological scar originate from the same patient, providing a rare opportunity to explore the aggressive mechanisms of keloids through single-cell RNA sequencing. We found that the dominant fibroblast subgroup in keloids is mechanoresponsive group, which showed enhanced mechanotransduction and migration. This mechanoresponsive fibroblast subgroup is likely to be the key cell population and confer aggressive growth of keloids. The results also indicate that the endothelial cells and keratinocytes in keloid involve in endothelial-mesenchymal and epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. This study demonstrated the mechanoresponsive fibroblasts and multiple cellular mesenchymal processes could pave the way for further investigations into the keloid aggressiveness.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07311-1
spellingShingle Xinwei Cheng
Zhen Gao
Shengzhou Shan
Haoyu Shen
Hongkun Zheng
Lu Jin
Qingfeng Li
Jia Zhou
Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
Communications Biology
title Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
title_full Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
title_fullStr Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
title_full_unstemmed Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
title_short Single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
title_sort single cell transcriptomics reveals the cellular heterogeneity of keloids and the mechanism of their aggressiveness
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07311-1
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