Matrisome gene-based subclassification of patients with liver fibrosis identifies clinical and molecular heterogeneities

作者：Wei Chen, Yameng Sun, Shuyan Chen, Xiaodong Ge, Wen Zhang, Ning Zhang, Xiaoning Wu, Zhuolun Song, Hui Han, Romain Désert, Xuzhen Yan, Aiting Yang, Sukanta Das, Dipti Athavale, Natalia Nieto, Hong You · 发表于：Hepatology · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1097/hep.0000000000000423 · 被引用次数：28 · 研究领域：Liver physiology and pathology、Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics、Connective Tissue Growth Factor Research

BACKGROUND AIMS: Excessive deposition and crosslinking of extracellular matrix increases liver density and stiffness, promotes fibrogenesis, and increases resistance to fibrinolysis. An emerging therapeutic opportunity in liver fibrosis is to target the composition of the extracellular matrix or block pathogenic communication with surrounding cells. However, the type and extent of extracellular changes triggering liver fibrosis depend on the underlying etiology. Our aim was to unveil matrisome genes not dependent on etiology, which are clinically relevant to liver fibrosis. APPROACH RESULTS: We used transcriptomic profiles from liver fibrosis cases of different etiologies to identify and validate liver fibrosis-specific matrisome genes (LFMGs) and their clinical and biological relevance. Dysregulation patterns and cellular landscapes of LFMGs were further explored in mouse models of liver fibrosis progression and regression by bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing. We identified 35 LFMGs, independent of etiology, representing an LFMG signature defining liver fibrosis. Expression of the LFMG signature depended on histological severity and was reduced in regressive livers. Patients with liver fibrosis, even with identical pathological scores, could be subclassified into LFMG Low and LFMG High , with distinguishable clinical, cellular, and molecular features. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that microfibrillar-associated protein 4 + activated HSC increased in LFMG High patient...