Single‐Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Functional Exhaustion of T Cells in Oral Lichen Planus

作者：Xin Chen, Xinwen Wu, Ruowen Zhao, Pan Xu, Pingyi Zhu, Kailin Tang, Yuan He · 发表于：Molecular Oral Microbiology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1111/omi.12495 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Oral Health Pathology and Treatment、Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics、Osteomyelitis and Bone Disorders Research

Abstract Background Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common T‐cell‐mediated chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa. Different T‐cell subsets play distinct roles in the pathogenesis of OLP. This study aims to reveal the composition and heterogeneity of T cells in the immune microenvironment of OLP using single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq), thus providing new insights into the pathogenesis of OLP. Materials and Methods Oral mucosal tissues were collected from three OLP patients and three healthy individuals for scRNA‐seq. Data were processed using R software for dimensionality reduction, clustering, annotation, proportion analysis, gene expression visualization, and pseudotime analysis. A chronic inflammation model was established by injecting Prevotella melaninogenica bacteria solution into the buccal mucosa of mice. RT‐qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of OLP‐related inflammatory factors (Tnf‐α, Il‐1b, and Il‐6) and the exhaustion marker Pd1. HE and immunofluorescence staining were employed to assess histopathological changes in oral mucosal tissues and the quantity of CD8 + ‐exhausted T cells (CD8 + Tex). Results ScRNA‐seq results showed a significant increase in T cell numbers in the oral mucosal tissues of OLP patients compared to healthy individuals. The average expression levels of effector molecules (GZMB, PRF1, TNFA, IL2, and IFNG) in CD8 + T cells were reduced. The number of CD8 + Tex significantly increased, and these cells were in the terminal s...