Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveal Immune Mechanisms of the Onset and Progression of IgA Nephropathy.

作者：Ying Zheng, Ping Lu, Yiyao Deng, Lu Wen, Yong Wang, Xin Ma, Zhongxin Wang, Lingling Wu, Q. Hong, Shuwei Duan, Z. Yin, B. Fu, G. Cai, Xiangmei Chen, Fuchou Tang · 发表于：Cell Reports · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108525 · 被引用次数：113 · 研究领域：Medicine

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the leading cause of kidney failure due to an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis. We perform single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on kidneys and CD14+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from IgAN and normal samples. In IgAN, upregulation of JCHAIN in mesangial cells provides insight into the trigger mechanism for the dimerization and deposition of IgA1 in situ. The pathological mesangium also demonstrates a prominent inflammatory signature and increased cell-cell communication with other renal parenchymal cells and immune cells, suggesting disease progress from the mesangium to the entire kidney. Specific gene expression of kidney-resident macrophages and CD8+ T cells further indicates abnormal regulation associated with proliferation and inflammation. A transitional cell type among intercalated cells with fibrosis signatures is identified, suggesting an adverse outcome of interstitial fibrosis. Altogether, we systematically analyze the molecular events in the onset and progression of IgAN, providing a promising landscape for disease treatment.