Single-cell transcriptome combined with genetic tracing reveals a roadmap of fibrosis formation during proliferative vitreoretinopathy
Abstract
Ocular fibrosis, a severe consequence of excessive retinal wound healing, can lead to vision loss following retinal injury. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a common form of ocular fibrosis, is a major cause of blindness, characterized by the formation of extensive fibrous proliferative membranes. Understanding the cellular origins of PVR-associated fibroblasts (PAFs) is essential to decipher the mechanisms of ocular wound healing. In this study, we combined single-cell transcriptomics with genetic lineage tracing to map the contributions of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, immune cells, and Müller cells to disease progression. RPE cells were found to constitute the largest fraction of cells within PVR lesions, transitioning through metabolic, proliferative, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition stages during their conversion to PAFs. These cells exhibited remarkable plasticity and heterogeneity. Notably, Pdgfrb + RPE cells demonstrated significant morphological plasticity, transitioning toward a fibroblast-like phenotype, while macrophage-like RPE cells acquired inflammation-related functions post-PVR. Cell communication network analysis identified Thbs1 (encoding TSP-1) as a key hub gene driving RPE cell fate transitions during PVR. Importantly, therapeutic antibodies targeting TSP-1 significantly mitigated PVR progression. This study provides a detailed roadmap of fibrosis formation during ocular wound healing and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting TSP-1 in the management of PVR.
Article Details
Journal Info
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
Authors (16)
Mengyu Liao
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Zhisheng Ye
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Yumeng Zhao
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine
Jiaying Nan
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Yuming Liu
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Xueming Yao
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Tianjing Yang
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Ju Guo
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Xin Jin
Hong Zhang
Caiyun You
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Heping Xu
The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University
Jinguo Yu
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Yupeng Chen
Xiaohong Wang
Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University
Hua Yan