Dataset Information

Endothelial response to type I interferon contributes to vasculopathy and fibrosis and predicts disease progression of systemic sclerosis

ABSTRACT: Type I interferon (IFN-1) signatures are a hallmark of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, its significance in clinical stratification and contribution to deterioration still need to be better understood. For hypothesis generation, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) on skin biopsies (SSc=4, control =2) using the BD Rhapsody platform. The IFN-1 signature was mapped, functionally investigated in a bleomycin plus IFNα2-adeno-associated virus (IFNA2-AAV) induced model, and verified in an SSc cohort (n=61). Endothelial cells (EC) had the most prominent IFN-1 signature among dermal non-immune cells. The EC IFN-1 signature was increased both in SSc vs. controls and in dcSSc vs. lcSSc. IFNA2-AAV deteriorated bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis, EndoMT, and perivascular fibrosis and caused blood vessel loss with EC apoptosis. Vascular MX1, an IFN-1 response protein, was significantly increased both in total SSc skin vs. healthy controls and in dcSSc vs. lcSSc. Baseline vascular MX1 performed similarly to skin score in predicting disease progression over 6-34 months in total SSc and was superior in the dcSSc subpopulation. To sum up, the EC IFN-1 signature distinguished SSc skin subtypes and disease progression and may contribute to vasculopathy and fibrosis.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE236111 | GEO | 2025/03/31

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Dataset's files

Source:

			Action	DRS
		Other

Items per page:

1 - 1 of 1

Similar Datasets

Project description:To identify potential dysregulation of miRNA expression in plasmacytoid dendritic cells from Systemic Sclerosis patients (SSc), miRNA profiling was performed in pDCs from healthy donors or patients with the most severe fibrotic cutaneous form of SSc, namely in dcSSc, with either disease duration shorter (edcSSc) or longer than two years (ldcSSc). Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a critical source of type I interferons (IFNs) that can contribute to the onset and maintenance of autoimmunity. Molecular mechanisms leading to pDC dysregulation and persistent type I IFN signature are largely unexplored, especially in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a disease in which pDCs infiltrate fibrotic skin lesions and produce higher levels of IFNa as compared to healthy controls. To investigate potential microRNA–mediated epigenetic mechanisms underlying pDC dysregulation and type I IFN production in SSc. microRNA expression profiling and validation was performed in highly purified pDCs obtained from the peripheral blood of 3 independent cohorts of healthy controls and SSc patients. Possible functions of miR-618 on pDC biology were identified by overexpression in healthy pDCs. miR-618 expression was upregulated in pDCs of SSc patients, including those in the early stage of disease onset and not presenting with skin fibrosis. IRF8, a crucial transcription factor for pDC development and activation, was identified as a target of miR-618. miR-618 overexpression reduced the development of pDCs from CD34+ cells in-vitro and enhanced their ability to secrete IFNα, mimicking the pDC phenotype observed in SSc patients. miR-618 upregulation suppresses pDC development and increases their ability to secrete IFNα, potentially contributing to the type I IFN signature observed in SSc patients. Considering the importance of pDCs in the pathogenesis of SSc and other diseases characterized by a type I IFN signature, miR-618 potentially represents an important epigenetic target to regulate immune system homeostasis in these conditions.

Project description:To investigate the miRNA signature in the serum of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The levels of 758 miRNAs were evaluated in the serum of 26 SSc patients as compared to 9 healthy controls by using an Openarray platform. Patients fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2013 classification criteria were classified in relation to the extent of skin fibrosis as limited cutaneous (lcSSc) or diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc); patients fulfilling the classification criteria without skin fibrosis will be referred to as non-cutaneous SSc (ncSSc). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory molecules, which have been addressed as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in rheumatic diseases. Here, we investigated the miRNA signature in the serum of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and we further assessed their expression in early stages of the disease.The levels of 758 miRNAs were evaluated in the serum of 26 SSc patients as compared to 9 healthy controls by using an Openarray platform. Three miRNAs were examined in an additional cohort of 107 SSc patients and 24 healthy donors by single qPCR. MiR-483-5p expression was further analysed in the serum of patients with localized scleroderma (LoS) (n=22), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n=33) and primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) (n=23). The function of miR-483-5p was examined by transfecting miR-483-5p into primary human dermal fibroblasts and pulmonary endothelial cells.30 miRNAs were significantly increased in patients with SSc. Of these, miR-483-5p showed reproducibly higher levels in an independent SSc cohort and was also elevated in patients with preclinical-SSc symptoms (early SSc). Notably, miR-483-5p was not differentially expressed in patients with SLE or pSS, whereas it was up-regulated in LoS, indicating that this miRNA could be involved in the development of skin fibrosis. Consistently, miR-483-5p overexpression in fibroblasts and endothelial cells modulated the expression of fibrosis-related genes.Our findings showed that miR-483-5p is up-regulated in the serum of SSc patients, from the early stages of the disease onwards, and indicated its potential function as a fine regulator of fibrosis in SSc.

Dataset Information

Endothelial response to type I interferon contributes to vasculopathy and fibrosis and predicts disease progression of systemic sclerosis

Dataset's files

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets