Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) >

2025 , Vol. 45 >Issue 6: 735 - 744

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2025.06.008

Basic research

Systematic analysis and exploration of single-cell transcriptomes in aortic aneurysm

  • ZHANG Xingyu ,
  • LI Ruogu
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  • Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
First author contact:ZHANG Xingyu was responsible for research design, data acquisition and analysis, and paper writing. LI Ruogu was responsible for research topic selection, paper review, and revision. Both authors have read the last version of paper and agreed to the submission of the final manuscript.
LI Ruogu, E-mail: 13564565961@163.com.

Received date: 2024-11-15

  Accepted date: 2025-03-17

  Online published: 2025-06-28

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Abstract

Objective ·To explore the single-cell landscape of aortic aneurysm (AA) utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology. Methods ·A systematic search of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was conducted to collect all datasets meeting the inclusion criteria. Changes in the percentage of cellular composition of AA tissues versus normal control tissues were analyzed using R language and the Seurat package. Cell-cell interactions were assessed by gene expression levels of cellular receptor-ligand pairs using the CellChat package. Cellular senescence was scored and compared based on the SenMayo Senescence gene set using the AUCell package.Single-cell transcriptional data were simulated as traditional transcriptome data for differential gene screening and gene pathway enrichment analysis of pericytes. Results ·A total of nine datasets meeting the criteria were included. After quality control and merging, RNA count data for 104 570 cells were obtained, comprising 48 311 in the control group and 56 259 in the AA group. Cells were categorized into 19 clusters and annotated into 14 cell types. Compared with the control group, the proportion of pericytes in the AA group significantly decreased (P<0.001), while the proportions of monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells increased (P=0.020, P=0.045). The number of intercellular interactions in the AA group was markedly higher than that in the control group; however, yet the interactions involving smooth muscle cells decreased, and the interaction intensity among pericytes diminished. There were 5 unique intercellular interactions in the control group and 13 unique interactions in the AA group, with the interaction involving SPP1 showing the highest relative information flow. Except for adipocytes, all cell types in the AA group exhibited significantly higher senescence scores (P<0.001), with an overall increase in the number of senescent cells (P<0.001), predominantly fibroblasts. Differential expression analysis of pericytes showed 185 upregulated genes and 151 downregulated genes in the AA group, with Spp1 exhibiting the highest upregulation. Pro-inflammatory pathways related to chemokine activity and CXC chemokine receptor binding were significantly enriched. Conclusion ·The cellular composition in AA tissues undergoes significant alterations, characterized by an increase in intercellular interactions and elevated levels of cellular senescence, with Spp1 identified as a key gene.

Key words： aortic aneurysm (AA); single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq); cell communication; cell senescence

Cite this article

ZHANG Xingyu , LI Ruogu . Systematic analysis and exploration of single-cell transcriptomes in aortic aneurysm[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science), 2025 , 45(6) : 735 -744 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2025.06.008

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