Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals a landscape and targeted treatment of ferroptosis in retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

• DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02621-9
• Publication Date: 2022-10-26T08:05:27Z
• Authors: Yangyang Li; Yuwen Wen; Xiuxing Liu; Zhuang Li; Bingying Lin; Caibin Deng; Ziyu Yu; Yingting Zhu; Ling Zhao; Wenru Su; Yehong Zhuo
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Research; Iron; Single-cell RNA sequencing; Mice; Disease Models, Animal; 03 medical and health sciences; Ischemia; Reperfusion Injury; Retinal ischemia–reperfusion injury; Fer-1; Animals; Ferroptosis; Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system; RC346-429

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to establish a complete retinal cell atlas of ischemia–reperfusion injury by single-cell RNA sequencing, and to explore the underlying mechanism of retinal ischemia–reperfusion injury in mice.

Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to evaluate changes in the mouse retinal ischemia reperfusion model. In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to verify the protective effect of inhibiting ferroptosis in retinal ischemia–reperfusion injury.

Results After ischemia–reperfusion injury, retinal cells were significantly reduced, accompanied by the activation of myeloid and a large amount of blood-derived immune cell infiltration. The IFNG, MAPK and NFKB signaling pathways in retinal neuronal cells, together with the TNF signaling pathway in myeloid give rise to a strong inflammatory response in the I/R state. Besides, the expression of genes implicating iron metabolism, oxidative stress and multiple programed cell death pathways have changed in cell subtypes described above. Especially the ferroptosis-related genes and blocking this process could apparently alleviate the inflammatory immune responses and enhance retinal ganglion cells survival.

Conclusions We established a comprehensive landscape of mouse retinal ischemia–reperfusion injury at the single-cell level, revealing the important role of ferroptosis during this injury, and targeted inhibition of ferroptosis can effectively protect retinal structure and function.