Single-Cell Transcriptomics Uncovers Zonation of Function in the Mesenchyme during Liver Fibrosis

Dobie R, Wilson-Kanamori JR, Henderson BEP, Smith JR, Matchett KP, Portman JR, Wallenborg K, Picelli S, Zagorska A, Pendem SV, Hudson TE, Wu MM, Budas GR, Breckenridge DG, Harrison EM, Mole DJ, Wigmore SJ, Ramachandran P, Ponting CP, Teichmann SA, Marioni JC, Henderson NC

Cell Rep 29 (7) 1832-1847.e8 [2019-11-00; online 2019-11-00]

Iterative liver injury results in progressive fibrosis disrupting hepatic architecture, regeneration potential, and liver function. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a major source of pathological matrix during fibrosis and are thought to be a functionally homogeneous population. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to deconvolve the hepatic mesenchyme in healthy and fibrotic mouse liver, revealing spatial zonation of HSCs across the hepatic lobule. Furthermore, we show that HSCs partition into topographically diametric lobule regions, designated portal vein-associated HSCs (PaHSCs) and central vein-associated HSCs (CaHSCs). Importantly we uncover functional zonation, identifying CaHSCs as the dominant pathogenic collagen-producing cells in a mouse model of centrilobular fibrosis. Finally, we identify LPAR1 as a therapeutic target on collagen-producing CaHSCs, demonstrating that blockade of LPAR1 inhibits liver fibrosis in a rodent NASH model. Taken together, our work illustrates the power of single-cell transcriptomics to resolve the key collagen-producing cells driving liver fibrosis with high precision.

Eukaryotic Single Cell Genomics (ESCG) [Collaborative]

PubMed 31722201

DOI 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.024

Crossref 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.024

pmc: PMC6856722
pii: S2211-1247(19)31324-5