Intercellular communication atlas reveals Oprm1 as a neuroprotective factor for retinal ganglion cells.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies of neuronal survival have primarily focused on identifying intrinsic mechanisms controlling the process. This study explored how intercellular communication contributes to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival following optic nerve crush based on single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We observed transcriptomic changes in retinal cells in response to the injury, with astrocytes and Müller glia having the most interactions with RGCs. By comparing RGC subclasses characterized by distinct resilience to cell death, we found that the high-survival RGCs tend to have more ligand-receptor interactions with neighboring cells. We identified 47 interactions stronger in high-survival RGCs, likely mediating neuroprotective effects. We validated one identified target, the μ-opioid receptor (Oprm1

SUBMITTER: Qian C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11636819 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature