Dysfunction and Pathological Origins of Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in Atherosclerosis Revealed by Single-Cell Transcriptomics.

ABSTRACT: Background: Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, involves complex interactions between vascular and immune cells. The role of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in this process remains incompletely characterized, limiting our understanding of disease mechanisms. This study aimed to delineate the phenotypic and functional dynamics of LECs during atherosclerosis progression. Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on aortic cells from ApoE-/- mice on a high-fat diet at baseline, 8 weeks (early disease), and 16 weeks (late disease). Bioinformatic analyses, including clustering, differential expression, trajectory inference, and cell-cell communication analysis, were applied to characterize LEC subpopulations and their transcriptional reprogramming

SUBMITTER: Shen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12733261 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature