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Gene expression profile at single cell level from untreated and Enterococcus faecalis-infected skin wounds

ABSTRACT: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is a Gram-(+) opportunistic pathogen associated with predominantly nosocomial wound infections. E. faecalis has been shown to suppress or evade immune-mediated clearance by the immune system and promote persistent infection. Here, we sought to interrogate whether E. faecalis infection induces transcriptomic changes in the host at the single-cell resolution using a mouse excisional wound model. Keratinocyte, fibroblast, endothelial and immune cell populations reveal unique clusters in the infected wounds. Cell communication analysis discovered strong ligand-receptor interactions between macrophages and endothelial cells in the infected niche, whilst fibroblast and keratinocytes instruct healing cellular interactions in untreated skin wounds. We also identified differential terminal lineage driving genes, following RNA velocity in each condition. Together, results suggest that E. faecalis infection alters the skin transcriptome, which may help promote the chronicity of bacteria-infected wounds.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE229257 | GEO | 2023/12/31

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:In adult mammals, skin wound healing has evolved to favor rapid repair through formation of fibrotic scar. Consequently, skin wounds are dysfunctional and lead to chronic disfigurement and disability, yet the biologic mechanisms that drive fibrosis and prevent tissue regeneration remain unknown. Here, we report that reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antler velvet exhibits regenerative wound healing, whereas identical full-thickness injury in dorsal back skin forms fibrotic scar. This regenerative capacity is retained even following ectopic transplantation of velvet to a scar-forming site, demonstrating that this latent regenerative capacity is innate to velvet cells and independent of local factors derived from the growing antler. Single cell RNA-sequencing of uninjured skin revealed a marked divergence in resting fibroblast transcriptional states and immunomodulatory function. Uninjured velvet fibroblast shared a striking resemblance with human fetal fibroblasts whereas uninjured back skin fibroblasts exhibited an overrepresentation of pro-inflammatory genes resembling adult human fibroblasts. Identical skin injury resulted in site-specific fibroblast polarization; back fibroblasts exacerbated the inflammatory response, whereas velvet fibroblasts adopted an immunosuppressive state and reverted back to a regeneration-competent ground state. Consequently, velvet wounds exhibited reduced immune infiltrate, accelerated adoption of anti-inflammatory immune states and expedited resolution of immune response. This study demonstrates reindeer as a novel mammalian model to study adult skin regeneration (velvet) and scar formation (back skin) within the same animal. Our study underscores the importance of fibroblast heterogeneity in shaping local immune cell functions that ultimately polarize wound healing outcomes. Purposeful, acute modulation of fibroblast-mediated immune signaling represents an important therapeutic avenue to mitigate scar and improve wound healing.

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Gene expression profile at single cell level from untreated and Enterococcus faecalis-infected skin wounds

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