Transcriptional Landscape and Heterogeneity of Adenine-induced vs 5/6 Nephrectomized Renal Fibrosis Rats

Abstract Background The end point of renal injury induced by 5/6 nephrectomy and adenine is renal fibrosis, but the path of renal fibrosis is different. It is important to clarify the different paths of two types of renal injury from the single-cell level for the precise prevention and treatment of renal fibrosis.Methods The 10x Genomics platform was used for single-cell sequencing, including cell quality control, dimension reduction, and cluster analysis, GO, KEGG, and GSVA analysis of gene expression differences among cell clusters. Pseudotime analysis, regulatory analysis, and cell–cell interaction network analysis were used to analyze the differentiation of cell clusters, regulation of promoters, and differences in intercellular communication.Results Our study generated a single-cell transcriptional landscape and phenotypic heterogeneity of adenine-induced and 5/6 nephrectomized renal fibrosis. We also found the main differentially expressed genes of the cell subsets and the differences in intercellular communication between the two fibrosis models, which provided a new idea for accurate research and treatment of renal fibrosis in the future.Conclusion Our study has identifed differences in the major differentially expressed genes and intercellular communication between cell subpopulations in two models of adenine-induced and 5/6 nephrectomized renal fibrosis, they could become new targets for the treatment of renal fibrosis..