Prrx1 fibroblasts represent a pro-fibrotic lineage in the mouse ventral dermis

Skin scarring following dermal injury causes extreme pain and pschological trauma for patients. Currently, we do not have effective treatments to prevent or reverse skin scarring. Fibroblast heterogeneity has been shown within the unwounded mouse dorsal dermis, with fibroblast subpopulations being identified according to anatomical location and embryonic lineage. Using RNA-sequencing and single cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that Prrx1-expressing mouse fibroblasts are responsible for acute and chronic scaring in the ventral mouse dermis. In summary, we have identified and characterized a fibroblast subpopulation in the mouse ventral dermis with intrinsic scar-forming potential. Mouse wound tissue transcriptomes were profiles using RNA bulk sequencing and single cell RNA-sequencing. RNA was obtained from FACS-isolated mouse fibroblast subpopulations from Prrx1+ (PPF) and Prrx1- (PNF) mice. For RNA bulk sequencing RNA from PPF and PNF fibroblasts was collected at four timepoints (Embryonic 16 [E16], E18, Postnatal 1 [P1] and P30), giving a total of eight samples for sequencing. For single cell sequencing RNA from PPF and PNFs mice was collected from caudal and ventral skin and from unwounded and wounded skin, giving a total of eight samples. The samples were pooled, hashtagged and sequenced into two tubes.