Single-cell RNA transcriptomics of hypertensive nephropathy patients

Hypertensive nephropathy (HTN) emerges as one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease, yet the precise mechanisms and cell-specific gene expression changes are still unknown. This study used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to explore novel molecular mechanisms and hub gene targets for HTN.Our data identifies a distinct cell-specific gene expression profile, pathogenic signaling pathways and potential cell-cell crosstalks in the progression of HTN. These findings will provide a promising novel landscape for mechanisms and treatment of HTN. Overall design: We analyzed kidney samples from 3 patients with HTN using single-cell RNA sequencing, compared with previous data of controls. We then identified distinct cell clusters through unsupervised clustering analysis of kidney specimens. Identification of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enrichment analysis in different cells as well as the interaction between cells were also performed. In addition, the differences of gene expression and enrichment pathway in patients with different levels of proteinuria were analyzed.