Resolving the fibrotic niche of human liver cirrhosis using single-cell transcriptomics

We profile the transcriptomes of over 100,000 human single cells, yielding molecular definitions for non-parenchymal cell types present in healthy and cirrhotic human liver. We uncover a novel scar-associated TREM2+CD9+ macrophage subpopulation, which expands in liver fibrosis, differentiates from circulating monocytes, has a corollary population in mouse liver fibrosis and is pro-fibrogenic. We also define novel ACKR1+ and PLVAP+ endothelial cells which expand in cirrhosis, are topographically scar-restricted and enhance leucocyte transmigration. Multi-lineage ligand-receptor modelling of interactions between the novel scar-associated macrophages, endothelial cells and PDGFRa+ collagen-producing mesenchymal cells reveals intra-scar activity of several pro-fibrogenic pathways including TNFRSF12A, PDGFR and NOTCH signalling. Our work dissects unanticipated aspects of the cellular and molecular basis of human organ fibrosis at a single-cell level, and provides the conceptual framework required to discover rational therapeutic targets in liver cirrhosis. Overall design: Single-cell transcriptomic data are presented from 5 healthy livers, 5 cirrhotic livers and 4 PBMC samples from cirrhotic patients. We also present single-cell transcriptomic data on hepatic macrophages from healthy mice or mice following chronic carbon tetrachloride administration.