Single-cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Transcriptional Signatures and Cell-cell crosstalk in Patients with Hypertensive Nephropathy

Hypertensive nephropathy (HTN) is 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 gene targets for HTN.Our data identifies a distinct cell-specific gene expression profile, pathogenic signaling pathways and potential cell-cell communications in the pathogenesis of HTN. These findings will provide a promising novel landscape for mechanisms and treatment of HTN. Overall design: We analyzed kidney samples from 2 patients with HTN and 2 healthy control subjects using single-cell RNA sequencing. 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.