RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis suggested Gdf10 expression in adventitial CFs represents a mechanism for crosstalk with a distinct cardiac cell type [human RNA-seq]

Gdf10 encodes growth and differentiation factor 10, a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/transforming growth factor-ß (TGFß) superfamily. Cardiac fibroblasts are known to express high levels of these receptors (used to transduce TGFß signaling, a central pathway in fibroblast activation). In this study, we showed that adventitial fibroblasts express Gdf10 at higher levels than interstitial fibroblasts at both neonatal level and in adulthood, suggesting that it might represent a cell autonomous signaling mechanism. To test this, we conducted RNA-seq experiment in primary human cardiac fibroblasts subjected to recombinant GDF10. Whole transcriptome analysis revealed minimal alterations (only 4 moderately modulated genes), suggesting that rather than a cell autonomous mechanism, Gdf10 expression in adventitial CFs represents a mechanism for crosstalk with a distinct cardiac cell type. Overall design: RNA-seq analyses were performed on human cardiac fibroblasts treated with vehicle or GDF10.