Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Differential Gene Expression in Endothelial and Immune Cells of the Aorto-Iliac Region in a Mouse Model of Diabetic Peripheral Arterial Disease

The incidence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has been steadily increasing for over 15 years, particularly in patients with diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms that drive diabetic angiopathy are not yet fully understood. Cross communication between endothelial cells (ECs) and macrophages in the vessel wall is critical to the progression of diabetic angiopathy. Since EC activation in diabetes is known to facilitate monocyte recruitment, which then migrate to the intima and differentiate into macrophages, understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive these vascular complications in a mouse model of diabetic PAD is important for developing targeted therapeutic interventions to mitigate disease progression and improve patient outcomes.