Single-cell transcriptome reveals the reprogramming of immune microenvironment during the transition from MASH to HCC

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-driven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development is accompanied by the accumulation of immune cells within the hepatic microenvironment, yet its immunological networks remain obscure. Herein, we illustrate the profound reprogramming of the liver immune microenvironment during the transition from MASH to HCC by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). A well-established MASH-driven HCC mouse model, STAM model, was first constructed. Thereafter, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of CD45+ cells sorted from livers of mice with normal chow or at MASH stage, as well as paired paracancerous and cancer tissues from mice at HCC stage.