snRNA-seq of aldosterone producing adenoma

Recent advances in omics techniques have allowed detailed genetic characterization of aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). The pathogenesis of APA is characterized by tumorigenesis-associated aldosterone synthesis. The pathophysiological intricacies of APAs have not yet been elucidated at the level of individual cells . Therefore, a single-cell level analysis is speculated to be valuable in studying the differentiation process of APA. We conducted single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of APAs and non-functional adenomas (NFA) obtained from three and two patients, respectively.The snRNA-seq revealed the intratumoral heterogeneity of APA and identified cell populations consisting of a shared cluster of NFA and APA. In addition, we extracted two cell differentiation pathways in APA and obtained a cell population specialized in aldosterone synthesis. Genes related to ribosomes and neurodegenerative diseases were upregulated in one of these pathways, whereas those related to the regulation of actin cytoskeleton were upregulated in the other pathway. Furthermore, the total RNA reads in the nucleus were higher in highly differentiated clusters, indicating a marked activation of transcription per cell. The snRNA-seq provides novel differentiation pathways within APA tumors, which will further support our understanding of its pathophysiology including endocrine function and tumorigenesis. Overall design: single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of 3 APAs and 2 non-functional adenomas (NFA)