Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of radiation-induced lung injury in rat

Xing-Yuan Shi; You-Qing Zhu; Chan-Jin Liang; Ting Chen; Zhi Shi; Wei Wang

doi:10.17305/bb.2024.10357

Authors

Xing-Yuan Shi Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Fifth Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
You-Qing Zhu Department of Cell Biology and Institute of Biomedicine, Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology and Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Genomic Medicine Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education, MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4846-2287
Chan-Jin Liang Department of Radiation Oncology, The Fifth Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Ting Chen Department of Radiation Oncology, The Fifth Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Zhi Shi Department of Cell Biology and Institute of Biomedicine, Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology and Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Genomic Medicine Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education, MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8328-0305
Wei Wang Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2024.10357

Keywords:

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI), single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), inflammatory, radiation pneumonitis, cell populations

Abstract

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) frequently occurs as a complication following radiotherapy for chest tumors like lung and breast cancers. However, the precise underlying mechanisms of RILI remain unclear. In this study, we generated RILI models in rats treated with a single dose of 20 Gy and examined lung tissues by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) 2 weeks post-radiation. Analysis of lung tissues revealed 18 major cell populations, indicating an increase in cell-cell communication following radiation exposure. Neutrophils, macrophages, and monocytes displayed distinct subpopulations and uncovered potential for pro-inflammatory effects. Additionally, endothelial cells exhibited a highly inflammatory profile and the potential for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, smooth muscle cells (SMC) showed a high propensity for extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Our findings broaden the current understanding of RILI and highlight potential avenues for further investigation and clinical applications.