A

Spatial proteogenomics reveals distinct and evolutionarily-conserved hepatic macrophage niches

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Abstract The liver is the largest solid organ in the body, yet it remains incompletely characterized. Here, we present a spatial proteogenomic atlas of the healthy human and murine liver combining single-cell CITE-seq, single-nuclei sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and spatial proteomics. By integrating these multi-omic datasets, we provide validated strategies to reliably discriminate and localize all hepatic cells. We then align this atlas across seven species, revealing the conserved program of bona fide Kupffer cells and bile-duct macrophages. We also uncover the respective spatially-resolved cellular niches of these macrophages and the microenvironmental circuits driving their unique transcriptomic identities. We demonstrate that bile-duct macrophages are induced by local lipid exposure, while Kupffer cells crucially depend on their crosstalk with hepatic stellate cells via the evolutionarily-conserved ALK1-BMP9/10 axis.

Authors 36

  1. Martin Guilliams corresponding

    Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  2. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  3. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  4. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium

    Hepatology Research Unit, Department Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver research Center, Ghent University, Belgium

  5. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

  6. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  7. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  8. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Data Mining and Modelling for Biomedicine, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  9. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

  10. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

  11. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  12. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  13. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 7, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  14. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    VIB BioImaging Core, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  15. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    VIB BioImaging Core, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

  16. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Immunology, Department Virology Parasitology Immunology and Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium

  17. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Immunology, Department Virology Parasitology Immunology and Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium

  18. Université Libre de Bruxelles

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

  19. Université Libre de Bruxelles · Walloon Excellence in Lifesciences and Biotechnology

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

    ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

    WELBIO, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

  20. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  21. Rega Institute for Medical Research · KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology and Vaccine Discovery, Leuven, Belgium

  22. Rega Institute for Medical Research · KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology and Vaccine Discovery, Leuven, Belgium

  23. Rega Institute for Medical Research · KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology and Vaccine Discovery, Leuven, Belgium

  24. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  25. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  26. SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics · École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

    Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland

  27. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Oncode Institute, Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Center for Cancer Genomics, Leiden Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

  28. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium

  29. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium

  30. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of General and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium

  31. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium

  32. Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Data Mining and Modelling for Biomedicine, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

  33. SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics · École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

    Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland

  34. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Hepatology Research Unit, Department Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver research Center, Ghent University, Belgium

  35. Ghent University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium

  36. Charlotte L. Scott corresponding

    Ghent University · VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium

    Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 902, Belgium

Cited by 94 stored of 97

No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).

References 36