New tools to study renal fibrogenesis

Current Opinion in Nephrology & Hypertension, vol. 33, pp. 420–426

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Kidney fibrosis is a key pathological aspect and outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The advent of multiomic analyses using human kidney tissue, enabled by technological advances, marks a new chapter of discovery in fibrosis research of the kidney. This review highlights the rapid advancements of single-cell and spatial multiomic techniques that offer new avenues for exploring research questions related to human kidney fibrosis development. RECENT FINDINGS: We recently focused on understanding the origin and transition of myofibroblasts in kidney fibrosis using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) [1] . We analysed cells from healthy human kidneys and compared them to patient samples with CKD. We identified PDGFRα+/PDGFRβ+ mesenchymal cells as the primary cellular source of extracellular matrix (ECM) in human kidney fibrosis. We found several commonly shared cell states of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and provided insights into molecular regulators. Novel single-cell and spatial multiomics tools are now available to shed light on cell lineages, the plasticity of kidney cells and cell-cell communication in fibrosis. SUMMARY: As further single-cell and spatial multiomic approaches are being developed, opportunities to apply these methods to human kidney tissues expand similarly. Careful design and optimisation of the multiomic experiments are needed to answer questions related to cell lineages, plasticity and cell-cell communication in kidney fibrosis.

Authors 3

1. Xian Liao Aachen Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

2. Emilia Scheidereit Aachen Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

3. Christoph Kuppe corresponding Aachen Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology to Christoph Kuppe Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology Medical Faculty

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   to Christoph Kuppe, MD, PhD, Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Tel: +49 0241 800; e-mail: [email protected]

   e-mail: [email protected]

   to Christoph Kuppe, MD, PhD, Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Tel: +49 0241 800