High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis

Abstract Background In mouse models of atherosclerosis, knockout of the PLA2G2A gene has been shown to reduce the volume of atherosclerotic plaques. Clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of using the sPLA2 inhibitor Varespladib in combination with statins to reduce lipid levels. However, t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xin Wang, Shen Li, Chen Liu, Jiawei Zhao, Gangfeng Ren, Feng Zhang, Xuyang Liu, Shuang Cao, Yuming Xu, Zongping Xia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-10-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05679-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850202376051359744
author Xin Wang
Shen Li
Chen Liu
Jiawei Zhao
Gangfeng Ren
Feng Zhang
Xuyang Liu
Shuang Cao
Yuming Xu
Zongping Xia
author_facet Xin Wang
Shen Li
Chen Liu
Jiawei Zhao
Gangfeng Ren
Feng Zhang
Xuyang Liu
Shuang Cao
Yuming Xu
Zongping Xia
author_sort Xin Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In mouse models of atherosclerosis, knockout of the PLA2G2A gene has been shown to reduce the volume of atherosclerotic plaques. Clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of using the sPLA2 inhibitor Varespladib in combination with statins to reduce lipid levels. However, this approach has not yielded the expected results in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is necessary to further investigate the mechanisms of PLA2G2A. Methods Single-cell transcriptome data from two sets of carotid plaques, combined with clinical patient information. were used to describe the expression characteristics of PLA2G2A in carotid plaques at different stages. In order to explore the mechanisms of PLA2G2A, we conducted enrichment analysis, cell–cell communication analysis and single-cell regulatory network inference and clustering analyses. We validated the above findings at the cellular level. Results Our findings indicate that PLA2G2A is primarily expressed in vascular fibroblasts and shows significant cell interactions with macrophages in the early-stage, especially in complement and inflammation-related pathways. We also found that serum sPLA2 levels have stronger diagnostic value in patients with mild carotid artery stenosis. Subsequent comparisons of single-cell transcriptomic data from early and late-stage carotid artery plaques corroborated these findings and predicted transcription factors that might regulate the progression of early carotid atherosclerosis (CA) and the expression of PLA2G2A. Conclusions Our study discovered and validated that PLA2G2A is highly expressed by vascular fibroblasts and promotes plaque progression through the activation of macrophage complement and coagulation cascade pathways in the early-stage of CA.
format Article
id doaj-art-39e438bfc66047b1a751b7ca8808a0e4
institution OA Journals
issn 1479-5876
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Translational Medicine
spelling doaj-art-39e438bfc66047b1a751b7ca8808a0e42025-08-20T02:11:47ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762024-10-0122111510.1186/s12967-024-05679-6High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosisXin Wang0Shen Li1Chen Liu2Jiawei Zhao3Gangfeng Ren4Feng Zhang5Xuyang Liu6Shuang Cao7Yuming Xu8Zongping Xia9The Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityThe Clinical Systems Biology Laboratories of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityAbstract Background In mouse models of atherosclerosis, knockout of the PLA2G2A gene has been shown to reduce the volume of atherosclerotic plaques. Clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of using the sPLA2 inhibitor Varespladib in combination with statins to reduce lipid levels. However, this approach has not yielded the expected results in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is necessary to further investigate the mechanisms of PLA2G2A. Methods Single-cell transcriptome data from two sets of carotid plaques, combined with clinical patient information. were used to describe the expression characteristics of PLA2G2A in carotid plaques at different stages. In order to explore the mechanisms of PLA2G2A, we conducted enrichment analysis, cell–cell communication analysis and single-cell regulatory network inference and clustering analyses. We validated the above findings at the cellular level. Results Our findings indicate that PLA2G2A is primarily expressed in vascular fibroblasts and shows significant cell interactions with macrophages in the early-stage, especially in complement and inflammation-related pathways. We also found that serum sPLA2 levels have stronger diagnostic value in patients with mild carotid artery stenosis. Subsequent comparisons of single-cell transcriptomic data from early and late-stage carotid artery plaques corroborated these findings and predicted transcription factors that might regulate the progression of early carotid atherosclerosis (CA) and the expression of PLA2G2A. Conclusions Our study discovered and validated that PLA2G2A is highly expressed by vascular fibroblasts and promotes plaque progression through the activation of macrophage complement and coagulation cascade pathways in the early-stage of CA.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05679-6Carotid atherosclerosisSingle-cell transcriptomeFibroblastComplement and coagulation cascade pathwaySecretory phospholipase A2
spellingShingle Xin Wang
Shen Li
Chen Liu
Jiawei Zhao
Gangfeng Ren
Feng Zhang
Xuyang Liu
Shuang Cao
Yuming Xu
Zongping Xia
High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
Journal of Translational Medicine
Carotid atherosclerosis
Single-cell transcriptome
Fibroblast
Complement and coagulation cascade pathway
Secretory phospholipase A2
title High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
title_full High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
title_fullStr High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
title_full_unstemmed High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
title_short High expression of PLA2G2A in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
title_sort high expression of pla2g2a in fibroblasts plays a crucial role in the early progression of carotid atherosclerosis
topic Carotid atherosclerosis
Single-cell transcriptome
Fibroblast
Complement and coagulation cascade pathway
Secretory phospholipase A2
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05679-6
work_keys_str_mv AT xinwang highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT shenli highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT chenliu highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT jiaweizhao highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT gangfengren highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT fengzhang highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT xuyangliu highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT shuangcao highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT yumingxu highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis
AT zongpingxia highexpressionofpla2g2ainfibroblastsplaysacrucialroleintheearlyprogressionofcarotidatherosclerosis