Single-cell Trajectories and Pseudo-time Analysis Reveal Additional Insights into Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Progression
Michelle Jinseo Ahn *
Biomedical Sciences Division, STEM Science Center, 111 Charlotte Place Ste# 100, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
As the chicken embryo grows, its increasing metabolic demand drives the development of the cardiovascular system, enabling efficient nutrient delivery through complex molecular and structural formation. Key extracellular matrix (ECM) components, such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), play a crucial role in shaping the biomechanical environment of the heart, particularly the sinoatrial node (SAN). These ECM elements regulate cell adhesion, migration, and the maturation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs), essential for the heart's electrical conductivity and rhythmicity. Based on the hypothesis that ECM mechanical properties influence the spatial patterning of conduction-related genes, we analyzed spatial transcriptomics data from chicken hearts at different developmental stages. Collagen-related genes associated with a sturdy ECM showed an increasing trend over time, while soft ECM-related genes responsible for producing proteoglycans and breaking down collagen decreased. Although conduction-related genes did not fully align with ECM trends, intriguing patterns were observed, pointing to potential interactions between ECM remodeling and the construction of the cardiac conduction system. Our findings suggest significant ECM r7emodeling between days 4 and 7, which may influence the heart's structural and functional development.
Keywords: Extracellular matrix, hyaluronic acid, pseudo-time analysis, rheumatoid arthritis, single-cell trajectories