Tomo-seq identifies NINJ1 as a potential target for anti-inflammatory strategy in thoracic aortic dissection

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a life-threatening disease caused by an intimal tear in the aorta. The histological characteristics differ significantly between the tear area (TA) and the distant area. Previous studies have emphasized that certain specific genes tend to cluster at the TA. Obtaining a thorough understanding of the precise molecular signatures near the TA will assist in discovering therapeutic strategies for TAD.

We performed a paired comparison of the pathological patterns in the TA with that in the remote area (RA). We used Tomo-seq, genome-wide transcriptional profiling with spatial resolution, to obtain gene expression signatures spanning from the TA to the RA. Samples from multiple sporadic TAD patients and animal models were used to validate our findings.

Pathological examination revealed that the TA of TAD exhibited more pronounced intimal hyperplasia, media degeneration, and inflammatory infiltration compared to the RA. The TA also had more apoptotic cells and CD31⁺α-SMA⁺ cells. Tomo-seq revealed four distinct gene expression patterns from the TA to the RA, which were inflammation, collagen catabolism, extracellular matrix remodeling, and cell stress, respectively. The spatial distribution of genes allowed us to identify genes that were potentially relevant with TAD. NINJ1 encoded the protein-mediated cytoplasmic membrane rupture, regulated tissue remodeling, showed high expression levels in the tear area, and co-expressed within the inflammatory pattern. The use of short hairpin RNA to reduce NINJ1 expression in the beta-aminopropionitrile-induced TAD model led to a significant decrease in TAD formation. Additionally, it resulted in reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and a decrease in the number of CD31⁺α-SMA⁺ cells. The NINJ1-neutralizing antibody also demonstrated comparable therapeutic effects and can effectively impede the formation of TAD.

Our study showed that Tomo-seq had the advantage of obtaining spatial expression information of TAD across the TA and the RA. We pointed out that NINJ1 may be involved in inflammation and tissue remodeling, which played an important role in the formation of TAD. NINJ1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for TAD.