Dissection of cellular and molecular mechanisms of aristolochic acid-induced hepatotoxicity via single-cell transcriptomics

BACKGROUND: Aristolochic acids (AAs), a class of carcinogenic and mutagenic natural products from Aristolochia and Asarum plants, are well-known to be responsible for inducing nephrotoxicity and urothelial carcinoma. Recently, accumulating evidence suggests that exposure to AAs could also induce hepatotoxicity and even hepatocellular carcinoma, though the mechanisms are poorly defined. METHODS: Here, we aimed to dissect the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of aristolochic acid I (AAI)-induced hepatotoxicity by using advanced single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and proteomics techniques. We established the first single-cell atlas of mouse livers in response to AAI. RESULTS: In hepatocytes, our results indicated that AAI activated NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways, which may contribute to the inflammatory response and apoptosis. In liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), AAI activated multiple oxidative stress and inflammatory associated signaling pathways and induced apoptosis. Importantly, AAI induced infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and activation of proinflammatory macrophage and neutrophil cells in the liver to produce inflammatory cytokines to aggravate inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our study provides novel knowledge of AAs-induced molecular characteristics of hepatotoxicity at a single-cell level and suggests future treatment options for AAs associated hepatotoxicity.