Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals S100a9hi macrophages promote the transition from acute inflammation to fibrotic remodeling after myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion

Rationale: The transition from acute inflammation to fibrosis following myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion (MIR) significantly affects prognosis. Macrophages play a pivotal role in inflammatory damage and repair after MIR. However, the heterogeneity and transformation mechanisms of macrophages during this transition are not well understood. Methods: In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and mass cytometry to examine murine monocyte-derived macrophages after MIR to investigate macrophage subtypes and their roles in the MIR process. S100a9^-/- mice were used to establish MIR model to clarify the mechanism of alleviating inflammation and fibrosis after MIR. Reinfusion of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) after macrophage depletion (MD) in mice subjected to MIR were performed to further examine the role of S100a9^hi macrophages in MIR. Results: We identified a unique subtype of S100a9^hi macrophages that originate from monocytes and are involved in acute inflammation and fibrosis. These S100a9^hi macrophages infiltrate the heart as early as 2 h post-reperfusion and activate the Myd88/NFκB/NLRP3 signaling pathway, amplifying inflammatory responses. As the tissue environment shifts from proinflammatory to reparative, S100a9 activates transforming growth factor-β (Tgf-β)/p-smad3 signaling. This activation not only induces the transformation of myocardial fibroblasts to myofibroblasts but also promotes fibrosis via the macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition (MMT). Targeting S100a9 with a specific inhibitor could effectively mitigate acute inflammatory damage and halt the progression of fibrosis, including MMT. Conclusion: S100a9^hi macrophages are a promising therapeutic target for managing the transition from inflammation to fibrosis after MIR.