Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of the immune cell landscape in the aged mouse brain after ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is a medical emergency that primarily affects the elderly. A complex immune response in the post-stroke brain constitutes a key component of stroke pathophysiology. This study aimed to determine how stroke affects immune cell populations in the aged brain based on molecular profiles of individual cells. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing and a new transient ischemic stroke mouse model with late reperfusion were used. RESULTS: We generated, for the first time, a composite picture of immune cell populations in the stroke aged brain at single-cell resolution. We discovered at least 6 microglial subsets in the stroke aged brain, including a potentially stroke-specific subtype. Moreover, we identified major cell subpopulations formed by infiltrated myeloid cells after stroke, and revealed their unique molecular profiles. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided the first scRNA-seq data set for immune cells in the stroke aged brain, and offered novel insights into post-stroke immune cell heterogeneity.