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Development of an analytical system for renal spatial immune microenvironment using imaging mass cytometry
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Jiawen LIU1, Qun XIANG2, 3, Yichao SHEN2, Jiangnan ZHANG4, Li YIN3, Yi TIAN5, Jingbo ZHANG4, Zeqing FENG2, 3, Yuzhang WU1, 5
Journal of Army Medical University | 2026, 48(7) : 831 - 846
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Journal of Army Medical University | 2026, 48(7): 831-846
• Basic Medicine •
Development of an analytical system for renal spatial immune microenvironment using imaging mass cytometry
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Jiawen LIU1, Qun XIANG2, 3, Yichao SHEN2, Jiangnan ZHANG4, Li YIN3, Yi TIAN5, Jingbo ZHANG4, Zeqing FENG2, 3, Yuzhang WU1, 5
Affiliations
  • 1Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong
  • 2Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing
  • 3School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing
  • 4Department of Nephrology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing
  • 5Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
Published: 2026-04-15 doi: 10.16016/j.2097-0927.202601047
Outline
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Objective

The progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is closely associated with the disruption of renal spatial immune microenvironment. This study aimed to develop an integrated experimental and analytical system for dissecting the immune microenvironment of CKD using imaging mass cytometry (IMC), thereby enabling panoramic analysis of single-cell spatial immune microenvironment in CKD renal tissues.

Methods

① Antigenic markers targeting renal structural units, stromal cells, and immune cells were screened to construct a mass cytometry imaging antibody panel; all metal-conjugated antibodies were validated for specificity by immunohistochemistry. ②Two normal kidney biopsy specimens adjacent to ureteral carcinoma, 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN), and 2 IgA nephropathy (IgAN) renal biopsy specimens were collected, stained with the aforementioned antibodies, and subjected to image data acquisition using the Hyperion imaging system to obtain multiplexed spatial data. ③ An integrated Ilastik and CellProfiler workflow was established for single-cell segmentation pipeline tailored for renal tissues, and cell identity annotation was achieved using a combination of manual gating and Phenograph unsupervised clustering. ④ Spatial proximity relationships between cells were defined, and permutation testing was employed to simulate random distribution models to examine spatial relationships between tissue cells and immune cells. ⑤ k-nearest neighbors (kNN) algorithm was applied for spatial clustering, and cellular neighborhoods (CNs) were used to delineate the spatial functional units within renal tissue, followed by analysis of the immunological characteristics and relative abundance of these units.

Results

①A 37-color antibody panel was constructed and optimized, with all antibodies demonstrating high specificity and low background noise; this panel enabled accurate identification of renal structural cells, stromal cells, and infiltrating immune cells. ② High-dimensional IMC imaging data were successfully obtained from normal and CKD renal tissues using the Hyperion imaging system. ③ With the aid of the single-cell segmentation pipeline, a high-resolution single-cell atlas of human kidney was systematically mapped, comprising 21 structural cell types and 17 immune cell subtypes. Immune cell populations such as CD15⁺ macrophages, GzmK⁺ CD4⁺ effector T cells, and 3 distinct double-positive renal tubular cells were identified, revealing differential infiltration of immune cells in DN and IgAN tissues. ④ A single-cell spatial interaction analysis framework was established, demonstrating a disease-specific spatial interaction network of immune cells in CKD tissues, and identifying myofibroblasts as a critical spatial hub connecting tissue injury and immune cell infiltration.⑤ Spatial neighborhood analysis delineated 9 functional units of renal tissue, including glomerular, proximal tubular, ascending limb of the loop of Henle, vascular and fibrotic, and immune cell-enriched regions. In diseased tissues, the proportion of normal functional regions was decreased, whereas the proportions of fibrotic and immune-enriched regions were increased significantly. Moreover, immune cell-enriched zones maintained close colocalization with various functional regions, while vascular and fibrotic regions were predominantly adjacent to collecting duct and ascending limb of the loop of Henle.

Conclusion

An IMC methodology tailored for the spatial analysis of renal tissue is successfully developed. This platform enables high-resolution, panoramic visualization of spatial distribution of immune cells in chronic renal tissues, dissecting spatial interactions between immune and structural cells and characteristics of local immune microenvironment. This technology holds promise to advance the development of spatially informed precision diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies for renal diseases.

imaging mass cytometry  /  chronic kidney disease  /  renal spatial immune microenvironment  /  single-cell analysis
刘佳雯, 向群, 沈一超, 张江南, 尹俐, 田易, 张静波, 冯泽清, 吴玉章. 利用成像质谱流式技术建立肾脏空间免疫微环境的分析体系. 陆军军医大学学报, 2026 , 48 (7) : 831 -846 . DOI: 10.16016/j.2097-0927.202601047
Jiawen LIU, Qun XIANG, Yichao SHEN, Jiangnan ZHANG, Li YIN, Yi TIAN, Jingbo ZHANG, Zeqing FENG, Yuzhang WU. Development of an analytical system for renal spatial immune microenvironment using imaging mass cytometry[J]. Journal of Army Medical University, 2026 , 48 (7) : 831 -846 . DOI: 10.16016/j.2097-0927.202601047
Year 2026 volume 48 Issue 7
62
23
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Article Info
doi: 10.16016/j.2097-0927.202601047
  • Receive Date:2026-01-14
  • Online Date:2026-10-23
  • Published:2026-04-15
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History
  • Received:2026-01-14
  • Revised:2026-02-06
Affiliations
    1Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong
    2Chongqing International Institute for Immunology, Chongqing
    3School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing
    4Department of Nephrology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing
    5Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数
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鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
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