Spatiotemporal transcriptomics elucidates thepathogenesis of fulminant viral myocarditis

On February 10, 2025, Professor Fang Xiaodong, Scientific Advisor of the company, and the research team led by Professor Professor Wang Daowen from Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology, published a landmark study in *Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy* [4]. Using Stereo-seq spatial transcriptomics and single-nucleus RNA sequencing technologies, the research team, for the first time in a CVB3 virus-infected mouse model, mapped the dynamic spatiotemporal gene atlas of Fulminant Myocarditis (FM), vividly revealing the entire process of the cardiac "immune storm." The study found that cardiac mesothelial cells serve as the initial "gateway" for viral infection, activating macrophages through the release of C3 complement signals to initiate the immune cascade. CD8+ T cells mediate cardiomyocyte death by secreting interferon-γ (IFN-γ), with its downstream effector Spi1 being a key "driver"—inhibition of Spi1 significantly improved survival rates. The research confirmed that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a clinically used treatment, effectively suppresses the IFN-γ/Spi1 signaling axis, validating its scientific therapeutic basis. This achievement provides a comprehensive analysis of the trigger and expansion pathways of the "immune storm" in fulminant myocarditis, offering critical evidence for developing novel Spi1-targeted therapies and optimizing IVIG treatment regimens.

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy(IF:52.7). 2025 Feb 10;10:59.DOI: 10.1038/s41392-025-02143-9