@article{XING2026, 
author = {Yujie XING and Zhaoqian JIA and Ting FENG and Hongyan ZUO and Yang LI},
title = {Transcriptomic profiling of Csf3rhiCD14hi neutrophils in lung tissue of mice before and after irradiation},
year = {2026},
journal = {Military Medical Sciences},
volume = {50},
number = {4},
pages = {251-259},
keywords = {radiation, mice, neutrophils, radiation induced lung injury, RNA-sequencing},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.7644/j.issn.1674-9960.2026-00003},
doi = {10.7644/j.issn.1674-9960.2026-00003},
abstract = {ObjectiveTo investigate the transcription of neutrophils (Neu) expressing high levels of Csf3rhiCD14hiNeu in C3H/HeN mouse lung tissues before and after irradiation.MethodsTwelve C3H/HeN mice were randomly divided into an irradiation group and a control group before being exposed to a single dose of 20 Gy chest irradiation. Twenty-four weeks after irradiation, two Neu subsets, Csf3rhiCD14hiNeu and Csf3rlowCD14hiNeu, were selected from lung tissues of irradiated and non-irradiated mice by flow cytometry. Transcriptomic sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed on the two types of cells. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the DESeq2 package. Functional enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed using the gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) databases.ResultsAt 24 weeks post-irradiation, the alveolar space was significantly reduced, collagen deposition increased, and fibrosis localized in C3H/HeN mice. RNA-seq analysis suggested that there were 1499 DEGs in Csf3rhiCD14hiNeu compared with Csf3rlowCD14hiNeu in the irradiated group, 179 of which were upregulated and 1320 downregulated. In the control group, there were 701 significantly upregulated and 431 downregulated genes in Csf3rhiCD14hiNeu compared with Csf3rlowCD14hiNeu. Compared with non-irradiated Csf3rlowCD14hiNeu, there were 1319 upregulated and 219 downregulated genes in the irradiated group. Compared with non-irradiated Csf3rhiCD14hiNeu, the irradiated group had 202 upregulated and 540 downregulated genes. GO enrichment analysis indicated that these DEGs were involved in immune response, Wnt signaling pathway, and cytokine production. KEGG pathway analysis pointed to significant enrichment in the TGF-β signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, and Jak-STAT signaling pathway. GSEA revealed significant alterations in non-canonical NF-κB signaling, PD-1 signaling, and laminin interaction-related pathways.ConclusionThoracic γ-ray irradiation can cause pulmonary fibrosis in C3H/HeN mice, with marked transcriptomic differences between Csf3rhiCD14hi and Csf3rlowCD14hiNeu subsets in lung tissue post-irradiation.}
}