Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41847343›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in physiology2026

Unveiling urethral cellular heterogeneity in menopause through single-nucleus RNA sequencing.

Jinghao Mu, Jian Xiong, Shunchang Zhou, Zhenliang Qin, Jianlin Chen, Hui Guo, Guanghui Du

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Article in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jinghao MuDepartment of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Jian XiongCenter of Experimental Animals, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Shunchang ZhouCenter of Experimental Animals, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Zhenliang QinDepartment of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Jianlin ChenInstitute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Hui GuoInstitute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Guanghui DuDepartment of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Estrogen homeostasis is crucial for the structure and function of the urethra, and estrogen deprivation resulting from menopause, ovariectomy, or ovarian dysfunction may lead to various urethral dysfunctions. However, the specific molecular mechanisms involved are still not fully understood. Methods: Urethras from three ovariectomized (OVX) rats and three Sham rats were collected for snRNA-seq analysis. Data analysis included unsupervised clustering using the UMAP algorithm to identify distinct cell types based on marker gene expression. Differential gene expression analysis was performed to identify changes in estrogen-related gene expression across different cell types. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to elucidate biological pathways associated with differentially expressed genes. Additionally, cellular interactions and developmental trajectories were analyzed to characterize cellular dynamics during menopause. Results: Here, we profiled 69,529 single-nucleus transcriptomes from rat urethra (three OVX rats and three Sham rats). The snRNA-seq analysis revealed pronounced cellular heterogeneity and menopause-associated transcriptional reprogramming. We identified Fos as a key transcription factor associated with epithelial cell communication and differentiation under estrogen-deprived conditions. In addition, basal epithelial cells displayed EMT-associated transcriptional programs and a potential epithelial-to-mesenchymal continuum toward a mesenchymal-like state in OVX rats. We also identified Tmem233 as a hub gene in a striated muscle contraction-related module enriched in type IIa myofibers, and observed heightened inflammatory activation in immune cells, particularly T cells, in OVX rats. Conclusion: In summary, our study provides a comparative analysis of the snRNA-seq data from the urethra of female rats, elucidating cellular and molecular changes during menopause.

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epithelial cellsfibroblastsmenopauseratssnRNA-sequrethra

Identifiers

PMID41847343
PMCPMC12989360

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