Single-cell transcriptome reveals core cell populations and androgen-RXFP2 axis involved in deer antler full regeneration

Deer antlers constitute a unique mammalian model for the study of both organ formation in postnatal life and annual full regeneration. Previous studies revealed that these events are achieved through the proliferation and differentiation of antlerogenic periosteum (AP) cells and pedicle periosteum (PP) cells, respectively. As the cells resident in the AP and the PP possess stem cell attributes, both antler generation and regeneration are stem cell-based processes. However, the cell composition of each tissue type and molecular events underlying antler development remain poorly characterized. Here, we took the approach of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) and identified eight cell types (mainly THY1 + cells, progenitor cells, and osteochondroblasts) and three core subclusters of the THY1 + cells (SC2, SC3, and SC4). Endothelial and mural cells each are heterogeneous at transcriptional level. It was the proliferation of progenitor, mural, and endothelial cells in the activated antler-lineage-specific tissues that drove the rapid formation of the antler. We detected the differences in the initial differentiation process between antler generation and regeneration using pseudotime trajectory analysis. These may be due to the difference in the degree of stemness of the AP-THY1 + and PP-THY1 + cells. We further found that androgen-RXFP2 axis may be involved in triggering initial antler full regeneration. Fully deciphering the cell composition for these antler tissue types will open up new avenues for elucidating the mechanism underlying antler full renewal in specific and regenerative medicine in general.