New peer-reviewed paper outlines aging-related changes in white matter by single-cell and spatial transcriptomics

Vizgen, Inc., a life sciences company advancing spatial multi-omics, today announced the publication of a study in Nature Neuroscience that showcases the use of the MERSCOPE^® platform for better understanding the processes that occur during aging. This landmark study, entitled “Microglia activation orchestrates CXCL10-mediated CD8⁺ T cell recruitment to promote aging-related white matter degeneration,” was published online in late May and is featured as the cover story of the June issue of Nature Neuroscience.

The research teams at the Technical University of Munich, the University Hospital Würzburg, and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Munich harnessed the single-cell, high resolution, high sensitivity and spatial characterization capabilities of Vizgen’s MERSCOPE Platform to analyze the role and inflammatory interactions of diverse glial and rare immune cells that serve as indicators of aging processes in the white matter of mice. As a result, the researchers identified an important axis that contributes to age-related decline in brain function.

“In our study, the spatial transcriptomics approach was specifically designed to identify signals around rare T cells in aging white matter, leading us to discover valuable new insights about microglial functions related to aging-associated changes in myelinated axons,” said Janos Groh, a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology of the Technical University of Munich. “From the beginning, we understood that conventional omics technologies would not provide the high resolution and spatial context needed to accurately analyze these rare cells within aging white matter. We found that Vizgen’s MERSCOPE platform, with its advanced visual capabilities, was the appropriate solution. It allowed us to examine their cellular niches within highly structured white matter tissue, providing a readout system that was very well suited to our investigation of neurodegeneration.”

White matter decreases in volume and undergoes degenerative changes with age. Understanding the underlying processes that contribute to the associated decline in cognitive functions and the risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases is crucial. However, the structural, molecular and cellular changes associated with aging-related white matter degeneration are complex. White matter changes and oligodendrocyte dysfunction in aging lead to neuroinflammation, particularly through the activation of microglia. The key findings of the new study in the Nature Neuroscience paper demonstrate that maladaptive microglia activation promotes the accumulation of harmful CD8⁺ T cells, leading to the degeneration of myelinated axons and subsequent impairment of brain function and behavior.

“This landmark paper in Nature Neuroscience about aging exemplifies the exciting new insights and discoveries that researchers are capable of making on cell mapping and cell-cell interactions with our MERSCOPE platform,” said Jiang He, VP & Portfolio Owner, Reagents & Sci. Affairs at Vizgen. “The findings from this new study will help enrich age-related research and unlock a better understanding of the innerworkings of the processes involved in neurodegenerative diseases. We’re extremely pleased that Vizgen continues to play a vital role in enabling scientists on the forefront of breakthrough discoveries that advance science.”

The MERSCOPE platform is a high-plex single-cell spatial multi-omics platform, and the only platform for MERFISH technology. MERSCOPE and MERSCOPE Ultra™ have emerged as the preferred choice for researchers who are exploring the molecular mechanisms of diseases using spatial transcriptomics techniques. Established five years ago as the first complete platform for single-cell spatial genomics, MERSCOPE has been cited in hundreds of peer-reviewed papers.

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About Vizgen^®

Vizgen is at the forefront of spatial biology and multi-omics innovation. Through its pioneering MERFISH 2.0™ technology and MERSCOPE^® Platform for in situ single-cell spatial genomics and its high-fidelity InSituPlex^® protein assays and AI-driven STARVUE^™ spatial image analysis technology, Vizgen delivers unmatched tools that enable researchers to uncover deep insights into human biology and achieve breakthroughs in understanding mechanisms of complex diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. MERFISH and InSituPlex are for research use only. Vizgen is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and can be found online at www.vizgen.com and www.ultivue.com. Connect on social media Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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“This landmark paper in Nature Neuroscience about aging exemplifies the exciting new insights and discoveries that researchers are capable of making on cell mapping and cell-cell interactions with our MERSCOPE platform,” said Vizgen's Jiang He.