Fig. 5: Bidirectional communication between enteric neurons and LPDC.

A Representative whole-mount immunostaining of small intestine villi from CD11c-DTR/GFP mice. LPDC are marked with CD11c (green), and neuronal projections are labeled with anti-Tubb3 antibody (Red). Scale bar, 20 μm. Similar results were obtained in at least 5 animals. B UMAP plot of single-cell transcriptome data of enteric neurons and LPDC generated in this study that was used for analyzing cell-cell communication with CellChat. C Circle network diagram of significant cell-cell interaction pathways. Arrows and line color indicate direction (ligand: receptor) and line thickness indicates the strength of the predicted interaction. The round loops represent the interactions within the same cell type. D–F Enteric neurons to LPDC communication pathways. D Chord diagram showing all the significant interactions from enteric neurons to LPDC. E Dot plot showing the key ligand-receptor interactions in inferred communication pathways between subsets of enteric neurons and LPDC. Empty spaces indicate that the communication probability is zero. p-values were computed with a one-sided permutation test. The color scale represents communication probability as calculated in CellChat. F Violin plots illustrating the gene expression levels of the PTN signaling pathway, with ligand expression in enteric neuron clusters and receptor expression in LPDC clusters. G–I LPDC to enteric neurons communication pathways. G Chord diagram showing all the significant interactions from LPDC to enteric neurons. H Dot plot showing the key ligand-receptor interactions in inferred communication pathways between subsets of LPDC and enteric neurons. Empty spaces indicate that the communication probability is zero. p-values were computed with a one-sided permutation test. The color scale represents communication probability as calculated in CellChat. I Violin plots illustrating the gene expression levels of the Nampt-Insr signaling pathway, with ligand expression in LPDC clusters and receptor expression in enteric neuron clusters. J Chord diagram displaying the communication network between putative enteric sensory neurons and pDC, highlighting the targeting of Il7 from enteric sensory neurons to the Il7r located on the pDC. K Violin plots illustrating the gene expression levels of the IL7 signaling pathway, with ligand expression in enteric sensory neurons and receptor (a heterodimer of Il7r and Il2rg) expression in pDC. L UMAP plot derived from single-cell transcriptome data showing expression of Il7 in enteric sensory neurons (left) and Il7 receptor in pDC (right).