A Consensus Single-Cell Atlas of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Tunnels Defines a Fibro-Inflammatory Niche with Druggable Microenvironmental Endotypes
May 2026
in “
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
”
TLDR Hidradenitis suppurativa tunnels have different microenvironments, suggesting targeted treatments could be more effective.
The study constructs a consensus single-cell atlas of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) tunnels by integrating 46 lesional HS single-cell RNA-seq samples from 8 independent studies. The atlas identifies distinct fibro-inflammatory microenvironmental endotypes within HS tunnels, each associated with specific, potentially druggable signaling pathways. These endotypes include neutrophil- and macrophage-rich inflammation, Th17/JAK-STAT-skewed lymphoid profiles, fibroblast expansion with TGFβ/PDGF signaling, and hyperproliferative tunnel epithelium with Notch/YAP/EGFR activation. The findings suggest that HS tunnels are not uniform but consist of reproducible microenvironments, which may explain varied responses to systemic treatments. The study highlights that TNF blockade may not be effective for all lesions and suggests that some endotypes may benefit more from surgical intervention. This atlas provides a framework for future endotype-guided clinical trials and treatment strategies in HS.
