Spatial and single-cell transcriptomics identify Spp1 and Hmox1 as injury- responsive targets in the traumatic brain injury lesion microenvironment

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) triggers complex secondary injury cascades, yet the spatially resolved cellular microenvironment and its mechanistic link to ferroptosis remain poorly elucidated. This study aimed to delineate the post-TBI lesion microenvironment and identify astrocyte-associated ferroptosis targets through integrated spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and in vivo validation.