Single-cell profiling identifies glial transcriptional remodeling in the trigeminal ganglion after corneal injury

To address this gap, we combined bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing to profile the mouse trigeminal ganglion after a moderate corneal alkali injury associated with transient denervation and partial reinnervation.

Bulk transcriptomic analysis defined a dominant injury-associated axis enriched for protein folding and immune-related pathways. Single-cell profiling resolved these changes across neuronal and non-neuronal populations, revealing distinct transcriptional programs in neurons, Schwann cells, and satellite glial cells, including coordinated modulation of metabolic, immune, and proteostasis-related pathways. In parallel, inference of ligand–receptor interactions identified injury-associated reorganization of predicted intercellular communication networks over time.