RamanOmics decodes the spatial vibrational-molecular architecture of senescence in aging and repair.

Ke Zhang, Xingjian Chen, Francesco Monticolo, Salvatore Sorrentino, Haochun Huang, Claire Callahan, Yueqing Qiao, Judy Zhou, Sonia Brodowska, Styliani Sapantzi, Jianhuan Qi, Yinghan Wu, Thai Nam Son Dang, Yanwan Cao, Sumin Kang, Francesca Viggiani, Chia-Kang Ho, Yanxin Xu, Koseki J Kobayashi-Kirschvink, Thang Mung, Hemali Phatnani, Zhixun Dou, Jeon Woong Kang, Peter T C So, Jian Shu

Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Aging and tissue repair involve heterogeneous remodeling across transcriptional, biochemical and cellular dimensions, yet prevailing definitions rely on isolated molecular markers that obscure how these states co-evolve. Here we present RamanOmics, a multimodal framework integrating label-free hyperspectral Raman imaging with single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to link biochemical states with transcriptional programs at single-cell spatial resolution. Applied to young and old mouse lung and skin, RamanOmics reveals tissue-specific programs: lung senescent cells are enriched for extracellular matrix remodeling and transforming growth factor-β signaling, whereas skin senescence is dominated by epidermal differentiation genes (Krt10, Lor and Sbsn). Across tissues, we identified a conserved lipid-linked Raman signature (1,131-1,135 cm

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Research summary

RamanOmics identifies tissue-specific molecular and transcriptional signatures of cellular senescence in lung and skin, revealing that senescence is not a uniform state but a context-dependent process driven by distinct biochemical and genetic programs. This is relevant to longevity research because it provides a high-resolution, label-free method to map the heterogeneity of senescence, which is a fundamental driver of aging, thereby offering new targets for interventions aimed at clearing or reprogramming senescent cells to extend healthspan.

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