Panel A shows a heatmap divided into three sections: WNT ligands, WNT modulators, and WNT receptors. The color scale ranges from blue (low expression) to yellow (high expression), with each gene's expression scaled using Z-score. Panel B presents a barplot showing the relative quantification (RQ) of FOXN1 transcripts measured by qPCR in control (grey) and 22q11DS (purple) samples. The y-axis represents RQ values, and the x-axis labels the FOXN1 gene. Panel C displays immunofluorescence staining images of thymic tissue samples from control and 22q11DS, stained with anti-HLA-DR (pink) and DAPI (blue). The images highlight the cortex and medulla regions, with magnified insets showing detailed staining patterns. Panel D shows spatial plots of NMF factors 1, 4, and 5 in tissue samples from control and 22q11DS. The color of each spot indicates factor weight, ranging from purple (low weight) to yellow (high weight).
Alterations in WNT signaling, FOXN1 expression, and spatial niche organization in the 22q11DS thymus. (A) Heatmap showing the predicted cell type–specific expression of genes involved in WNT signaling in 22q11DS patients and controls. For visualization, each gene was scaled using Z-score. The blue color indicates low relative expression, and the yellow color indicates high relative expression. Dotted lines separate WNT ligands, WNT modulators, and WNT receptors. (B) Barplot showing results from qPCR-based quantification of FOXN1 transcripts in 22q11DS patients and controls. qPCR analysis was performed on fresh-frozen whole thymic tissue from controls (gray, n = 8) and 22q11DS patients (purple, n = 2) with TaqMan probes targeting FOXN1. Results are presented as relative quantification (RQ: 2^(−ΔΔCt)). (C) CODEX immunofluorescence staining of anti-HLA-DR (pink) and DAPI (blue) in representative thymic tissue samples from 22q11DS patients and controls. (D) NMF factors 1, 4, and 5 are plotted spatially in representative tissue samples from 22q11DS patients and controls. The color of each spot indicates factor weight, with purple representing low relative weight and yellow representing high relative weight.