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1.
Mol Biol Rep ; 51(1): 720, 2024 Jun 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38824268

BACKGROUND: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) exert a significant influence on the progression and heterogeneity of various subtypes of breast cancer (BRCA). However, the roles of heterogeneous TAM within BRCA subtypes remain unclear. Therefore, this study sought to elucidate the role of TAM across the following three BRCA subtypes: triple-negative breast cancer, luminal, and HER2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This investigation aimed to delineate the variations in marker genes, drug sensitivity, and cellular communication among TAM across the three BRCA subtypes. We identified specific ligand-receptor (L-R) pairs and downstream mechanisms regulated by VEGFA-VEGFR1, SPP1-CD44, and SPP1-ITGB1 L-R pairs. Experimental verification of these pairs was conducted by co-culturing macrophages with three subtypes of BRCA cells. RESULTS: Our findings reveal the heterogeneity of macrophages within the three BRCA subtypes, evidenced by variations in marker gene expression, composition, and functional characteristics. Notably, heterogeneous TAM were found to promote invasive migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and SKBR3 cells, activating NF-κB pathway via P38 MAPK, TGF-ß1, and AKT, respectively, through distinct VEGFA-VEGFR1, SPP1-CD44, and SPP1-ITGB1 L-R pairs. Inhibition of these specific L-R pairs effectively reversed EMT, migration, and invasion of each cancer cells. Furthermore, we observed a correlation between ligand gene expression and TAM sensitivity to anticancer drugs, suggesting a potential strategy for optimizing personalized treatment guidance. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the capacity of heterogeneous TAM to modulate biological functions via distinct pathways mediated by specific L-R pairs within diverse BRCA subtypes. This study might provide insights into precision immunotherapy of different subtypes of BRCA.


Breast Neoplasms , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition , Tumor-Associated Macrophages , Humans , Female , Tumor-Associated Macrophages/metabolism , Tumor-Associated Macrophages/immunology , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , MCF-7 Cells , Cell Movement/genetics , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics , Signal Transduction/genetics , Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
2.
Circ Res ; 134(12): 1681-1702, 2024 Jun 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38843288

Throughout our lifetime, each beat of the heart requires the coordinated action of multiple cardiac cell types. Understanding cardiac cell biology, its intricate microenvironments, and the mechanisms that govern their function in health and disease are crucial to designing novel therapeutical and behavioral interventions. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial omics technologies have significantly propelled this understanding, offering novel insights into the cellular diversity and function and the complex interactions of cardiac tissue. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the cellular landscape of the heart, bridging the gap between suspension-based and emerging in situ approaches, focusing on the experimental and computational challenges, comparative analyses of mouse and human cardiac systems, and the rising contextualization of cardiac cells within their niches. As we explore the heart at this unprecedented resolution, integrating insights from both mouse and human studies will pave the way for novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with cardiovascular diseases.


Single-Cell Analysis , Humans , Animals , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Myocardium/metabolism , Myocardium/pathology , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Genomics/methods , Mice
3.
Science ; 384(6700): eadk5511, 2024 Jun 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38843314

Fundamental limits of cellular deformations, such as hyperextension of a living cell, remain poorly understood. Here, we describe how the single-celled protist Lacrymaria olor, a 40-micrometer cell, is capable of reversibly and repeatably extending its necklike protrusion up to 1200 micrometers in 30 seconds. We discovered a layered cortical cytoskeleton and membrane architecture that enables hyperextensions through the folding and unfolding of cellular-scale origami. Physical models of this curved crease origami display topological singularities, including traveling developable cones and cytoskeletal twisted domain walls, which provide geometric control of hyperextension. Our work unravels how cell geometry encodes behavior in single cells and provides inspiration for geometric control in microrobotics and deployable architectures.


Cytoskeleton , Cell Membrane , Single-Cell Analysis
4.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 4827, 2024 Jun 06.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38844451

Adipose progenitor cells (APCs) are heterogeneous stromal cells and help to maintain metabolic homeostasis. However, the influence of obesity on human APC heterogeneity and the role of APC subpopulations on regulating glucose homeostasis remain unknown. Here, we find that APCs in human visceral adipose tissue contain four subsets. The composition and functionality of APCs are altered in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). CD9+CD55low APCs are the subset which is significantly increased in T2D patients. Transplantation of these cells from T2D patients into adipose tissue causes glycemic disturbance. Mechanistically, CD9+CD55low APCs promote T2D development through producing bioactive proteins to form a detrimental niche, leading to upregulation of adipocyte lipolysis. Depletion of pathogenic APCs by inducing intracellular diphtheria toxin A expression or using a hunter-killer peptide improves obesity-related glycemic disturbance. Collectively, our data provide deeper insights in human APC functionality and highlights APCs as a potential therapeutic target to combat T2D. All mice utilized in this study are male.


Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Glucose , Homeostasis , Obesity , Single-Cell Analysis , Stem Cells , Humans , Animals , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Male , Mice , Stem Cells/metabolism , Glucose/metabolism , Obesity/metabolism , Obesity/pathology , Adipocytes/metabolism , Intra-Abdominal Fat/metabolism , Intra-Abdominal Fat/cytology , Adipose Tissue/metabolism , Adipose Tissue/cytology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Lipolysis , Female , Middle Aged
5.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 4710, 2024 Jun 06.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38844475

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology has been increasingly explored through single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq & snRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST). However, the surge in data demands a comprehensive, user-friendly repository. Addressing this, we introduce a single-cell and spatial RNA-seq database for Alzheimer's disease (ssREAD). It offers a broader spectrum of AD-related datasets, an optimized analytical pipeline, and improved usability. The database encompasses 1,053 samples (277 integrated datasets) from 67 AD-related scRNA-seq & snRNA-seq studies, totaling 7,332,202 cells. Additionally, it archives 381 ST datasets from 18 human and mouse brain studies. Each dataset is annotated with details such as species, gender, brain region, disease/control status, age, and AD Braak stages. ssREAD also provides an analysis suite for cell clustering, identification of differentially expressed and spatially variable genes, cell-type-specific marker genes and regulons, and spot deconvolution for integrative analysis. ssREAD is freely available at https://bmblx.bmi.osumc.edu/ssread/ .


Alzheimer Disease , RNA-Seq , Single-Cell Analysis , Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Humans , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Animals , Mice , RNA-Seq/methods , Brain/metabolism , Brain/pathology , Databases, Genetic , Transcriptome , Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods , Gene Expression Profiling/methods , Male
6.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 4833, 2024 Jun 06.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38844821

Mammalian inner ear hair cell loss leads to permanent hearing and balance dysfunction. In contrast to the cochlea, vestibular hair cells of the murine utricle have some regenerative capacity. Whether human utricular hair cells regenerate in vivo remains unknown. Here we procured live, mature utricles from organ donors and vestibular schwannoma patients, and present a validated single-cell transcriptomic atlas at unprecedented resolution. We describe markers of 13 sensory and non-sensory cell types, with partial overlap and correlation between transcriptomes of human and mouse hair cells and supporting cells. We further uncover transcriptomes unique to hair cell precursors, which are unexpectedly 14-fold more abundant in vestibular schwannoma utricles, demonstrating the existence of ongoing regeneration in humans. Lastly, supporting cell-to-hair cell trajectory analysis revealed 5 distinct patterns of dynamic gene expression and associated pathways, including Wnt and IGF-1 signaling. Our dataset constitutes a foundational resource, accessible via a web-based interface, serving to advance knowledge of the normal and diseased human inner ear.


Regeneration , Single-Cell Analysis , Transcriptome , Humans , Animals , Regeneration/genetics , Mice , Saccule and Utricle/metabolism , Saccule and Utricle/cytology , Neuroma, Acoustic/genetics , Neuroma, Acoustic/metabolism , Neuroma, Acoustic/pathology , Ear, Inner/metabolism , Ear, Inner/cytology , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/metabolism , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/genetics , Male , Hair Cells, Vestibular/metabolism , Female , Gene Expression Profiling
7.
BMC Infect Dis ; 24(1): 567, 2024 Jun 06.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38844850

This study investigates the longitudinal dynamic changes in immune cells in COVID-19 patients over an extended period after recovery, as well as the interplay between immune cells and antibodies. Leveraging single-cell mass spectrometry, we selected six COVID-19 patients and four healthy controls, dissecting the evolving landscape within six months post-viral RNA clearance, alongside the levels of anti-spike protein antibodies. The T cell immunophenotype ascertained via single-cell mass spectrometry underwent validation through flow cytometry in 37 samples. Our findings illuminate that CD8 + T cells, gamma-delta (gd) T cells, and NK cells witnessed an increase, in contrast to the reduction observed in monocytes, B cells, and double-negative T (DNT) cells over time. The proportion of monocytes remained significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to controls even after six-month. Subpopulation-wise, an upsurge manifested within various T effector memory subsets, CD45RA + T effector memory, gdT, and NK cells, whereas declines marked the populations of DNT, naive and memory B cells, and classical as well as non-classical monocytes. Noteworthy associations surfaced between DNT, gdT, CD4 + T, NK cells, and the anti-S antibody titer. This study reveals the changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COVID-19 patients within 6 months after viral RNA clearance and sheds light on the interactions between immune cells and antibodies. The findings from this research contribute to a better understanding of immune transformations during the recovery from COVID-19 and offer guidance for protective measures against reinfection in the context of viral variants.


COVID-19 , Flow Cytometry , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , RNA, Viral , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/virology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/virology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , RNA, Viral/blood , Adult , Longitudinal Studies , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Immunophenotyping , Aged
8.
Front Immunol ; 15: 1401320, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38835769

Host-microbe interactions are complex and ever-changing, especially during infections, which can significantly impact human physiology in both health and disease by influencing metabolic and immune functions. Infections caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are the leading cause of global mortality. Microbes have evolved various immune evasion strategies to survive within their hosts, which presents a multifaceted challenge for detection. Intracellular microbes, in particular, target specific cell types for survival and replication and are influenced by factors such as functional roles, nutrient availability, immune evasion, and replication opportunities. Identifying intracellular microbes can be difficult because of the limitations of traditional culture-based methods. However, advancements in integrated host microbiome single-cell genomics and transcriptomics provide a promising basis for personalized treatment strategies. Understanding host-microbiota interactions at the cellular level may elucidate disease mechanisms and microbial pathogenesis, leading to targeted therapies. This article focuses on how intracellular microbes reside in specific cell types, modulating functions through persistence strategies to evade host immunity and prolong colonization. An improved understanding of the persistent intracellular microbe-induced differential disease outcomes can enhance diagnostics, therapeutics, and preventive measures.


Genomics , Single-Cell Analysis , Humans , Genomics/methods , Animals , Host-Pathogen Interactions/immunology , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics , Host Microbial Interactions/immunology , Host Microbial Interactions/genetics , Immune Evasion , Microbiota/immunology , Bacteria/genetics , Bacteria/immunology , Severity of Illness Index
9.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol ; 14: 1411482, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38836057

With the increasing research on the exploitation of rumen microbial resources, rumen probiotics have attracted much attention for their positive contributions in promoting nutrient digestion, inhibiting pathogenic bacteria, and improving production performance. In the past two decades, macrogenomics has provided a rich source of new-generation probiotic candidates, but most of these "dark substances" have not been successfully cultured due to the restrictive growth conditions. However, fueled by high-throughput culture and sorting technologies, it is expected that the potential probiotics in the rumen can be exploited on a large scale, and their potential applications in medicine and agriculture can be explored. In this paper, we review and summarize the classical techniques for isolation and identification of rumen probiotics, introduce the development of droplet-based high-throughput cell culture and single-cell sequencing for microbial culture and identification, and finally introduce promising cultureomics techniques. The aim is to provide technical references for the development of related technologies and microbiological research to promote the further development of the field of rumen microbiology research.


Probiotics , Rumen , Rumen/microbiology , Probiotics/isolation & purification , Animals , Bacteria/isolation & purification , Bacteria/classification , Single-Cell Analysis
10.
J Cell Mol Med ; 28(11): e18408, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38837585

We employed single-cell analysis techniques, specifically the inferCNV method, to dissect the complex progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) through minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) to invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC). This approach enabled the identification of Cluster 6, which was significantly associated with LUAD progression. Our comprehensive analysis included intercellular interaction, transcription factor regulatory networks, trajectory analysis, and gene set variation analysis (GSVA), leading to the development of the lung progression associated signature (LPAS). Interestingly, we discovered that the LPAS not only accurately predicts the prognosis of LUAD patients but also forecasts genomic alterations, distinguishes between 'cold' and 'hot' tumours, and identifies potential candidates suitable for immunotherapy. PSMB1, identified within Cluster 6, was experimentally shown to significantly enhance cancer cell invasion and migration, highlighting the clinical relevance of LPAS in predicting LUAD progression and providing a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Our findings suggest that LPAS offers a novel biomarker for LUAD patient stratification, with significant implications for improving prognostic accuracy and guiding treatment decisions.


Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Disease Progression , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Genomics , Lung Neoplasms , Single-Cell Analysis , Humans , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/pathology , Prognosis , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Genomics/methods , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Gene Regulatory Networks , Cell Line, Tumor , Gene Expression Profiling , Neoplasm Invasiveness
11.
Sci Data ; 11(1): 587, 2024 Jun 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38839790

Aedes aegypti is a primary vector for transmitting various arboviruses, including Yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus. The mosquito midgut is the principal organ for blood meal digestion, nutrient absorption and the initial site of arbovirus infection. Although a previous study delineated midgut's transcriptome of Ae. aegypti at the single-nucleus resolution, there still lacks an established protocol for isolating and RNA sequencing of single cells of Ae. aegypti midgut, which is required for investigating arbovirus-midgut interaction at the single-cell level. Here, we established an atlas of the midgut cells for Ae. aegypti by single-cell RNA sequencing. We annotated the cell clusters including intestinal stem cells/enteroblasts (ISC/EB), cardia cells (Cardia), enterocytes (EC, EC-like), enteroendocrine cells (EE), visceral muscle (VM), fat body cells (FBC) and hemocyte cells (HC). This study will provide a foundation for further studies of arbovirus infection in mosquito midgut at the single-cell level.


Aedes , Single-Cell Analysis , Animals , Aedes/genetics , Aedes/cytology , Female , Sequence Analysis, RNA , Transcriptome , Gastrointestinal Tract/virology , Mosquito Vectors/genetics , Digestive System/cytology
12.
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med ; 37(1): 2361278, 2024 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38835155

OBJECTIVE: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) can cause adverse perinatal outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated that the placenta of an ICP pregnancy differs in morphology and gene expression from the placenta of a normal pregnancy. To date, however, the genetic mechanism by which ICP affects the placenta is poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the differences in main cell types, gene signatures, cell ratio, and functional changes in the placenta between ICP and normal pregnancy. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology was used to detect the gene expression of all cells at the placental maternal-fetal interface. Two individuals were analyzed - one with ICP and one without ICP. The classification of cell types was determined by a graph-based clustering algorithm. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the R software phyper () function and DAVID website. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) encoding transcription factors (TFs) were identified using getorf and DIAMOND software. RESULTS: We identified 14 cell types and 22 distinct cell subtypes that showed unique functional properties. Additionally, we found differences in the proportions of fibroblasts 1, helper T (Th) cells, extravillous trophoblasts, and villous cytotrophoblasts, and we observed heterogeneity of gene expression between ICP and control placentas. Furthermore, we identified 263 DEGs that belonged to TF families, including zf-C2H2, HMGI/HMGY, and Homeobox. In addition, 28 imprinted genes were preferentially expressed in specific cell types, such as PEG3 and PEG10 in trophoblasts as well as DLK1 and DIO3 in fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed the differences in cell-type ratios, gene expression, and functional changes between ICP and normal placentas, and heterogeneity was found among cell subgroups. Hence, the imbalance of various cell types affects placental activity to varying degrees, indicating the complexity of the cell networks that form the placental tissue system, and this alteration of placental function is associated with adverse events in the perinatal period.


Cholestasis, Intrahepatic , Placenta , Pregnancy Complications , Single-Cell Analysis , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Placenta/metabolism , Case-Control Studies , Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/genetics , Pregnancy Complications/genetics , Sequence Analysis, RNA , Adult
13.
PeerJ ; 12: e17350, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38827297

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, with very limited therapeutic options available. This study aims to comprehensively depict the heterogeneity and identify prognostic targets for PDAC with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. Methods: ScRNA-seq analysis was performed on 16 primary PDAC and three adjacent lesions. A series of analytical methods were applied for analysis in cell clustering, gene profiling, lineage trajectory analysis and cell-to-cell interactions. In vitro experiments including colony formation, wound healing and sphere formation assay were performed to assess the role of makers. Results: A total of 32,480 cells were clustered into six major populations, among which the ductal cell cluster expressing high copy number variants (CNVs) was defined as malignant cells. Malignant cells were further subtyped into five subgroups which exhibited specific features in immunologic and metabolic activities. Pseudotime trajectory analysis indicated that components of various oncogenic pathways were differentially expressed along tumor progression. Furthermore, intensive substantial crosstalk between ductal cells and stromal cells was identified. Finally, genes (REG4 and SPINK1) screened out of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated in PDAC cell lines. Silencing either of them significantly impaired proliferation, invasion, migration and stemness of PDAC cells. Conclusions: Our findings offer a valuable resource for deciphering the heterogeneity of malignant ductal cells in PDAC. REG4 and SPINK1 are expected to be promising targets for PDAC therapy.


Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal , Lectins, C-Type , Pancreatic Neoplasms , Single-Cell Analysis , Transcriptome , Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic , Humans , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/genetics , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/metabolism , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/mortality , Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic/genetics , Trypsin Inhibitor, Kazal Pancreatic/metabolism , Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Prognosis , Lectins, C-Type/genetics , Lectins, C-Type/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Female , Male , Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins
14.
Front Immunol ; 15: 1372658, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38827740

Background: Persistent radiological lung abnormalities are evident in many survivors of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Consolidation and ground glass opacities are interpreted to indicate subacute inflammation whereas reticulation is thought to reflect fibrosis. We sought to identify differences at molecular and cellular level, in the local immunopathology of post-COVID inflammation and fibrosis. Methods: We compared single-cell transcriptomic profiles and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of bronchoalveolar cells obtained from convalescent individuals with each radiological pattern, targeting lung segments affected by the predominant abnormality. Results: CD4 central memory T cells and CD8 effector memory T cells were significantly more abundant in those with inflammatory radiology. Clustering of similar TCRs from multiple donors was a striking feature of both phenotypes, consistent with tissue localised antigen-specific immune responses. There was no enrichment for known SARS-CoV-2-reactive TCRs, raising the possibility of T cell-mediated immunopathology driven by failure in immune self-tolerance. Conclusions: Post-COVID radiological inflammation and fibrosis show evidence of shared antigen-specific T cell responses, suggesting a role for therapies targeting T cells in limiting post-COVID lung damage.


COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Single-Cell Analysis , Humans , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/pathology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics , Pulmonary Fibrosis/immunology , Pulmonary Fibrosis/etiology , Pulmonary Fibrosis/pathology , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Lung/immunology , Lung/pathology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Aged , Adult , Inflammation/immunology , Inflammation/pathology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/immunology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/cytology , Memory T Cells/immunology , Transcriptome
15.
Brief Bioinform ; 25(4)2024 May 23.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38828640

Cell hashing, a nucleotide barcode-based method that allows users to pool multiple samples and demultiplex in downstream analysis, has gained widespread popularity in single-cell sequencing due to its compatibility, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. Despite these advantages, the performance of this method remains unsatisfactory under certain circumstances, especially in experiments that have imbalanced sample sizes or use many hashtag antibodies. Here, we introduce a hybrid demultiplexing strategy that increases accuracy and cell recovery in multi-sample single-cell experiments. This approach correlates the results of cell hashing and genetic variant clustering, enabling precise and efficient cell identity determination without additional experimental costs or efforts. In addition, we developed HTOreader, a demultiplexing tool for cell hashing that improves the accuracy of cut-off calling by avoiding the dominance of negative signals in experiments with many hashtags or imbalanced sample sizes. When compared to existing methods using real-world datasets, this hybrid approach and HTOreader consistently generate reliable results with increased accuracy and cell recovery.


Single-Cell Analysis , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Humans , Algorithms , Software , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods , Computational Biology/methods
16.
Genome Biol ; 25(1): 145, 2024 Jun 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38831386

BACKGROUND: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) have led to groundbreaking advancements in life sciences. To develop bioinformatics tools for scRNA-seq and SRT data and perform unbiased benchmarks, data simulation has been widely adopted by providing explicit ground truth and generating customized datasets. However, the performance of simulation methods under multiple scenarios has not been comprehensively assessed, making it challenging to choose suitable methods without practical guidelines. RESULTS: We systematically evaluated 49 simulation methods developed for scRNA-seq and/or SRT data in terms of accuracy, functionality, scalability, and usability using 152 reference datasets derived from 24 platforms. SRTsim, scDesign3, ZINB-WaVE, and scDesign2 have the best accuracy performance across various platforms. Unexpectedly, some methods tailored to scRNA-seq data have potential compatibility for simulating SRT data. Lun, SPARSim, and scDesign3-tree outperform other methods under corresponding simulation scenarios. Phenopath, Lun, Simple, and MFA yield high scalability scores but they cannot generate realistic simulated data. Users should consider the trade-offs between method accuracy and scalability (or functionality) when making decisions. Additionally, execution errors are mainly caused by failed parameter estimations and appearance of missing or infinite values in calculations. We provide practical guidelines for method selection, a standard pipeline Simpipe ( https://github.com/duohongrui/simpipe ; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11178409 ), and an online tool Simsite ( https://www.ciblab.net/software/simshiny/ ) for data simulation. CONCLUSIONS: No method performs best on all criteria, thus a good-yet-not-the-best method is recommended if it solves problems effectively and reasonably. Our comprehensive work provides crucial insights for developers on modeling gene expression data and fosters the simulation process for users.


Gene Expression Profiling , Single-Cell Analysis , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Gene Expression Profiling/methods , Humans , Software , Computer Simulation , Transcriptome , Computational Biology/methods , Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods , RNA-Seq/methods , RNA-Seq/standards
17.
Arthritis Res Ther ; 26(1): 114, 2024 Jun 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38831441

BACKGROUND: Gout is a prevalent manifestation of metabolic osteoarthritis induced by elevated blood uric acid levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of gene expression regulation in gout disease and elucidate its pathogenesis. METHODS: The study integrated gout genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), and methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) data for analysis, and utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization study to comprehend the causal relationship between proteins and gout. RESULTS: We identified 17 association signals for gout at unique genetic loci, including four genes related by protein-protein interaction network (PPI) analysis: TRIM46, THBS3, MTX1, and KRTCAP2. Additionally, we discerned 22 methylation sites in relation to gout. The study also found that genes such as TRIM46, MAP3K11, KRTCAP2, and TM7SF2 could potentially elevate the risk of gout. Through a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, we identified three proteins causally associated with gout: ADH1B, BMP1, and HIST1H3A. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, gout is linked with the expression and function of particular genes and proteins. These genes and proteins have the potential to function as novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for gout. These discoveries shed new light on the pathological mechanisms of gout and clear the way for future research on this condition.


Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genome-Wide Association Study , Gout , Mendelian Randomization Analysis , Quantitative Trait Loci , Single-Cell Analysis , Gout/genetics , Humans , Mendelian Randomization Analysis/methods , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , DNA Methylation/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Protein Interaction Maps/genetics , Alcohol Dehydrogenase
18.
Sci Data ; 11(1): 573, 2024 Jun 04.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38834587

Obesity is accompanied by multiple known health risks and increased morbidity, and obese men display reduced reproductive health. However, the impact of obesity on the testes at the molecular levels remain inadequately explored. This is partially attributed to the lack of monitoring tools for tracking alterations within cell clusters in testes associated with obesity. Here, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze over 70,000 cells from testes of obese and lean mice, and to study changes related to obesity in non-spermatogenic cells and spermatogenesis. The Testicular Library encompasses all non-spermatogenic cells and spermatogenic cells spanning from spermatogonia to spermatozoa, which will significantly aid in characterizing alterations in cellular niches and the testicular microenvironment during high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. This comprehensive dataset is indispensable for studying how HFD disrupts cell-cell communication networks within the testis and impacts alterations in the testicular microenvironment that regulate spermatogenesis. Being the inaugural dataset of single-cell RNA-seq in the testes of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, this holds the potential to offer innovative insights and directions in the realm of single-cell transcriptomics concerning male reproductive injury associated with HFD.


Diet, High-Fat , Obesity , Single-Cell Analysis , Testis , Transcriptome , Animals , Male , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Mice , Testis/metabolism , Obesity/genetics , Obesity/etiology , Spermatogenesis
19.
J Gene Med ; 26(6): e3694, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38847309

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a key strategy to the therapy landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, notable differences in immunotherapeutic outcomes exist between the two primary NSCLC subtypes: lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). This disparity may stem from the tumor immune microenvironment's heterogeneity at the transcriptome level. METHODS: By integrative analysis of transcriptomic characterization of 38 NSCLC patients by single-cell RNA sequencing, the present study revealed a distinct tumor microenvironment (TME) between LUAD and LUSC, with relevant results further confirmed in bulk transcriptomic and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) validation cohort of neoadjuvant immunotherapy patients. RESULTS: LUAD exhibited a more active immune microenvironment compared to LUSC. This included highly expression of HLA I/II in cancer cells, reinforced antigen presentation potential of dendritic cells and enhanced cytotoxic activity observed in T/NK cells. In LUSC, cancer cells highly expressed genes belonging to the aldo-keto reductases, glutathione S-transferases and aldehyde dehydrogenase family, negatively correlating with immunotherapy outcomes in the validation cohort of our center. Further analysis revealed elevated infiltrated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in LUSC, which was corroborated in The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort. Corresponding increased infiltration of ADH1B+ CAFs in major pathologic response (MPR) patients and the higher presence of FAP+ CAFs in non-MPR patients were demonstrated by multiplex mIF. Moreover, upregulating immunosuppressive extracellular matrix remodeling was identified in LUSC. CONCLUSIONS: These comprehensive analyses advance the understanding of the differences in TME between LUAD and LUSC, offering insights for patient selection and developing subtype-specific treatment strategies.


Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Immunotherapy , Lung Neoplasms , Single-Cell Analysis , Transcriptome , Tumor Microenvironment , Humans , Tumor Microenvironment/immunology , Tumor Microenvironment/genetics , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/immunology , Lung Neoplasms/therapy , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Immunotherapy/methods , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/immunology , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/pathology , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/therapy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/therapy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Gene Expression Profiling , Male , Female , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/immunology , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/therapy , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Middle Aged , Aged
20.
J Exp Med ; 221(8)2024 Aug 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38847806

Due to bladder tumors' contact with urine, urine-derived cells (UDCs) may serve as a surrogate for monitoring the tumor microenvironment (TME) in bladder cancer (BC). However, the composition of UDCs and the extent to which they mirror the tumor remain poorly characterized. We generated the first single-cell RNA-sequencing of BC patient UDCs with matched tumor and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). BC urine was more cellular than healthy donor (HD) urine, containing multiple immune populations including myeloid cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, B cells, and dendritic cells (DCs) in addition to tumor and stromal cells. Immune UDCs were transcriptionally more similar to tumor than blood. UDCs encompassed cytotoxic and activated CD4+ T cells, exhausted and tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells, macrophages, germinal-center-like B cells, tissue-resident and adaptive NK cells, and regulatory DCs found in tumor but lacking or absent in blood. Our findings suggest BC UDCs may be surrogates for the TME and serve as therapeutic biomarkers.


Tumor Microenvironment , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/immunology , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/genetics , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology , Humans , Tumor Microenvironment/immunology , Male , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Female , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Aged , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Single-Cell Analysis/methods , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Middle Aged , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , RNA-Seq , Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis
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