Project description:Rationale: Airspace macrophages are the most abundant cell in airspaces and are viewed as a homogeneous population during health. Single cell RNA sequencing allows for examination of transcriptional heterogeneity between cells and between individuals. Understanding the conserved repertoire of airspace leukocytes during health is essential to understanding cellular programing during disease. Objective: We sought to determine the transcriptional heterogeneity of human bronchoalveolar lavage cells in healthy adults. Methods: Ten healthy subjects underwent bronchoscopy. Cells obtained from lavage fluid were subjected to single cell RNA sequencing. Unique cell populations and putative functions were identified. Transcriptional profiles were compared across individuals. Measurements and Main Results: Based on transcriptional profiling we identify highly conserved macrophage, monocyte-like, lymphocyte, dendritic cell, and cycling cell populations. We define two unique subgroups of resident airspace macrophages - one defined by a pro-inflammatory profile and one by metallothionein gene expression. We identify distinct subsets of monocyte-like cells and directly compared them to peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Finally, we compare global macrophage and monocyte programing between male and female subjects. Conclusions: Healthy human airspaces contain multiple populations of leukocytes that are highly conserved between individuals and between the sexes. Resident macrophages comprise the largest population and include novel subsets defined by inflammatory and metal-binding gene signatures. Monocyte-like cells within the airspaces are transcriptionally distinct from circulating blood cells and include a rare population defined by expression of cell-matrix interaction genes. This study is the first to define airspace immune cell heterogeneity and identifies three previously unrecognized myeloid cell subsets.
Project description:The aim of the project was to explore large extracellular vesicles capacity to seperate non lung cancer from lung cancer cases. A case control study of patients suspected for lung cancer (12 non lung cancer and 12 lung cancers). The raw files are labeled according to clinical status. Small and large extracellular vesicles were isolated by differential centrifugation. The proteome of full BAL, vesicle depleted BAL, small and large extracellular vesicles were characterized by LC-MS. Small extracellular vesicles were further analyzed by nanoparticle tracking analysis, Transmission electron microscopy and western blots.
Project description:Background: Aspergillus colonization after lung transplant is associated with an increased risk of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). We hypothesized that gene expression during Aspergillus colonization could provide clues to CLAD pathogenesis. Methods: We examined transcriptional profiles in 3 or 6-month surveillance bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell pellets from recipients with A. fumigatus colonization (n=12) and without colonization (n=10). Among the Aspergillus colonized, we also explored profiles in those who developed CLAD (n=6) or remained CLAD free (n=6). Transcription profiles were assayed with the HG-U133 Plus 2.0 microarray (Affymetrix). Statistical Analysis: Differential gene expression analyses were performed to select candidate lists of genes. Functional analyses on these selected genes were explored.
Project description:Mass spectrometry based proteome analysis on an observational prospective cohort consisting of 90 suspected lung cancer cases (suspicious=7, no lung cancer suspicion=47 and lung cancer=36 as diagnosed in 2014) which were followed during two years (suspicious=2, no lung cancer suspicion= 39 and Lung cancer=49).