Project description:Here, we use a microfluidics-based approach to prepare single-cell RNA-Seq libraries from 164 primary human conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) as well as cord blood (452) and blood (341) pre-cDCs. We examined heterogeneity between individual cells to document potential subpopulations within human cDCs and pre-cDCs.
Project description:We hereby report application of single cell RNA sequencing in order to understand heterogeneity within macrophages and conventional dendritic cells found in murine lungs. In this paper we specifically show different populations of cDCs as revealed through single cell RNA sequencing
Project description:Classic dendritic cells (cDCs) play a central role in the immune system and consist of two major subsets: CD141+ cDC (cDC1) and CD1c+ cDC (cDC2). The pre-cDCs is the immediate precursors to both cDC subsets. Previous studies showed that there were two pre-committed pre-cDC subpopulations. However, the key molecular drivers of pre-commitment in human pre-cDCs were not investigated. To address this question, we performed both single cell and bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of two cDC subsets and pre-cDCs. We inferred a list of sixteen candidate master regulator transcriptional factors (TFs) that can indeed separate pre-cDCs into two sub-populations, with one close to cDC1 and the other close to cDC2. More importantly, these two pre-cDC sub-populations are correlated with ratio of IRF8 to IRF4 expression level more than their individual expression level. Our results suggest the concept that the ratio of antagonistic TFs and their competition determine cDC subset differentiation fate.
Project description:The goal of this study is to compare the gene profiling of human blood BDCA-1+ cDCs, blood BDCA-3+ cDCs, CB CD172a-pre-cDCs and CB CB172a+ pre-cDCs. RNA from sorted populations was extracted and column-purified using the Arcturus PicoPure RNA Isolation kit (Applied Biosystems). Genomic DNA was removed by on-column digest with DNAse I (Qiagen), according to the PicoPure RNA Isolation kit manual. RNA libraries were prepared using the SMARTer Ultra Low Input RNA for Sequencing kit (Clontech Laboratories) followed with Nextera XT DNA Library Prep kit (Illumina). Libraries were sequenced by 75-bp single-end reading on a NextSeq 500 sequencer (Illumina). Our results show that CD172a+ and CD172a- pre-cDCs represent developmentally discrete populations that differentially express lineage-restricted transcription factors. Moreover CD172a- pre-cDCs cluster with BDCA-3hi cDCs and CD172a+ pre-cDCs with BDCA-1+ cDCs.
Project description:Subset-specific and progenitor gene expression analysis of Klf4+/+ and Klf4-/- DCs. The two major lineages of classical dendritic cells (cDCs) express and require either IRF8 or IRF4 transcription factors for their development and function. IRF8-dependent cDCs promote anti-viral and T-helper 1 (Th1) cell responses, whereas IRF4-expressing cDCs have been implicated in controlling both Th2 and Th17 cell responses. Here, we have provided evidence that Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is required in IRF4-expressing cDCs to promote Th2 but not Th17 cell responses in vivo. Conditional Klf4 deletion within cDCs impaired Th2 cell responses during Schistosoma mansoni infection, Schistosoma egg antigen (SEA) immunization, and house dust mite challenge (HDM), without affecting cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), Th1 and Th17 cell responses to herpes simplex virus, Toxoplasma gondii and Citrobacter rodentium infections. Further, Klf4 deletion reduced IRF4 expression in pre-cDCs and resulted in selective loss of IRF4-expressing cDCs subsets in several tissues. These results indicate that Klf4 guides a transcriptional program promoting IRF4-expressing cDCs heterogeneity. Bone marrow progenitors and skin draining LN subsets were harvested from 4 Klf4fl/fl cre negative or Vav1-icre mice and were sorted to >95% purity on the FACS Aria 3.
Project description:Subset-specific and progenitor gene expression analysis of Klf4+/+ and Klf4-/- DCs. The two major lineages of classical dendritic cells (cDCs) express and require either IRF8 or IRF4 transcription factors for their development and function. IRF8-dependent cDCs promote anti-viral and T-helper 1 (Th1) cell responses, whereas IRF4-expressing cDCs have been implicated in controlling both Th2 and Th17 cell responses. Here, we have provided evidence that Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is required in IRF4-expressing cDCs to promote Th2 but not Th17 cell responses in vivo. Conditional Klf4 deletion within cDCs impaired Th2 cell responses during Schistosoma mansoni infection, Schistosoma egg antigen (SEA) immunization, and house dust mite challenge (HDM), without affecting cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), Th1 and Th17 cell responses to herpes simplex virus, Toxoplasma gondii and Citrobacter rodentium infections. Further, Klf4 deletion reduced IRF4 expression in pre-cDCs and resulted in selective loss of IRF4-expressing cDCs subsets in several tissues. These results indicate that Klf4 guides a transcriptional program promoting IRF4-expressing cDCs heterogeneity.