Single cell RNA Seq reveals dynamic paracrine control of cellular variation

Single cell RNA Seq reveals dynamic paracrine control of cellular variation

2014 June 19 | Alex K. Shalek, Rahul Satija, Joe Shuga, John J. Trombetta, Dave Gennert, Diana Lu, Peilin Chen, Rona S. Gernter, Jellert T. Gaublomme, Nir Yosef, Schraga Schwartz, Brian Fowler, Suzanne Weaver, Jing Wang, Xiaohui Wang, Ruihua Ding, Raktima Raychowdhury, Nir Friedman, Nir Hacohen, Hongkun Park, Andrew P. May, and Aviv Regev
This study investigates the dynamic paracrine control of cellular variation in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) using single-cell RNA sequencing. The authors sequenced over 1,700 single-cell RNA-Seq libraries from DCs stimulated with different conditions. They found significant variation in gene expression between identically stimulated DCs, both in the fraction of cells expressing a given mRNA and the level of expression within those cells. Distinct gene modules, such as a "core" antiviral module and a "peaked" inflammatory module, showed different temporal heterogeneity profiles. The "core" module was early expressed by a few "precocious" cells and later activated in all cells, coordinated via interferon-mediated paracrine signaling. Preventing cell-to-cell communication reduced variability in the expression of the "peaked" inflammatory module, suggesting that paracrine signaling represses part of the inflammatory program. The study highlights the importance of cell-to-cell communication in controlling cellular heterogeneity and reveals strategies used by multicellular populations to establish complex dynamic responses.This study investigates the dynamic paracrine control of cellular variation in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) using single-cell RNA sequencing. The authors sequenced over 1,700 single-cell RNA-Seq libraries from DCs stimulated with different conditions. They found significant variation in gene expression between identically stimulated DCs, both in the fraction of cells expressing a given mRNA and the level of expression within those cells. Distinct gene modules, such as a "core" antiviral module and a "peaked" inflammatory module, showed different temporal heterogeneity profiles. The "core" module was early expressed by a few "precocious" cells and later activated in all cells, coordinated via interferon-mediated paracrine signaling. Preventing cell-to-cell communication reduced variability in the expression of the "peaked" inflammatory module, suggesting that paracrine signaling represses part of the inflammatory program. The study highlights the importance of cell-to-cell communication in controlling cellular heterogeneity and reveals strategies used by multicellular populations to establish complex dynamic responses.
Reach us at info@study.space