Single-cell transcriptome analysis profiles cellular and molecular alterations in submandibular gland and blood in IgG4-related disease.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to profile the transcriptional landscapes of affected tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at the single-cell level in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Identifying the cell populations and crosstalk between immune cells and non-immune cells will assist us in understanding the aetiology of IgG4-RD.

METHODS

We performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on submandibular glands (SMGs) and PBMCs from patients with IgG4-RD and matched controls. Additionally, bulk RNA sequencing of PBMCs was used to construct the immune repertoire. Furthermore, multiplex immunofluorescence staining was performed to validate the transcriptomic results.

RESULTS

We identified three novel subsets of tissue-resident immune cells in the SMGs of patients with IgG4-RD. _B cells and _T cells had stemness signatures, and trajectory analysis showed that _B cells may differentiate into IgG4plasma cells and that _T cells may differentiate into T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. _B cells with Tfh-like characteristics appeared to be an intermediate state in the differentiation from B cells to IgG4plasma cells. The cellular communication patterns within immune cells and between immune cells and non-immune cells were altered in IgG4-RD compared with controls. Consistently, infection-related pathways were shared in B cells and T cells from SMGs and PBMCs. Furthermore, immune clonotype analysis of PBMC samples showed the complementary determining region 3 amino acid CQQSYSTPYTF was expanded in patients with IgG4-RD.

CONCLUSION

Our data revealed the cellular and molecular changes at the single-cell resolution of IgG4-RD and provide valuable insights into the aetiology and novel therapeutic targets of the autoimmune disease.