Single-cell RNA-seq of human peripheral blood NKT cells

NKT cells are potent immune regulators and skew immune responses toward either inflammation or tolerance through quickly secreting either T helper (Th)1-, Th2-, Th17- or regulatory T-associated cytokines upon activation. Although the thymic development and functional differentiation of NKT cells is well defined in mice, it has not yet been studied in detail in humans. We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of unstimulated and PMA/ionomycin-stimulated NKT cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).