Single-cell RNA sequencing of B cells from healthy donors and SLE patients

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by pathogenic auto-antibodies that cause end organ damage. B cells are thought to play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of SLE and display several abnormalities in patients, including a strong type I interferon signature as well as lower expression of surface markers including TLR9 and FcγRIIB. To characterize differences in the proportion of distinct B cell subsets as well as intrinsic transcriptomic differences between B cells from healthy donors and SLE patients, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on B cells isolated from PBMCs of donors. Several notable features were observed, including a strong interferon response signature among SLE B cells, and the expansion of CD11c+T-bet+ B cell subsets in these patients. Additionally, several surface molecules including MHC Class II proteins and surface proteins such as CD74 and CD52 were found to be differentially expressed in B cells isolated from SLE patients. The differences in B cell subset proportion as well as expression of various genes might play a role in B cell mediated pathogenesis of SLE. Whole transcriptome data for HC (n = 2) and SLE (n = 3).