Analysis of SFTS pathogenesis based on single-cell RNA sequencing of monocytes

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly identified tick-borne viral disease with a high mortality rate. Monocytes are known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of SFTS, but the distinct subpopulations of monocytes associated with the disease progression and their roles in inflammatory responses remain poorly elucidated. In this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to explore the specific monocyte subpopulations correlated with the progression of SFTS and their involvement in inflammatory processes. We performed scRNA-seq analysis on isolated monocytes obtained from seven SFTS patients, complemented by flow cytometry for cell identification. Three normal monocyte samples were sourced from public databases for comparative analyses. Bioinformatic tools including Cell Ranger, Seurat, Monocle 2, GSEA, SCENIC, and NicheNet were utilized to identify distinct cell populations and transcriptional patterns.