Single-cell profiling reveals Colonic CD8 Topography in IBD -hIL26 Mouse RNA-Seq

Aim: To assess the effect of IL-26 on mouse colonic tissue at steady state and in DSS-induced colitis through next-generation RNA sequencing of bulk RNA from colonic tissue. Results: We demonstrate an anti-inflammatory effect of IL-26 at both steady-state and after induction of DSS-colitis, through suppression of both cell recruitment and activation pathways. Methods: Mice do not express IL-26, but do express the putative IL-26 receptor (IL10RB/IL20RA). The study therefore utilized WT (C57BL/6 B6) or TG mice (C57BL/6 expressing human IL26 BAC transgene) littermate mice housed in pathogen-free conditions with regularized day-night cycles and ad-libitum access to sterile food and water. These mice were either assessed at age 20-24 weeks (steady-state,for any spontaneous inflammation) or exposed to 2.5% DSS at age 10-14 weeks for 6 days, with and without exposure to anti-IL26 antibody or isotype control antibody. Bulk RNA was extracted from the colonic tissue of these mice, enriched for mRNA with strand-specific information, and analyzed with next-generation RNA sequencing.