Single-Cell RNA-seq of bat and human fibroblasts stimulated by dsRNA to trigger antiviral response

Dermal fibroblasts from bat and human, stimulated with dsRNA (poly(I:C)) and controls. Bats can harbor some of the most deadliest viruses to humans while rarely displaying pathogenicity themselves. To study the transcriptional divergence and cell-to-cell variability of their innate immune response - the expression program that is initiated once a pathogen is sensed, we stimulated dermal fibroblast cells from Rousettus aegyptiacus and from human for four hours with dsRNA - a viral RNA mimic that triggers a rapid innate immune response. Subsequently, we profiled the response using scRNA-seq.