Mapping SLE heterogeneity at the single cell level

Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) display a complex blood transcriptome whose cellular origin is poorly resolved. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we profiled ~276,000 PBMCs from 33 children with SLE (cSLE) with different degrees of disease activity (DA) and 11 matched controls. Increased expression of Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) distinguished cSLE from healthy control cells. The high-ISG expression signature (ISGhi) derived from a small number of transcriptionally defined subpopulations within major cell types, including monocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, NK cells, cDCs, pDCs, B cells and especially plasma cells. Expansion of unique subpopulations enriched in ISGs and/or in monogenic Lupus-associated genes classified patients with the highest DA. Profiling of ~82,000... (for more see dbGaP study page.)