Transcriptional profiles of human circulating innate lymphoid cells and CD4 T helper cells. Transcriptional profiles of human circulating innate lymphoid cells and CD4 T helper cells

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are part of the innate immune cell family. Three different subsets of ILCs, ILC1s, ILC2s and ILCPs can be identified in human peripheral blood. Based on their expression of transcription factors and cytokines, they are considered as being the innate counterparts of CD4 T helper subsets, namely Th1s, Th2s and Th17s. However, ILCs and Th cells have different roles in immunity. Therefore, we compared the transcriptomes of sorted ILC1s, ILC2s, ILCPs, Th1s, Th2s and Th17s from the peripheral blood of three different donors. RNA sequencing of ILC and Th subsets revealed differences in the expression of tens to hundreds of genes. These genes are involved in cell trafficking, innate activation and inhibitory functions. ILC and Th cell subsets also differ in their expressions of long-non coding RNAs.