Single cell RNA sequencing analysis of human Alzheimer’s disease brain samples reveal neuronal and glial specific cells differential expression

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common dementia worldwide with no current treatment and poorly understood molecular mechanisms. RNA expression studies suggest that AD is determined by diverse molecular events. Single cell technology allows comprehensive investigation of gene expression and cell specific changes in high precision of large number of brain cells. Computational analysis can reveal affected specific cell type marker genes and generate classification of the samples and gene networks. Here, we extensively characterized altered gene expression changes in post mortem brain samples of 2 individuals with AD (the brain samples originating from 3 brain regions, BA41/42,BA 6/8 and anterior hippocampal cortex). Wed detected significant changes in astrocyte marker genes. The samples were taken from patients in Braak stage III-IV. We found significant gene expression changes between the AD compared to the 2 control sequenced samples. We found significant changes in oligodendrocyte, microglia and astrocyte marker genes and several specific genes that were altered including the neuronal differentiation factor SOX2. Overall, our study thus reinforces a growing body of evidence implicating glia in AD, and highlights the need for greater mechanistic understanding of neuron-glia interactions in AD. 2 AD samples (Braak stage 3, brain regions: BA41/42,BA 6/8 and anterior hippocampal cortex and 2 control brain regions were sequences ***Raw data requires controlled access and has been deposited at ENA (PRJEB45359; ERP129456)***