Analysis of lung transcriptomic changes following inhibition of LTßR-signalling in cigarette smoke exposed mice

How LTßR-signalling drives chronic tissue damage particularly in the lung, which mechanisms regulate this process, and whether LTßR-blockade might be of therapeutic value has remained unclear. To study the mechanisms underlying LTßR-inhibition, a transcriptional analysis was performed on lung tissue from B6 mice exposed to cigarette smoke for 6 months and treated therapeutically with LTßR-Ig from 4 to 6 months compared to mice exposed to cigarette smoke for 6 months and treated with control Ig from 4 to 6 months and filtered air control. Single-cell RNA-Seq identified 24 distinct cell populations across >20,000 cells in lungs with distinct changes occurring upon cigarette smoke exposure and LTßR-Ig treatment. Overall design: Single-cell transcriptomics experiment after cigarette smoke exposure and drug treatment.