Publication Date
2019
Journal Title
Nat Immunol
Abstract
© 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc. The molecular and cellular processes that lead to renal damage and to the heterogeneity of lupus nephritis (LN) are not well understood. We applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to renal biopsies from patients with LN and evaluated skin biopsies as a potential source of diagnostic and prognostic markers of renal disease. Type I interferon (IFN)-response signatures in tubular cells and keratinocytes distinguished patients with LN from healthy control subjects. Moreover, a high IFN-response signature and fibrotic signature in tubular cells were each associated with failure to respond to treatment. Analysis of tubular cells from patients with proliferative, membranous and mixed LN indicated pathways relevant to inflammation and fibrosis, which offer insight into their histologic differences. In summary, we applied scRNA-seq to LN to deconstruct its heterogeneity and identify novel targets for personalized approaches to therapy.
Volume Number
20
Issue Number
7
Pages
915-927
Document Type
Article
Status
Faculty
Facility
School of Medicine
Primary Department
Molecular Medicine
Additional Departments
General Internal Medicine
PMID
DOI
10.1038/s41590-019-0386-1