Publication details
Signals trigger state-specific transcriptional programs to support diversity and homeostasis in immune cells
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | SCIENCE SIGNALING |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://stke.sciencemag.org/content/12/581/eaao5820 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.aao5820 |
| Keywords | TOLL-LIKE RECEPTORS; RNA-SEQ; GENE-EXPRESSION; R-PACKAGE; REVEALS; MACROPHAGES; ACTIVATION; MECHANISMS; REGULATOR; SPECTRUM |
| Description | Macrophages play key roles in the immune systems of humans and other mammals. Here, we performed single-cell analyses of the mRNAs and proteins of human macrophages to compare their responses to the signaling molecules lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacteria, and palmitate (PAL), a free fatty acid. We found that, although both molecules signal through the cell surface protein Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), they stimulated the expression of different genes, resulting in specific pro- and anti-inflammatory cellular states for each signal. The effects of the glucocorticoid receptor, which antagonizes LPS signaling, and cyclic AMP-dependent transcription factor 3, which inhibits PAL-induced inflammation, on inflammatory response seemed largely determined by digital on-off events. Furthermore, the quantification of transcriptional variance and signaling entropy enabled the identification of cell state-specific deregulated molecular pathways. These data suggest that the preservation of signaling in distinct cells might confer diversity on macrophage populations essential to maintaining major cellular functions. |