Unveiling genetic signatures of immune response in immune-related diseases through single-cell eQTL analysis across diverse conditions

Abstract Deciphering the intricate regulatory mechanisms underlying biological processes holds promise for elucidating how genetic variants contribute to immune-related disorders. We map genetic effects on gene expression (expression quantitative trait locus, eQTL) using single-cell transcriptomes o...

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Main Authors: Zhenhua Zhang, Wenchao Li, Qiuyao Zhan, Michelle Aillaud, Javier Botey-Bataller, Martijn Zoodsma, Rob ter Horst, Leo A. B. Joosten, Christoph Bock, Leon N. Schulte, Cheng-Jian Xu, Mihai G. Netea, Marc Jan Bonder, Yang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61192-4
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Summary:Abstract Deciphering the intricate regulatory mechanisms underlying biological processes holds promise for elucidating how genetic variants contribute to immune-related disorders. We map genetic effects on gene expression (expression quantitative trait locus, eQTL) using single-cell transcriptomes of 152 samples from 38 healthy individuals, covering baseline state and lipopolysaccharide challenge either before or after Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination. Interestingly, we uncover a monocyte eQTL linked to the LCP1, shedding light on inter-individual variations in trained immunity. Furthermore, we elucidate genetic and epigenetic regulatory networks of CD55 and SLFN5. Of note, our results support the pivotal roles of SLFN5 in COVID-19 pathogenesis by incorporating disease-associated loci, chromatin accessibility, and transcription factor binding affinities, aligning with the established functions of SLFN5 in restricting virus replication during viral infection. Our study provides a paradigm to decipher genetic underpinnings of complex traits by integrating single-cell eQTLs with multi-omics data from patients and public databases.
ISSN:2041-1723