Affiliation:
1. Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
2. The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Abstract
Pigs are the most important source of meat and valuable biomedical models. However, the porcine immune system, especially the heterogeneity of CD8 T cell subtypes, has not been fully characterized. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identified 14 major cell types from peripheral blood circulating cells of pigs and observed remarkable heterogeneity among CD8 T cell types. Upon re-clustering of CD8+ T cells, we defined four CD8 T cell subtypes and revealed their potential differentiation trajectories and transcriptomic differences among them. Additionally, we identified transcription factors with potential regulatory roles in maintaining CD8 T cell differentiation. The cell-cell communication analysis inferred an extensive interaction between CD8 T cells and other immune cells. Finally, cross-species analysis further identified species-specific and conserved cell types across different species. Overall, our study provides the first insight into the extensive functional heterogeneity and state transitions among porcine CD8 T cell subtypes in pig peripheral blood, complements the knowledge of porcine immunity, and enhances its potential as a biomedical model.
Funder
National Key Research and Development Program of China
Natural Science Foundation of China
NMajor Project of Hubei Hongshan Laboratory
Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System