A transcriptome-based approach to identify functional modules within and across primary human immune cells

PLoS One. 2020 May 29;15(5):e0233543. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233543. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Genome-wide transcriptomic analyses have provided valuable insight into fundamental biology and disease pathophysiology. Many studies have taken advantage of the correlation in the expression patterns of the transcriptome to infer a potential biologic function of uncharacterized genes, and multiple groups have examined the relationship between co-expression, co-regulation, and gene function on a broader scale. Given the unique characteristics of immune cells circulating in the blood, we were interested in determining whether it was possible to identify functional co-expression modules in human immune cells. Specifically, we sequenced the transcriptome of nine immune cell types from peripheral blood cells of healthy donors and, using a combination of global and targeted analyses of genes within co-expression modules, we were able to determine functions for these modules that were cell lineage-specific or shared among multiple cell lineages. In addition, our analyses identified transcription factors likely important for immune cell lineage commitment and/or maintenance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Lineage
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Regulatory Networks*
  • Hematopoiesis
  • Humans
  • Immune System / cytology
  • Immune System / metabolism*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / physiology
  • Male
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Transcription Factors

Substances

  • Transcription Factors