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Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the expansion of circulating tissue-homing B cell subsets in secondary acute dengue viral infection
Author(s)
Arora, Jantarika Kumar
Matangkasombut, Ponpan
Charoensawan, Varodom
Opasawatchai, Anunya
Sakuntabhai, Anavaj
Singhasivanon, Pratap
Suraamornkul, Swangjit
Yingtaweesak, Tawatchai
Manopwisedjaroen, Khajohnpong
Date Issued
May 30, 2024
Type
Article
Abstract
The roles of antibodies secreted by subsets of B cells in dengue virus (DENV) infection have been extensively studied, yet, the contribution of tissue-homing B cells to antiviral immunity remains unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of B cell subpopulations in peripheral blood samples from DENV-infected patients using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets and flow cytometry. We showed that plasma cells (PCs) and plasmablasts (PBs) were the predominant B cell populations during the acute phase of secondary natural DENV infection, but not in convalescent phase nor in healthy controls. Interestingly, these cells expressed proliferation, adhesion, and tissue-homing genes, including SELPLG, a homing marker of the skin, the initial infected site of DENV. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed a significant upregulation of cell surface expression of a cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA) encoded by SELPLG in PCs and PBs, compared to naive and memory B cells from the same patients. The analysis of an independent single-cell B-cell receptor sequencing (scBCR-seq) dataset of DENV-infected patients revealed that the peripheral blood PCs and PBs exhibited the highest clonal expansion in secondary DENV infection compared to other B cell subsets. These clonally expanded cells also expressed the highest levels of tissue-homing genes, including SELPLG. In addition, by utilizing a public scRNA-seq dataset of SARS-CoV2 infection, we demonstrated the upregulation of several tissue-homing genes in PCs and PBs. Our study provides evidence for the potential roles of tissue-homing B cell subsets in the context of immune responses against viral infections in humans.
Citation
Heliyon, 10(10), 2024