Single-cell map of diverse immune phenotypes in the acute myeloid leukemia microenvironment

• DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00265-0
• Publication Date: 2021-03-01T19:02:58Z
• Authors: Rongqun Guo; Mengdie Lü; Fujiao Cao; Guanghua Wu; Fengcai Gao; Haili Pang; Yadan Li; Yinyin Zhang; Haizhou Xing; Chunyan Liang; Tianxin Lyu; Chunyan Du; Yingmei Li; Rong Guo; Xinsheng Xie; Wei Li; Delong Liu; Yongping Song; Zhongxing Jiang
• Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Microenvironment; Research; Immune cells; Immune phenotypes; RM1-950; 3. Good health; Single-cell RNA sequencing; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Bone marrow; Therapeutics. Pharmacology

AbstractBackgroundKnowledge of immune cell phenotypes, function, and developmental trajectory in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) microenvironment is essential for understanding mechanisms of evading immune surveillance and immunotherapy response of targeting special microenvironment components.MethodsUsing a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset, we analyzed the immune cell phenotypes, function, and developmental trajectory of bone marrow (BM) samples from 16 AML patients and 4 healthy donors, but not AML blasts.ResultsWe observed a significant difference between normal and AML BM immune cells. Here, we defined the diversity of dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages in different AML patients. We also identified several unique immune cell types including T helper cell 17 (TH17)-like intermediate population, cytotoxic CD4+T subset, T cell: erythrocyte complexes, activated regulatory T cells (Treg), and CD8+memory-like subset. Emerging AML cells remodels the BM immune microenvironment powerfully, leads to immunosuppression by accumulating exhausted/dysfunctional immune effectors, expending immune-activated types, and promoting the formation of suppressive subsets.ConclusionOur results provide a comprehensive AML BM immune cell census, which can help to select pinpoint targeted drug and predict efficacy of immunotherapy.