Summary

Natural killer (NK) cells are critical to both innate and adaptive immunity. However, the development and heterogeneity of human NK cells are yet to be fully defined. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing technology, here we identify distinct NK populations in human bone marrow and blood, including one population expressing higher levels of immediate early genes indicative of a homeostatic activation. Functionally matured NK cells with high expression of CX3CR1, HAVCR2 (TIM-3), and ZEB2 represents terminally differentiated status with the unique transcriptional profile. Transcriptomic and pseudotime analyses identify a transitional population between CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells. Finally, a donor with GATA2T354M mutation exhibits reduced percentage of CD56bright NK cells with altered transcriptome and elevated cell death. These data expand our understanding of the heterogeneity and development of human NK cells.

Overall design

Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of NK cells from bone marrow of six healthy donors, blood of two healthy donors and a blood sample from a donor with GATA2T354M mutation

Contributors

Chao Yang, Jason R Siebert, Robert Burns, Zachary J Gerbec, Benedetta Bonacci, Amy Rymaszewski, Mary Rau, Matthew J Riese, Sridhar Rao, Karen-Sue Carlson, John M Routes, James W Verbsky, Monica S Thakar, Subramaniam Malarkannan

Contact

subra.malar@bcw.edu(S.M.)