Delineating COVID-19 immunological features using single-cell RNA sequencing

Abstract

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis and immune response is vital for developing therapies. Single-cell RNA sequencing has been applied to delineate the cellular heterogeneity of the host response toward COVID-19 in multiple tissues and organs. Here, we review the applications and findings from over 80 original COVID-19 single-cell RNA sequencing studies as well as many secondary analysis studies. We describe that single-cell RNA sequencing reveals multiple features of COVID-19 patients with different severity, including cell populations with proportional alteration, COVID-19-induced genes and pathways, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in single cells, and adaptation of immune repertoire. We also collect published single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from original studies. Finally, we discuss the limitations in current studies and perspectives for future advance. Public summary: • Single-cell RNA sequencing is a powerful biotechnology in COVID-19 research • It reveals multiple features of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and host immune response • Single-cell immune profiling characterizes the adaptive immune response in COVID-19 • Analysis of B cell receptors accelerates the neutralizing antibody identification