Single‐cell atlas of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pregnant women

Abstract

Abstract Background During pregnancy, mother–child interactions trigger a variety of subtle changes in the maternal body, which may be reflected in the status of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Although these cells are easy to access and monitor, a PBMC atlas for pregnant women has not yet been constructed. Methods We applied single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) to profile 198,356 PBMCs derived from 136 pregnant women (gestation weeks 6 to 40) and a control cohort. We also used scRNA‐seq data to establish a transcriptomic clock and thereby predicted the gestational age of normal pregnancy. Results We identified reconfiguration of the peripheral immune cell phenotype during pregnancy, including interferon‐stimulated gene upregulation, activation of RNA splicing‐related pathways and immune activity of cell subpopulations. We also developed a cell‐type‐specific model to predict gestational age of normal pregnancy. Conclusions We constructed a single‐cell atlas of PBMCs in pregnant women spanning the entire gestation period, which should help improve our understanding of PBMC composition turnover in pregnant women.

Keywords

• interferon
• PBMCs
• pregnancy
• scRNA‐seq