Single-cell analyses reveal functional classification of dendritic cells and their potential roles in inflammatory disease

Dendritic cells (DCs) have crucial roles in immune-related diseases. However, it is difficult to explore DCs because of their rareness and heterogeneity. Although previous studies had been performed to detect the phenotypic characteristics of DC populations, the functional diversity has been ignored. Using a combination of flow cytometry, single-cell quantitative PCR, and bioinformatic analysis, we depicted the DC panorama with not only phenotypic but also functional markers. Functional classification of DCs in mouse lymphoid tissue (spleen) and nonlymphoid tissue (liver) was performed. The results revealed that expression of macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MSR1) and C–C motif chemokine receptors (CCR)1, CCR2, and CCR4 were elevated in liver DCs, suggesting increased lipid uptake and migration abilities. The enriched expression of costimulatory molecule CD80, TLR9, and TLR adaptor MYD88 in spleen DCs indicated a more-mature phenotype, enhanced pathogen recognition, and T-cell stimulation abilities. Furth...