Single-cell RNA sequencing and single-nucleus RNA sequencing have recently provided the opportunity to investigate cellular and molecular aspects of neuro-immune interactions in the brain with unprecedented detail. Here, we highlight the major advances in human neuroimmunology reported this year based on these cutting-edge technologies.
Key advances
Single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) using brain tissue from patients with multiple sclerosis revealed multiple distinct subsets of microglia; showed that the excitatory neurons of cortical layers 2-3 are most affected by the disease; and identified a subset of oligodendrocytes that express pro-inflammatory genes.
snRNA-seq deconvoluted progressive molecular alterations of various cell types arising during Alzheimer disease and revealed potential gender differences.
Epigenetic profiling of single nuclei identified enhancers that control the expression of genes underlying the identity and function of all human brain cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Exercise mimetics: a novel strategy to combat neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease
Journal of Neuroinflammation Open Access 02 February 2024
-
Chemogenetic inhibition of NTS astrocytes normalizes cardiac autonomic control and ameliorate hypertension during chronic intermittent hypoxia
Biological Research Open Access 06 November 2023
-
The COP9 signalosome reduces neuroinflammation and attenuates ischemic neuronal stress in organotypic brain slice culture model
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Open Access 19 August 2023
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Da Mesquita, S. et al. Functional aspects of meningeal lymphatics in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Nature 560, 185–191 (2018).
Keren-Shaul, H. et al. A unique microglia type associated with restricting development of Alzheimer’s disease. Cell 169, 1276–1290 (2017).
Saunders, A. et al. Molecular diversity and specializations among the cells of the adult mouse brain. Cell 174, 1015–1030 (2018).
Hammond, T. R. et al. Single-cell RNA sequencing of microglia throughout the mouse lifespan and in the injured brain reveals complex cell-state changes. Immunity 50, 253–271 (2019).
Masuda, T. et al. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of mouse and human microglia at single-cell resolution. Nature 566, 388–392 (2019).
Schirmer, L. et al. Neuronal vulnerability and multilineage diversity in multiple sclerosis. Nature 573, 75–82 (2019).
Jäkel, S. et al. Altered human oligodendrocyte heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis. Nature 566, 543–547 (2019).
Falcão, A. M. et al. Disease-specific oligodendrocyte lineage cells arise in multiple sclerosis. Nat. Med. 24, 1837–1844 (2018).
Mathys, H. et al. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of Alzheimer’s disease. Nature 570, 332–337 (2019).
Nott, A. et al. Cell type-specific enhancer-promoter connectivity maps in the human brain and disease risk association. Science 366, 1134–1139 (2019).
Acknowledgements
We thank A. Swain and S. Gilfillan for helpful suggestions during the preparation of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
M.C. receives research support from Alector, Amgen and Ono. S.B. declares no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Colonna, M., Brioschi, S. Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in human brain at single-cell resolution. Nat Rev Immunol 20, 81–82 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-019-0262-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-019-0262-0
This article is cited by
-
Exercise mimetics: a novel strategy to combat neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease
Journal of Neuroinflammation (2024)
-
Contrasting Iron Metabolism in Undifferentiated Versus Differentiated MO3.13 Oligodendrocytes via IL-1β-Induced Iron Regulatory Protein 1
Neurochemical Research (2024)
-
Chemogenetic inhibition of NTS astrocytes normalizes cardiac autonomic control and ameliorate hypertension during chronic intermittent hypoxia
Biological Research (2023)
-
Neuronal glutathione loss leads to neurodegeneration involving gasdermin activation
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Single-cell analysis reveals novel clonally expanded monocytes associated with IL1β–IL1R2 pair in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Scientific Reports (2023)
