Single-cell immune map reveals the peripheral immunological heterogeneity of acute rejection and acute kidney injury after kidney transplantation
10.12464/j.issn.1674-7445.2026223
- VernacularTitle:单细胞免疫图谱揭示肾移植术后急性排斥反应与急性肾损伤的外周免疫学异质性
- Author:
Jiannan HE
1
;
Qingfu DAI
1
;
Jieyi DONG
1
;
Qiquan SUN
1
;
Yannan ZHANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Kidney Transplantation, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
- Publication Type:OriginalArticle
- Keywords:
Kidney transplantation;
Acute rejection;
Acute kidney injury;
Single-cell RNA sequencing;
Immune map;
Peripheral immunological characteristic;
T cell-mediated rejection;
Non-invasive marker
- From:
Organ Transplantation
2026;17(6):943-952
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the differences in peripheral immunological characteristics between acute rejection (AR) and acute kidney injury (AKI) after kidney transplantation. Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 3 patients with acute T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) (AR group) and 4 patients with acute tubular injury (AKI group). The data from 3 patients with stable renal function after transplantation and 5 healthy individuals in the public database were integrated to draw a peripheral immune cell map and conduct functional enrichment analysis. Results TCMR was characterized by significant expansion and activation of T cells and B cells; AKI was dominated by significant expansion of monocytes. Although both had CD8+ effector memory T cells and mucosal associated invariant T cells mobilization, the activation intensity of T cell antigen presentation, B cell signaling and rejection pathways in TCMR was higher than that in AKI. Conclusions This study is the first to use scRNA-seq technology to compare the peripheral immunological differences between AR and AKI, revealing the differential characteristics of peripheral immune activation between TCMR and AKI, and providing a basis for developing non-invasive identification methods based on peripheral immune maps.
