Single-cell transcriptional heterogeneity of lymphatic endothelial cells in normal and inflamed murine lymph nodes

Abstract

The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in immunity and lymph nodes (LNs) undergo drastic remodeling during inflammation. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate transcriptional changes in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in LNs draining naïve and inflamed skin. We found that subsets of LECs lining the different LN sinuses responded individually to skin inflammation, suggesting that they exert distinct functions under pathological conditions. Among the genes dysregulated during inflammation, we confirmed an up-regulation of CD200 in the LECs lining the subcapsular sinus floor with a possible function in immune regulation. Furthermore, by in silico analysis, we predicted numerous possible interactions of LECs with diverse immune cells in the LNs and found similarities in the transcriptional changes of LN LECs in different skin inflammation settings. In summary, we provide an in-depth analysis of the transcriptional landscape of LN LECs in the naïve state and in skin inflammation.