The Advances of Single-Cell RNA-Seq in Kidney Immunology

Kidney diseases are highly prevalent and treatment is costly. Immune cells play important roles in kidney diseases; however, it has been challenging to investigate the contribution of each cell type in kidney pathophysiology. Recently, the development of single-cell sequencing technology has allowed the extensive study of immune cells in blood, secondary lymphoid tissues, kidney biopsy and urine samples, helping researchers generate a comprehensive immune cell atlas for various kidney diseases. Here, we discuss several recent studies using scRNA-seq technology to explore the immune-related kidney diseases, including lupus nephritis, diabetic kidney disease, IgA nephropathy, and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis. Application of scRNA-seq successfully defined the transcriptome profiles of resident and infiltrating immune cells, as well as the intracellular communication networks between immune and adjacent cells. In addition, the discovery of similar immune cells in blood and urine suggests the possibility of examining kidney immunity without biopsy. In conclusion, these immune cell atlases will increase our understanding of kidney immunology and contribute to novel therapeutics for patients with kidney diseases.