Single-cell transcriptomics uncovers key immune drivers of vaccine efficacy in cattle

Comprehensive characterization of bovine immune cell populations is essential for improving animal welfare and disease resilience. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on over 29,000 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Angus cattle stratified by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), a proxy for the cellular immune response (Cell-IR). Unsupervised clustering identified major immune populations including CD4^⁺ and CD8^⁺ T cells, γδ T cells, B cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells. Differential gene expression suggests that low Cell-IR cattle have in elevated NKT inflammatory response, while high Cell-IR cattle have increased CD8- γδ T cell and pro-inflammatory myeloid activity. Intercellular communication analysis using CellChat highlighted pro-inflammatory cytokine cascades, particularly the IL-1β- IL-1R1 ligand-receptor interactions. This study provides a high-resolution atlas of Angus PBMCs and establishes a framework for linking immune cell composition with functional immune phenotypes in cattle.