The chromatin landscape of pathogenic transcriptional cell states in rheumatoid arthritis

Nat Commun. 2024 May 31;15(1):4650. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48620-7.

Abstract

Synovial tissue inflammation is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent work has identified prominent pathogenic cell states in inflamed RA synovial tissue, such as T peripheral helper cells; however, the epigenetic regulation of these states has yet to be defined. Here, we examine genome-wide open chromatin at single-cell resolution in 30 synovial tissue samples, including 12 samples with transcriptional data in multimodal experiments. We identify 24 chromatin classes and predict their associated transcription factors, including a CD8 + GZMK+ class associated with EOMES and a lining fibroblast class associated with AP-1. By integrating with an RA tissue transcriptional atlas, we propose that these chromatin classes represent 'superstates' corresponding to multiple transcriptional cell states. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of this RA tissue chromatin atlas through the associations between disease phenotypes and chromatin class abundance, as well as the nomination of classes mediating the effects of putatively causal RA genetic variants.

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / genetics
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / immunology
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / metabolism
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / pathology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Chromatin* / genetics
  • Chromatin* / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Single-Cell Analysis
  • Synovial Membrane* / metabolism
  • Synovial Membrane* / pathology
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / genetics
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / genetics
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • EOMES protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factor AP-1

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