Fig. 3: Diversity and spatial distribution microglia, monocytes, and border-associated macrophages during chronic T. brucei infection. | Nature Communications

Fig. 3: Diversity and spatial distribution microglia, monocytes, and border-associated macrophages during chronic T. brucei infection.

From: Single cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses reveal microglia-plasma cell crosstalk in the brain during Trypanosoma brucei infection

Fig. 3: Diversity and spatial distribution microglia, monocytes, and border-associated macrophages during chronic T. brucei infection.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

A Top panel; UMAP plot depicting the six subclusters identified as microglia, including the total number of cells in this plot. The dotted line represents the clusters preferentially detected in infected samples compared to naïve controls. Bottom panel; selected marker genes for each of the myeloid subsets. B Heatmap representing the expression level of putative microglia marker genes for each of the microglia and myeloid subclusters. The cell origin within each cluster (Naïve in teal, infected in orange) is also indicated at the bottom of the heatmap. C As in (A) but depicting the identified different time points. The dotted line represents the clusters preferentially detected in infected samples compared to naïve controls. D Cell type proportion of the various microglia subclusters detected in Fig. 1E over the course of infection. E In silico projection of top marker genes for the infection-associated clusters, including Aif1, Adgre1, Arg1, and Chil3 from naïve (top), 25dpi (middle), and 45dpi (bottom) coronal mouse brain sections. Specific brain regions are also indicated. F Imaging analysis of Mrc1+ BAMs in proximity to the lateral ventricle of naïve and infected mice using immunofluorescence staining for the detection of CD68 (pan-microglia marker) and ARG1 (BAM specific marker). DAPI was included as nuclear staining, and GFAP as a marker for astrocyte reactivity. Scale = 25 μm. The results presented here are representative from two independent experiments. G Bar plot indicating the total number of differentially regulated genes (DEGs) at 25dpi (left) and 45dpi (right) compared to naïve controls. Upregulated genes are indicated in red, and downregulated genes are indicated in blue. These genes were defined as having a −0.25 < Log2 Fold change <0.25, and an adjusted p-value of <0.05 using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. H KEGG gene pathways overrepresented in cluster 2 at 25 and 45dpi. I Pathway analysis of the IAMNP subsets based on their individual marker gene profile.

Back to article page