title: Cells Respond to Distinct Nanoparticle Properties with Multiple Strategies As Revealed by Single-Cell RNA-Seq.
abstract: The impact of distinct nanoparticle (NP) properties on cellular response and ultimately human health is unclear. This gap is partially due to experimental difficulties in achieving uniform NP loads in the studied cells, creating heterogeneous populations with some cells "overloaded" while other cells are loaded with few or no NPs. Yet gene expression studies have been conducted in the population as a whole, identifying generic responses, while missing unique responses due to signal averaging across many cells, each carrying different loads. Here, we applied single-cell RNA-Seq to alveolar epithelial cells carrying defined loads of aminated or carboxylated quantum dots (QDs), showing higher or lower toxicity, respectively. Interestingly, cells carrying lower loads responded with multiple strategies, mostly with up-regulated processes, which were nonetheless coherent and unique to each QD type. In contrast, cells carrying higher loads responded more uniformly, with mostly down-regulated processes that were shared across QD types. Strategies unique to aminated QDs showed strong up-regulation of stress responses, coupled in some cases with regulation of cell cycle, protein synthesis, and organelle activities. In contrast, strategies unique to carboxylated QDs showed up-regulation of DNA repair and RNA activities and decreased regulation of cell division, coupled in some cases with up-regulation of stress responses and ATP-related functions. Together, our studies suggest scenarios where higher NP loads lock cells into uniform responses, mostly shutdown of cellular processes, whereas lower loads allow for unique responses to each NP type that are more diversified proactive defenses or repairs of the NP insults.
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Hugh D
authors: HD
authors: Mitchell
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Lye Meng
authors: LM
authors: Markillie
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: William B
authors: WB
authors: Chrisler
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Gaffrey
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Dehong
authors: D
authors: Hu
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Craig J
authors: CJ
authors: Szymanski
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Yumei
authors: Y
authors: Xie
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Eric S
authors: ES
authors: Melby
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Dohnalkova
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Ronald C
authors: RC
authors: Taylor
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Eva K
authors: EK
authors: Grate
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Scott K
authors: SK
authors: Cooley
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Jason E
authors: JE
authors: McDermott
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Heredia-Langner
authors: Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate and ‡National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99352, United States.
authors: Galya
authors: G
authors: Orr
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA
keywords: differential gene expression; functional enrichment; hierarchical clustering; single-cell sorting; transcriptional response