Single Cell RNA Sequencing Identifies Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Biomarkers

Researchers at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf used single cell RNA sequencing to profile more than 777,000 immune cells from ten AML patients before and after allogeneic stem cell transplant. The study identified MDGA1 and ADGRG1 as biomarkers linked to graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukemia activity, respectively.

Key Takeaways:

• Single cell RNA sequencing of over 777,000 immune cells from ten AML patients, collected before and after allogeneic stem cell transplant, identified MDGA1 and ADGRG1 as biomarkers linked to graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukemia activity.
• MDGA1 was consistently elevated in T and NK cells from patients with acute GvHD, while ADGRG1 marked cytotoxic T cells associated with graft-versus-leukemia responses and was reduced in patients who later relapsed.
• Twenty-five cryopreserved samples across three timepoints were processed in a single Evercode WT Mega run, resolving 45 immune cell subtypes and detecting rare residual host-derived T cells.