Applications of single-cell sequencing in upper and lower airway
diseases: progress and perspectives
Abstract
Single-cell sequencing (SCS), including genomic, transcriptomic,
epigenomic, proteomic, and metabolomic sequencing, is a powerful tool
for revealing cellular and molecular landscapes at the level of
single-cell resolution. The use of SCS in upper and lower airway
diseases has revealed numerous intrinsic biological characteristics and
dynamics of airway inflammation, cancer, viral infection, and other
lesions, and has also constructed an immune landscape of health and
disease states. In this report, we review how advances in SCS technology
have increased our understanding of upper and lower airway diseases,
including chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and other
inflammatory diseases, as well as the landscape of airway immune cells
in healthy and pathological conditions. We also discuss the potential
mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity, circulating tumor cells, and tumor
biological behavior. The rapid development of single-cell technology
will further increase our understanding of the biological
characteristics of upper and lower airway diseases and provide precise
treatment targets for patients.