Type I Interferon-Driven Monocyte Dysregulation and MAS-associated CD8 + T cells During Macrophage Activation Syndrome

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Abstract
Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is driven by a hyperinflammatory response characterized by aberrant activation of lymphocytes and phagocytes. While monocytes and macrophages are thought to be important in MAS pathogenesis, their role remains poorly understood. We used bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on sorted monocytes from children with MAS and healthy controls to identify transcriptional changes during MAS. We defined a MAS signature in classical monocytes that correlated with ferritin and was elevated in monocytes from systemic lupus erythematosus and COVID-19 patients. We also identified a subset of classical monocytes with high levels of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that expanded during MAS. Surprisingly, the transcriptional signature of these cells was driven by type I IFNs, rather than IFNγ. Consistent with this finding, we detected increased levels of circulating IFNβ during MAS, suggesting that IFNβ plays an unrecognized role in driving MAS monocyte responses. We also identified a MAS-associated CD8 + T cell population with a distinctive transcriptional signature. We used cell-cell communication algorithms to predict increased immunoregulatory interactions between monocytes and T cells during MAS. Together, these results provide new evidence for a role for type I IFN during MAS and identify a unique CD8 + T cell population that may contribute to MAS pathophysiology.
Funding Information
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (K08 AI170918)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01 AI150178-01S1)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01 AR076242)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (T32 AR007108)
  • Rheumatology Research Foundation
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (T32 HD007233)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (F32 HL156516)

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