Single-cell RNAseq identifies persistent epithelial and immune dysfunction in PwCF by mitigating inter-individual sampling heterogeneity

Nasal epithelium (NE) is used as a surrogate for lower airway epithelium in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, NE is composed of diverse cell types with unique functions; changes to this heterogeneous tissue in disease can be cell-type specific. To explore the impact of tissue heterogeneity, we examine NE gene expression and cell-type heterogeneity using single-cell transcriptomics of people with CF (PwCF) and healthy volunteers (HV). We also compare cell-type abundance in paired single-cell and bulk transcriptomic samples.