While many genetic variants have been associated with risk for human diseases, how these variants affect gene expression in various cell types remains largely unknown. To address this gap, the <a href="https://dice-database.org/">DICE</a> [Database of Immune Cell Expression, Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and Epigenomics] project was established. Considering all human immune cell types and conditions studied, we identified cis-eQTLs for a total of 12,254 unique genes, which represent 61% of all protein-coding genes expressed in these cell types. Strikingly, a large fraction (41%) of these genes showed a strong cis-association with genotype only in a single cell type. We also found that biological sex is associated with major differences in immune cell gene expression in a highly cell-specific manner. These datasets will help reveal the effects of disease risk-associated genetic polymorphisms on specific immune cell types, providing mechanistic insights into how they might influence pathogenesis.

Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms on Human Immune Cell Gene Expression

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