---
title: "Image-guided sorting reveals transcriptomic signatures of physically interacting T cell–monocyte p"
id: "biorxiv-8-single-cell-profiling-of-physically-interacting-immune-cells-using-image-guided"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-8-single-cell-profiling-of-physically-interacting-immune-cells-using-image-guided"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "General"
source_name: "bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)"
source_url: "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.09.758094v1?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-10-16T12:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Verified Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Image-guided sorting reveals transcriptomic signatures of physically interacting T cell–monocyte p
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-8-single-cell-profiling-of-physically-interacting-immune-cells-using-image-guided
- **Specialty:** [General](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/general.md)
- **Primary Source:** bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.09.758094v1?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-10-16T12:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Verified Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- The study combined spectral imaging cell sorting with physical cell deconvolution to separate circulating T cell–monocyte doublets from tuberculosis patients into **in-contact** (physically interacting) and **coincidental** (non-interacting) populations. - Investigators performed single-cell sequencing on individual cell partners after deconvolution; the paper reports distinct transcriptional programs in physically interacting pairs compared with singlets. - Data indicated unidirectional RNA transfer from monocytes to T cells associated with physical contact; this transfer coincided with greater metabolic activity in both partners and increased T cell cytotoxicity. - The interaction-associated signatures were present across all measured T cell and monocyte subpopulations, implying a broad program of engagement rather than a niche phenomenon limited to a subset. - Coincidental doublets had transcriptional profiles intermediate between singlets and in-contact pairs, which the authors interpreted as reflecting recently disrupted or nascent physical interactions. - The cohort consisted of circulating cells from tuberculosis patients; the source did not provide additional details on sample size, exact patient demographics, or specific sequencing depth and parameters. - The authors reported a trend toward antigen-specific enrichment among physically interacting pairs, but the source did not quantify effect size or statistical values in the abstract. - The framework is presented as a high-fidelity method for deconvolving cellular interactions; the source did not report formal limitations, validation across other diseases, or regulatory milestones in the abstract.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
Single-cell profiling of physically interacting immune cells using image-guided sorting | bioRxiv Skip to main content New Results Single-cell profiling of physically interacting immune cells using image-guided sorting Ningxin Kang , Cheryl Kim , View ORCID Profile Thomas J Scriba , Bjoern Peters , View ORCID Profile Julie G Burel doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.09.758094 Ningxin Kang 1 La Jolla Institute for Immunology; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Cheryl Kim 1 La Jolla Institute for Immunology; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Thomas J Scriba 2 University of Cape Town Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Thomas J Scriba Bjoern Peters 1 La Jolla Institute for Immunology; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Julie G Burel 1 La Jolla Institute for Immunology; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Julie G Burel For correspondence: jburel{at}lji.org Abstract Info/History Metrics Supplementary material Preview PDF Abstract Single-cell transcriptomics of cell-cell complexes offers key insights into in vivo immune interactions, yet distinguishing true physical contacts from artifacts remains challenging. Here, we integrated spectral imaging cell sorting with physical cell deconvolution to separate circulating T cell-monocyte doublets from tuberculosis patients into physically interacting (in-contact) and non-interacting (coincidental) populations. Single-cell sequencing of individual cell partners revealed that physical contact is associated with robust signatures distinct from singlets, including unidirectional monocyte-to-T cell RNA transfer, heightened metabolic activity and T cell cytotoxicity, and a trend toward antigen-specific enrichment. These signatures spanned all T cell and monocyte subpopulations, reflecting a global program of T cell-monocyte engagement. Coincidental doublets displayed intermediate transcriptional profiles between singlet and in-contact states, suggesting the presence of recently disrupted or forming physical pairs. This framework provides high-fidelity deconvolution of cellular interactions, uncovering signatures governing T cell-monocyte communication in human disease. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funder Information Declared National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , U19-AI118626 conrad prebys Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license . Back to top Previous Next Posted October 16, 2026. Download PDF Supplementary Material Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following Single-cell profiling of physically interacting immune cells using image-guided sorting Message Subject (Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website. Your Personal Message CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Share Single-cell profiling of physically interacting immune cells using image-guided sorting Ningxin Kang , Cheryl Kim , Thomas J Scriba , Bjoern Peters , Julie G Burel bioRxiv 2026.10.09.758094; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.09.758094 Share This Article: Copy Citation Tools Single-cell profiling of physically interacting immune cells using image-guided sorting Ningxin Kang , Cheryl Kim , Thomas J Scriba , Bjoern Peters , Julie G Burel bioRxiv 2026.10.09.758094; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.09.758094 Citation Manager Formats BibTeX Bookends EasyBib EndNote (tagged) EndNote 8 (xml) Medlars Mendeley Papers RefWorks Tagged Ref Manager RIS Zotero Tweet Widget Facebook Like Google Plus One Subject Areas All Articles Animal Behavior and Cognition (8150) Biochemistry (18997) Bioengineering (15136) Bioinformatics (45129) Biophysics (22913) Cancer Biology (20041) Cell Biology (27236) Clinical Trials (138) Developmental Biology (14115) Ecology (21349) Epidemiology (2067) Evolutionary Biology (25729) Genetics (16304) Genomics (23777) Immunology (18960) Microbiology (43086) Molecular Biology (18286) Neuroscience (94787) Paleontology (710) Pathology (3022) Pharmacology and Toxicology (5167) Physiology (8248) Plant Biology (16225) Scientific Communication and Education (2113) Synthetic Biology (4628) Systems Biology (10359) Zoology (2417)
## Related Clinical Research

- [Propensity Score Analysis of Suicide Risk in the Maryland Suicide Data Warehouse](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/medrxiv-11-a-review-of-suicide-related-risks-through-propensity-score-methods-using-the.md)
- [Genetically programmable hydrogel platform for precision recombinant human ECM mimics](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-22-genetically-programmable-molecular-framework-for-constructing-precision.md)
- [Retinal arteriolar tortuosity links to blood pressure genes CSK and PAWR and implications for hear](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/medrxiv-1-retinal-arteriolar-tortuosity-as-a-candidate-genetic-window-to-inner-ear.md)
- [CohortFM: Reconstructing Continuous Molecular Trajectories from Sparse Longitudinal Samples](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-4-from-sparse-visits-to-continuous-molecular-trajectories-with-flow-matching.md)
- [Addressing Medical Debt Among Hospital Patients in Los Angeles](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/kff-health-news-2-medical-debt-is-crushing-hospital-patients-in-los-angeles-health-officials-may.md)

## Navigation
- [← Back to General Feed](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/general.md)
- [← All Clinical Specialties](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed.md)
## Medical & Regulatory Disclaimer

> [!CAUTION]
> MedicHelpline content is structured for research, educational, and professional discovery purposes. It does not constitute individual medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or treatment recommendations.
> Always verify dosing, contraindications, and regulatory alerts against official product labeling and primary regulatory sources before clinical decision-making.