scapGNN: A graph neural network-based framework for active pathway and gene module inference from single-cell multi-omics data.

Although advances in single-cell technologies have enabled the characterization of multiple omics profiles in individual cells, extracting functional and mechanistic insights from such information remains a major challenge. Here, we present scapGNN, a graph neural network (GNN)-based framework that...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xudong Han, Bing Wang, Chenghao Situ, Yaling Qi, Hui Zhu, Yan Li, Xuejiang Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-11-01
Series:PLoS Biology
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002369&type=printable
Description
Summary:Although advances in single-cell technologies have enabled the characterization of multiple omics profiles in individual cells, extracting functional and mechanistic insights from such information remains a major challenge. Here, we present scapGNN, a graph neural network (GNN)-based framework that creatively transforms sparse single-cell profile data into the stable gene-cell association network for inferring single-cell pathway activity scores and identifying cell phenotype-associated gene modules from single-cell multi-omics data. Systematic benchmarking demonstrated that scapGNN was more accurate, robust, and scalable than state-of-the-art methods in various downstream single-cell analyses such as cell denoising, batch effect removal, cell clustering, cell trajectory inference, and pathway or gene module identification. scapGNN was developed as a systematic R package that can be flexibly extended and enhanced for existing analysis processes. It provides a new analytical platform for studying single cells at the pathway and network levels.
ISSN:1544-9173
1545-7885