About this Research Topic
Study of humoral immune responses at the basic level has been highly successful in understanding the generation of specific antibodies to experimental immunization. These have mostly been mouse studies, using inbred strains. The application of this approach to clinical problems in humans has been limited due to the expense and inconvenience of applying molecular technology to individual patients.
The dramatic fall in the cost of single-cell sequencing has opened a path to insights into the fundamental nature of immune responses associated with immune protection and disease. For example, high throughput automated sequencing of VH genes of antibodies from UK COVID-19 patients revealed that different individuals show convergent use of similar B cell antigen receptor genes. A similar approach was applied to analysis of the immuno phenotype displayed in COVID-19 convalescent sera from elderly patients.
The ease and speed of current techniques has led to the identification of highly protective antibodies that may have clinical relevance in individual patients. In separate studies, detailed molecular analysis of the response to influenza virus A infection provided insights into the nature of the virus-specific antibody response. These studies also speculate that such analyses may have prognostic implications in patients.
In addition, detailed analysis of the molecular basis of the autoimmune B-cell repertoire in a NOD-based mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome has advanced our understanding of the progression of disease in this autoimmune and lymphoproliferative disorder. Analyses of autoantigens and autoantibodies have been approached using modern sequencing methods. The systematic recognition of autoantigens that are important in lupus and other autoimmune diseases has been elucidated using a combination of next-generation sequencing and serum repertoire gene analysis (Protein-Based Immunowide Sequencing, PIWAS). These studies should clarify the important question of epitope recognition in systemic autoimmune diseases.
This Research Topic welcomes the submission of manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to:
• Autoimmune B-cell repertoire in mice/human models
• B-cell receptor repertoires in COVID-19 and other infections
• B-cell receptor repertoires in cancer
• Sequence-signature optimization in the development of neutralizing antibodies
• Protein-based immunome wide association Studies (PIWAS) in the discovery of disease-associated antigens
• Improvements in single cell sequencing
• Novel statistical descriptions and machine-learning approaches applied to B-cell receptor repertoires
The dramatic fall in the cost of single-cell sequencing has opened a path to insights into the fundamental nature of immune responses associated with immune protection and disease. For example, high throughput automated sequencing of VH genes of antibodies from UK COVID-19 patients revealed that different individuals show convergent use of similar B cell antigen receptor genes. A similar approach was applied to analysis of the immuno phenotype displayed in COVID-19 convalescent sera from elderly patients.
The ease and speed of current techniques has led to the identification of highly protective antibodies that may have clinical relevance in individual patients. In separate studies, detailed molecular analysis of the response to influenza virus A infection provided insights into the nature of the virus-specific antibody response. These studies also speculate that such analyses may have prognostic implications in patients.
In addition, detailed analysis of the molecular basis of the autoimmune B-cell repertoire in a NOD-based mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome has advanced our understanding of the progression of disease in this autoimmune and lymphoproliferative disorder. Analyses of autoantigens and autoantibodies have been approached using modern sequencing methods. The systematic recognition of autoantigens that are important in lupus and other autoimmune diseases has been elucidated using a combination of next-generation sequencing and serum repertoire gene analysis (Protein-Based Immunowide Sequencing, PIWAS). These studies should clarify the important question of epitope recognition in systemic autoimmune diseases.
This Research Topic welcomes the submission of manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to:
• Autoimmune B-cell repertoire in mice/human models
• B-cell receptor repertoires in COVID-19 and other infections
• B-cell receptor repertoires in cancer
• Sequence-signature optimization in the development of neutralizing antibodies
• Protein-based immunome wide association Studies (PIWAS) in the discovery of disease-associated antigens
• Improvements in single cell sequencing
• Novel statistical descriptions and machine-learning approaches applied to B-cell receptor repertoires
Keywords: autoantibodies, B cells, immunoglobulin genes, autoimmunity, genomics, proteomics, immunopathology
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