immunosequencing

Immunosequencing is a powerful genomic technology that focuses on analyzing the DNA and RNA sequences of immune system components, primarily T cells and B cells. These cells are crucial for adaptive immunity, with their unique receptor genes generating a vast diversity of antigen-binding specificities. Immunosequencing aims to comprehensively characterize this repertoire, providing insights into an individual's immune status and response.

The process involves deep sequencing of the genes encoding the T cell receptor (TCR) and B cell receptor (BCR). These receptors are generated through a process of genetic recombination called V(D)J recombination, which creates nearly infinite combinations of gene segments. By sequencing these rearranged genes, immunosequencing can identify the specific clonotypes present in a sample, quantifying their abundance and diversity. This allows researchers and clinicians to understand the composition of the immune repertoire, identify dominant clones, and track changes over time.

Applications of immunosequencing are widespread, spanning infectious disease research, cancer immunotherapy, autoimmune disease studies, and transplant medicine. For instance, it can be used to monitor immune responses to vaccines or infections, identify tumor-specific T cell clones for personalized cancer treatments, and understand the immune dysregulation underlying autoimmune conditions. The technology offers a high-resolution view of immune system dynamics, enabling a deeper understanding of health and disease.