B cell repertoire sequencing in healthy individuals

B cells play a central role in adaptive immune processes, mainly through the production of antibodies. Young children have had limited contact with foreign antigens and are initially protected by maternal antibodies. Through continuous antigen exposure, the human immune system develops a repository of cells expressing diverse antigen-specific adaptive immune receptors that enable a targeted, rapid and extensive secondary immune response. Little is known about the speed, magnitude and the detailed characteristics of this antigen-driven maturation of the B-cell system during childhood. We investigated the naïve and antigen-experienced B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoire in 46 healthy individuals aged 6 months to 50 years. Heavy chain BCR transcripts were amplified and sequenced, and repertoire characteristics and the self-reactive and structural nature of BCR transcripts were assessed through data analysis.