The Study of BCR CDR3 Repertoire in Pediatric Myocarditis
Myocarditis exhibits a higher incidence among minors in China; however, its early diagnosis remains challenging due to the lack of specificity and limited application of the gold standard. Critical issues such as the high mortality risk of fulminant myocarditis and the absence of specific vaccines urgently need to be addressed. This study investigated the immune status and characteristics of pediatric patients with myocarditis, providing insights with potential implications for clinical management. A total of 17 children diagnosed with myocarditis were enrolled, along with 9 non-myocarditis controls as a reference group. High-throughput sequencing was employed to assess the clonal diversity of T-cell receptors (TCR) in peripheral blood T lymphocytes, V/J usage and pairing patterns, alterations in TCR CDR3 length and amino acid usage, as well as shared clonotypes. Sequencing results revealed reduced clonal diversity, shortened average CDR3 length, altered usage of V and J gene segments, and the presence of shared TCR sequences among pediatric myocarditis patients.