A 10-year-old patient developed sudden, uncontrolled movements after a simple strep throat infection. ..

To understand why, researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing - a tool that lets us zoom in on tens of thousands of individual immune cells to see which genes they’re switching on.

What did they find?

🔹 B cells were “lighting up” genes that help them present antigens and produce antibodies (like HLA-DRB5, HLA-DQB1, IGH).

🔹 Plasma cells ramped up activity in genes linked to protein breakdown and presentation (proteasome pathways).

Together, these changes suggest the immune system may be mistakenly targeting the brain - a process of autoimmunity that could explain Sydenham’s chorea and guide future treatments.

At PrecisionGo, this is exactly where our #bioinformatics capabilities shine (thanks Dr Brian Gloss!). We translate complex single-cell data into meaningful insights—identifying immune signatures, uncovering key pathways, and supporting researchers working on rare and complex diseases.

When every cell counts, precision analytics can reveal hidden signals that open new doors for research and clinical translation.

👉 Curious about how PrecisionGo can support your rare-disease or immunology research? Let’s connect. precisiongo@wimr.org.au

Read the full article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40859454/