A single-cell V(D)J sequencing dataset of peripheral blood cells in multibacillary leprosy.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (Mlep), and is classified as a tropical disease by the WHO. While prior research has documented the various phenotypes and functions of T cells and B cells in Mlep infection, the specific clonotypes of T cells and B cells that are essential for understanding the progression of multibacillary leprosy have not been reported. Here, we established a single-cell V(D)J sequencing dataset including 5 multibacillary leprosy patients (MBs) and 5 healthy individuals (HCs), aiming to generate comprehensive profiles of T-cell receptors and B-cell receptors present in the peripheral blood. This study suggested that Mlep infection has distinct selective effects on peripheral immune repertoires and that these biased immune repertoires observed in MBs have potential as biomarkers. This dataset provides very comprehensive and valuable data on the peripheral blood immune repertoire of multibacillary leprosy patients. It holds considerable importance in the clinical monitoring and management of Mlep infections, ultimately contributing to the WHO goal "Towards Zero Leprosy" by 2030.