Breakthrough research has revealed new ways to remove immune cells that cause skin autoimmune diseases without affecting protective cells that fight infection and cancer.
Researchers, led by University of Melbourneās Professor Laura Mackay, a Laboratory Head and Immunology Theme Leader at the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), discovered distinct mechanisms controlling different types of immune cells, and found that, by precisely targeting these mechanisms, they could selectively eliminate āproblematic cellsā and reshape the skin’s immune landscape.
Our skin is packed with specialized immune cells that protect against infections and cancer and promote healing. These cells, called tissue-resident T cells or TRM cells, stay in place to fight infections and cancerous cells in the skin. However, when not controlled properly, some of these skin TRM cells can contribute to autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis and vitiligo.
University of Melbourneās Dr Simone Park, an Honorary Research Fellow and former Postdoctoral Fellow in the Mackay Lab at the Doherty Institute, and lead first author of the study, said that this research is the first to describe the unique elements that control various types of skin TRM cells in animal models, offering precise targets for potential treatment strategies.
āSpecialized immune cells in our skin are diverse: many are critical to prevent infection and cancer, but others play a big role in mediating autoimmunity,ā said Dr Park.
āWe discovered key differences in how distinct types of skin T cells are regulated, allowing us to precisely edit the skinās immune