Project overview
Skin is the largest body organ, and a major site for allergic disease, such as atopic dermatitis. We and other have demonstrated, that skin contact with allergens can induce and worsen allergic responses. In contrast, recent studies demonstrate, that skin can be successfully used as a gateway for therapeutic interventions, aimed at improving the body's immune defences. Such interventions on the skin would create an attractive strategy in allergy treatment and prevention, but we need to understan d better how the immune responses are regulated in human skin. Recent findings point to the critical role of a subset of immune cells in the outermost layer of the skin, called Langerhans' cells (LCs), in the orchestration of immune responses. It is proposed, to investigate the molecular mechanism of immune regulation by human LCs isolated from allergic and healthy individuals. Identified candidate molecular regulators will then be switched off using small molecular inhibitors, to investigat e their suitability as therapeutic targets. By focusing on a key control element in human skin this comprehensive approach will lead to identification of novel therapeutic strategies for induction of long-lasting tolerance in allergy.
Research outputs
DOI:
Type: article
DOI:
Type: workingPaper
DOI:
Type: article
DOI:
Type: article
DOI:
Type: letterEditorial
DOI:
Type: article