“Specialized immune cells in our skin are diverse: many are critical to prevent infection and cancer, but others play a big role in mediating autoimmunity,” said Dr. Park.”We discovered key differences in how distinct types of skin T cells are regulated, allowing us to precisely edit the skin’s immune landscape in a targeted way.”
In the study, published in the journal Science, the research team harnessed this new knowledge to eliminate ‘problematic’ cells that can drive autoimmune disorders, while preserving the ‘good’ ones that are essential to maintain protective immunity.The findings could pave the way for more precise and long-lasting therapies for skin disease.
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“Skin conditions like psoriasis and vitiligo are difficult to treat long-term. The T cells driving disease are hard to remove, so patients often need life-long treatment. Our approach has the potential to revolutionize the way we treat these skin disorders, significantly improving outcomes for people dealing with challenging skin conditions,” said Professor Laura Mackay, Laboratory Head and Immunology Theme Leader at the Doherty Institute.
With the study demonstrating successful removal of specific skin T cells in animal models, further research is necessary to validate the efficacy of these strategies in human subjects. Dr. Park hopes the study will inspire the development of new treatments for skin disease.”These discoveries bring us one step closer to developing new drugs that durably prevent autoimmune skin disorders without compromising immune protection,” said Park.
Source: IANS
