Researchers from UT Health San Antonio discovered that certain immune cells, called invariant killer T cells, possess a unique homing property that directs them to the skin at birth, providing crucial protection and lifelong immunity. These skin-homing iNKT cells also promote hair follicle development and cooperate with commensal bacteria to maintain skin health and prevent pathogenic bacterial overgrowth.
“These T cells home in on the skin like a guided missile,” said Na Xiong, Ph.D., professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics in the health science center’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. “They have a different homing property than other T cells. We identified the mechanism through which this homing activity occurs.”
The skin-homing cells are called invariant killer T cells. These immune cells emanate from and are programmed in an organ called the thymus. In humans, this organ is located between the lungs. “We found that if the iNKT cells do not properly go to the skin, or if there is no such population in the skin, there will be dysregulation of commensal bacteria in the skin and the bacterial composition will be changed,” Xiong said. “This can result in not enough friendly bacteria being present, enabling potentially pathogenic bacteria to overgrow.”