Beyond the Classical Paradigm: Redefining Immune Responses in Tissue Repair and Development

Beyond classical microbial defense, barrier tissue immune cells integrate dynamic environmental and intrinsic signals while communicating with parenchymal cells to maintain homeostasis and shape disease outcomes across the lifespan. My research uncovers unconventional immune responses within the skin barrier across distinct biological settings. I identify a previously unrecognized immune - epithelial signaling axis during tissue injury, where proinflammatory cytokines from tissue-resident immune cells promote epithelial hypoxic adaptation and metabolic rewiring to accelerate wound repair. I further demonstrate that developmental signals during a critical early-life window shape neonatal skin immunity toward heightened allergen responsiveness, driven by a distinct peripheral dendritic cell activation state that amplifies local inflammation and primes long-term distal allergic responses. Together, these studies establish a framework for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms by which developmental cues program and imprint tissue immunity, revealing context-specific immune principles that govern tissue stress adaptation and disease susceptibility.

Speaker: Yue Xing, Mount Sanai Medical School