Highlights of IMMUNOLOGY2026™ - Invited Program Recordings-Integrin agonists: new tools for organoids

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Tim Springer reviewed his career-defining discoveries in cell adhesion molecules, especially leukocyte integrins and ICAMs, and how they revealed the mechanisms of immune cell trafficking, rolling, firm adhesion, and migration out of blood vessels. He explained how integrins are activated by inside-out signals and how their conformational changes, regulated by actin and mechanical force, create ultrasensitive cell-cell interactions. Springer also highlighted the medical impact of this work: several FDA-approved therapies for diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease target integrin pathways.<br /><br />In the second part of the talk, he shifted to unpublished work on organoids. He showed that integrin activity is essential for organoid growth and polarity: inhibitory antibodies disrupt organoid structure and cause cell death, while activating antibodies enhance growth. He discussed invasin, a Yersinia protein that binds multiple β1 integrins and strongly activates them, making it a promising tool for engineering organoid growth. Springer proposed designing synthetic integrin agonists and attaching them to scaffolds or hydrogels to improve 3D organoid formation and make tissues more organ-like for future transplantation.

Keywords

cell adhesion molecules

integrins

ICAMs

immune cell trafficking

FDA-approved therapies

organoids

synthetic integrin agonists