IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Antigen-driven MAIT cell activation restores skin Treg levels and attenuates lupus-like skin inflammation

Antigen-driven MAIT cell activation restores skin Treg levels and attenuates lupus-like skin inflammation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Grace presented research on mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in lupus skin disease. Lupus commonly causes painful, scarring skin lesions, but current treatments are broad immunosuppressants. Her team found MAIT cells are reduced in the blood and skin of lupus patients and lupus-prone MRL-lpr mice, suggesting they are not accumulating in tissues but are instead depleted.  <br /><br />Using topical MAIT-cell antigen 5-OPRU in mouse models of chronic and acute lupus-like skin inflammation, they restored MAIT cells, reduced skin thickening and lesions, and improved inflammation. These benefits disappeared when MR1 was blocked or MAIT cells were absent, showing the effect was MAIT-dependent.  <br /><br />Mechanistically, MAIT activation expanded regulatory T cells (Tregs), lowered inflammatory gene expression, and reduced cytokines such as IFN-γ and TNF-α from conventional T cells. Single-cell RNA-seq showed broader Treg activation and increased suppressive function. Overall, MAIT-cell stimulation may offer a targeted therapy for lupus skin disease.

Meta Tag

Date April 17, 2026 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM

Room Ballroom

Session Inflammatory Mechanisms in Systemic Autoimmunity

Speaker Grace Crossland

Track Basic Autoimmunity (BA)

Year 2026

Keywords

MAIT cells

lupus skin disease

5-OPRU

regulatory T cells

MR1 blockade

April 17, 2026 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM

Ballroom

Inflammatory Mechanisms in Systemic Autoimmunity

Grace Crossland

Basic Autoimmunity (BA)

2026