Grant: Operating Grant

We have shown that the application of creams onto the skin prior to vaccination can improve the response to the vaccine. Interestingly, the application of vitamin D-like creams or steroid-containing creams alters the skin so that cells that prevent inflammation in response to injected or skin-applied substances are generated. This is of potential value not only in the treatment but prevention of overactive inflammatory responses as occur in skin irritation (nickel allergy), in the treatment and prevention of allergies (including nasal stuffiness, asthma and eczema) and in the treatment and prevention of systemic inflammatory diseases. We will use established mouse models to optimize this treatment method. We will also explore the effect of skin-applied medications on the effectiveness and irritation induced by the standard treatment of hay fever. This general method of altering systemic inflammation may be of benefit for the prevention or treatment of diverse systemic inflammatory diseases such as type 1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis.