# Development and function of skin-resident innate-like T cells at early postnatal stages

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 2024 · $475,421

## Abstract

Summary
Unlike conventional T/B lymphocytes, a group of innate-like T cells, such as γδT cells and invariant NK
T (iNKT) cells, preferentially reside in epithelial tissues such as the skin where they play important roles
in the first line of defense to maintain the tissue integrity and, when dysregulated, also contribute to the
tissue inflammatory diseases. Understanding how skin-specific localization and maintenance of innate-
like T cells are regulated is critical in helping to design strategies targeting these cells for therapeutic
purposes. Our preliminary studies found that iNKT cells generated in the thymus of early postnatal
stages preferentially acquire a skin-homing property for their specific distribution into the skin.
Considering the skin is the outmost barrier tissue exposed to foreign environments immediately after
the birth of a body, we propose that the preferential generation of the skin-homing iNKT cells in the
thymus are important for protection of the “border” in the infant and young and the establishment of the
local immune homeostasis. In this grant application, we will dissect mechanisms regulating thymic
generation of skin-homing iNKT cells and their roles in helping skin tissue development and
homeostasis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10812808
- **Project number:** 1R01AI174181-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Na Xiong
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $475,421
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-11-07 → 2028-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10812808

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10812808, Development and function of skin-resident innate-like T cells at early postnatal stages (1R01AI174181-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10812808. Licensed CC0.

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