Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026
Xenograft Skin Model to Manipulate Human Immune Responses In Vivo
Published on: June 29, 2022
Biologic effects of bacterial superantigens in a xenogeneic transplantation model for psoriasis
1Department of Dermatology, University of Frankfurt, Germany. Boehncke@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Both clinical as well as experimental data support the concept of psoriasis being a T-cell-mediated immune disease possibly triggered by bacterial superantigens. Further analysis of its pathogenesis was facilitated by the generation of a xenogeneic transplantation model in which skin from psoriatic patients is grafted onto SCID mice lacking functional B and T cells. Applying this model it was demonstrated that psoriasis can be triggered by bacterial superantigens; this process depends on the presence of immunocytes. Mutated variants of the respective superantigens exhibiting no measurable affinity to HLA class II molecules can function as competitive inhibitors in vivo.
Both clinical as well as experimental data support the concept of psoriasis being a T-cell-mediated immune disease possibly triggered by bacterial superantigens. Further analysis of its pathogenesis was facilitated by the generation of a xenogeneic transplantation model in which skin from psoriatic patients is grafted onto SCID mice lacking functional B and T cells. Applying this model it was demonstrated that psoriasis can be triggered by bacterial superantigens; this process depends on the presence of immunocytes. Mutated variants of the respective superantigens exhibiting no measurable affinity to HLA class II molecules can function as competitive inhibitors in vivo.
