Dr. Mariem Radhouani, DVM, MSc, PhD
MedUni Wien RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH August 2026
Bacterial infections at barrier tissues such as the skin can have long-lasting effects on the immune system beyond the site of infection. In this study, we show that skin exposure to Staphylococcus aureus induces persistent changes in eosinophils, a key immune cell type involved in allergic diseases. These cells develop a form of innate immune memory characterized by metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming. As a result, previously infected individuals display enhanced inflammatory responses to allergens in the lung. This leads to aggravated allergic airway inflammation, resembling features of asthma. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of immune system cross-talk between the skin and the lung and provide insight into how prior infections may contribute to the development or worsening of allergic diseases.
Selected Literature
- Ansaldo E, Farley TK & Belkaid Y (2021) Control of Immunity by the Microbiota. Annu Rev Immunol 39: 449–479
- Dharmage SC, Lowe AJ, Matheson MC, Burgess JA, Allen KJ & Abramson MJ (2014) Atopic dermatitis and the atopic march revisited. Allergy 69: 17–27
- Lambrecht BN, Ahmed E & Hammad H (2025) The immunology of asthma. Nat Immunol 26: 1233–1245
- Netea MG, Domínguez-Andrés J, Barreiro LB, Chavakis T, Divangahi M, Fuchs E, Joosten LAB, Van Der Meer JWM, Mhlanga MM, Mulder WJM, et al (2020) Defining trained immunity and its role in health and disease. Nat Rev Immunol 20: 375–388
- Radhouani M, Farhat A, Hakobyan A, Zahalka S, Pimenov L, Fokina A, Hladik A, Lakovits K, Brösamlen J, Dvorak V, et al (2025) Eosinophil innate immune memory after bacterial skin infection promotes allergic lung inflammation. Sci Immunol 10: eadp6231