The Role of HIF-1 Alpha in Immune Regulation During Atopic Dermatitis

Authors

Araba Abaidoo-Myles, Virginia Commonwealth University

Original Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Presentation

Comments

11th Annual VCU 3MT® Competition, held on October 3, 2025.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema, affects roughly 20% of the global population and 10% of Americans, most of them children. Characterized by chronic itching, inflammation, and skin irritation, AD causes emotional distress, social challenges, and sleep deprivation. Current treatments—such as corticosteroids, antihistamines, and costly biologics—only manage symptoms without addressing the root cause. Araba Abaidoo-Myles’s research investigates the immune mechanisms underlying AD, focusing on the role of a key regulatory protein, HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha). This protein acts as a molecular switch that influences immune cell behavior and inflammation. Using mouse models, her team found that activating HIF-1α through topical treatment with the drug roxadustat significantly reduced AD severity. These findings suggest that targeting HIF-1α could offer a promising path toward curative therapies, moving beyond symptom relief to address the underlying immune dysregulation driving atopic dermatitis.

Transcription

Our first competitor is Araba Abaidoo-Myles, The Role of HIF-1 Alpha in Immune Regulation During Atopic Dermatitis. They're from the School of Medicine, and their advisor is Dr. Rebecca Martin. Imagine waking up to your skin having a new artwork designed all over it, not by a tattoo artist or a buddy painter, but by a continuous and annoying itch you just can't get rid of. Sounds uncomfortable, right? Well, this is what individuals with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, have to deal with every single day of their lives. About 20% of the global population and 10% of Americans are affected by this disease, with the majority of them being children. This disease leads to emotional distress, difficulty in social interaction, and sleep deprivation. And God knows I love my sleep. Atopic dermatitis can be caused by multiple factors, including genetics and environmental triggers. The onset of this disease leads to an increase in immune cell infiltration which is when the body's defense team players called immune cells rush through the bloodstream and infiltrate the skin tissues. This defense response can be very normal but can also lead to hyperactivity when the persistence of these immune cells leads to chronic inflammation and this is what is seen in most cases of atopic dermatitis. You might be wondering, aren't there current treatment strategies for atopic dermatitis? Well, yes, there are. And these include minimizing exposure to triggers, the use of antihistamines or corticosteroids, which usually minimizes the symptoms of the disease, but does not target the underlying problem. There are some biologics on the market that have shown promise, but these are super expensive, costing up to 4,000 USD, and requires injections every other week. In addition to these injections, patients still need to use topical treatments to reduce the symptomology of the disease. I don't know about you, but this would take a really big toll on me. Currently, there are no curative treatments for atopic dermatitis, and this is why my research is important. I am studying the immune mechanisms of atopic dermatitis to understand the exact immune cells involved and how we can target these cells directly. We've identified the role of a very important protein known as HIF-1-alpha and this protein turns genes on and off. This gene switch is involved in multiple functions including immune cell effector functions. We've observed from our research that whenever we turn on HIF-1-alpha using the topical treatment of a drug known as roxatostat, atopic dermatitis pathogenesis in our mouse models reduces significantly and so we believe that HIF-1-alpha targeting HIF-1-alpha might contribute to finding a curative treatment for atopic dermatitis because atopic dermatitis isn't just an annoying itch or an uncomfortable rash it's a constant reminder that our skin simply cannot be ignored because this same skin contributes to our comfort and boost our confidence. Thank you.

Rights

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