How certain chemicals make skin layers separate and cause blisters
Official title: Dermal-Epidermal Junction Disruptors: Toxicodynamic Mechanisms
Funded at St. John's University · NIH-11134529 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how nitrogen mustard and similar chemicals cause the top layer of skin to detach and form painful blisters so that better treatments can be developed for chemical skin injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. John's University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Queens, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $164,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149512-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134529 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have suffered or are at risk of chemical vesicant (blistering) skin injuries, such as exposure to nitrogen mustard–type agents, would be the likely candidates for future treatments based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People with unrelated skin conditions that do not involve epidermal detachment (for example acne or non-blistering eczema) are unlikely to benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
This work uses a mouse skin model to mimic the blistering caused when the epidermis separates from the dermis. Scientists will look at whether mast cell signals (like histamine and tryptase), neutrophil enzymes (MPO and MMP-9), and specific collagens (COL4 and COL17) drive that skin damage. They will apply the chemical agent to mouse ears, test topical antihistamine cream and a tryptase inhibitor, then examine tissues at several time points with microscopy and biochemical tests. The goal is to pin down which molecules cause blistering so that targeted treatments or antidotes can be developed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to drug targets (for example antihistamines or protease inhibitors) that prevent or reduce chemical-induced skin blisters.
How similar studies have gone: Animal and lab studies have suggested that blocking histamine or proteases can reduce some types of skin damage, but translating those findings into effective human therapies for vesicant injury remains limited and largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
St. John's University
Queens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Billack, Blase Christopher — St. John's University
- Study coordinator: Billack, Blase Christopher
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.