How Staph on the skin may worsen food allergy in eczema
Official title: Mechanisms of enhanced food allergy by S. aureus skin colonization in Atopic Dermatitis
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11284058 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work tests whether Staphylococcus aureus on eczema skin makes severe food allergies more likely and whether blocking gut leakiness can reduce those reactions for people with atopic dermatitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | March 22, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $781,407 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI175556-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11284058 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with atopic dermatitis (eczema), especially those who have food allergies or recurrent Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization, would be most relevant to these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without eczema or whose food allergies arise from unrelated mechanisms may not see direct benefit from these specific results.
What this research studies
This project uses models that mimic eczema skin colonized with Staphylococcus aureus and applies food proteins to the skin to see how that changes reactions when the food is later eaten. Researchers measure immune signals such as IL-4, examine intestinal permeability, and study how staphylococcal superantigens (like SEB) amplify allergic responses. They test a small molecule called Divertin that blocks recruitment of MLCK to tight junctions to reduce paracellular antigen uptake and limit severe reactions. The goal is to explain why people with eczema and Staph colonization often have worse food allergies and to identify targets for preventing those reactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent or reduce severe food allergies in people with eczema by targeting Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or by strengthening the gut barrier.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown that Staph toxins can boost food anaphylaxis and that reducing gut permeability can limit reactions, but applying these findings to humans remains novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Geha, Raif Salim — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Geha, Raif Salim
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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.