Over the past five years, many of us have encountered vaccines, whether through routine immunizations or COVID-19 shots. This well-established method helps prevent serious infections caused by harmful pathogens that have threatened human health for centuries.
But some patients are afraid of the needle. Exploring alternative vaccine delivery systems could increase accessibility and encourage those who fear needles to receive necessary healthcare.
While investigating the role of the skin in immunity, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Bethesda, Maryland, alongside a team from the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University, discovered the skin’s ability to generate an immune response independently. This breakthrough could lead to the development of topical vaccines according to a new study published in Nature.
Current Vaccine Limitations
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 50 percent of U.S. adults receive a flu shot annually, making it the most widely administered vaccine in the country. In addition to flu vaccines, childhood immunizations prevent an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths worldwide each year, significantly reducing global infant mortality rates.
Despite these successes, vaccine-preventable diseases still infect millions of adults in the U.S. each year, leading to workplace disruptions and the neglect of dependents, such as children and elderly family members.
One often-overlooked reason for vaccine hesitancy is needle phobia. Most vaccines are administered via injection, with some exceptions like intranasal or oral vaccines. Oral vaccines are primarily used for gastrointestinal infections such as cholera, polio, and rotavirus.
However, formulating effective oral vaccines is challenging because they must withstand the harsh environment of the digestive system. As a result, only a limited number of vaccines can be taken orally. One unexplored alternative is transdermal vaccination — delivering vaccines through the skin.
Read More: Booster Vaccines Are Actually Pretty Common
The Skin’s Immune Defenses
Traditionally, the skin was not considered an active participant in immune response generation, unlike lymphatic organs such as the spleen or lymph nodes. However, interacting with the immune system is essential for acquiring protection against infections.
Vaccines work by introducing antigens that mimic a pathogen, triggering lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) to produce antibodies. These antibodies fight infections and create immunity. Until recently, scientists did not observe this immune activation occurring in the skin.
The new research from NIAID challenges the notion that the skin is merely a protective barrier, revealing that it can autonomously produce antibodies. Researchers found that the skin’s ability to maintain a symbiosis with bacterial commensals — organisms that live in a one-sided beneficial relationship with a host — relies on its function as a self-sufficient immune organ. This enables the skin to generate its own antibodies to regulate the microbial population.
This discovery supports the idea of "anticipatory immunity," where the body proactively prepares for potential breaches in the skin barrier that could allow commensal bacteria to become pathogenic.
From Discovery to Topical Vaccines
Building on this discovery, Stanford researchers investigated whether this immune mechanism could be harnessed for vaccine development.
In the study, they colonized mice with Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common commensal of the human skin microbiome, but modified it to express a tetanus toxin fragment on its surface. The mice’s immune systems recognized the modified S. epidermidis and generated antibodies, providing protection against a lethal tetanus challenge.
The researchers further demonstrated that high densities of recombinant immunogens could be attached to S. epidermidis, making it a viable vaccine delivery system. This approach suggests that leveraging a naturally occurring skin bacterium for vaccine administration could lead to the development of topical vaccines.
If further research confirms these results in humans, topical vaccines could revolutionize immunization strategies — offering a painless, cost-effective, and widely accessible option for disease prevention.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Nature. Skin autonomous antibody production regulates host–microbiota interactions
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022-2023 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply
National Library of Medicine. Why vaccines matter: understanding the broader health, economic, and child development benefits of routine vaccination
National Foundation of Infectious Diseases. 10 Reasons to Get Vaccinated
Nature. Discovery and engineering of the antibody response to a prominent skin commensal
Having worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition – into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When she’s not immersed in a popular science book, you’ll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.
