Nonhlanhla Lunjani1,2, Carol Hlela2, Liam O'Mahony1,3. 1. APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 2. Department of Dermatology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. 3. Department of Medicine and Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The skin is home to a diverse milieu of bacteria, fungi, viruses, bacteriophages, and archaeal communities. The application of culture-independent approaches has revolutionized the characterization of the skin microbiome and have revealed a previously underappreciated phylogenetic and functional granularity of skin-associated microbes in both health and disease states. RECENT FINDINGS: The physiology of a given skin-niche drives the site-specific differences in bacterial phyla composition of healthy skin. Changes in the skin microbiome have consistently been associated with atopic dermatitis. In particular, Staphylococcus aureus overgrowth with concomitant decline in Staphylococcus epidermidis is a general feature associated with atopic dermatitis and is not restricted to eczematous lesions. Changes in fungal species are now also being described. Changes in the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota are associated with skin health. SUMMARY: We are now beginning to appreciate the intimate and intricate interactions between microbes and skin health. Multiple studies are currently focused on the manipulation of the skin or gut microbiome to explore their therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of skin inflammation.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The skin is home to a diverse milieu of bacteria, fungi, viruses, bacteriophages, and archaeal communities. The application of culture-independent approaches has revolutionized the characterization of the skin microbiome and have revealed a previously underappreciated phylogenetic and functional granularity of skin-associated microbes in both health and disease states. RECENT FINDINGS: The physiology of a given skin-niche drives the site-specific differences in bacterial phyla composition of healthy skin. Changes in the skin microbiome have consistently been associated with atopic dermatitis. In particular, Staphylococcus aureus overgrowth with concomitant decline in Staphylococcus epidermidis is a general feature associated with atopic dermatitis and is not restricted to eczematous lesions. Changes in fungal species are now also being described. Changes in the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota are associated with skin health. SUMMARY: We are now beginning to appreciate the intimate and intricate interactions between microbes and skin health. Multiple studies are currently focused on the manipulation of the skin or gut microbiome to explore their therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of skin inflammation.
Authors: David Michalovich; Noelia Rodriguez-Perez; Sylwia Smolinska; Michal Pirozynski; David Mayhew; Sorif Uddin; Stephanie Van Horn; Milena Sokolowska; Can Altunbulakli; Andrzej Eljaszewicz; Benoit Pugin; Weronika Barcik; Magdalena Kurnik-Lucka; Ken A Saunders; Karen D Simpson; Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier; Ruth Ferstl; Remo Frei; Noriane Sievi; Malcolm Kohler; Pawel Gajdanowicz; Katrine B Graversen; Katrine Lindholm Bøgh; Marek Jutel; James R Brown; Cezmi A Akdis; Edith M Hessel; Liam O'Mahony Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2019-12-13 Impact factor: 14.919