The skin microbiomes of people with eczema differ from those without the condition, according to the results of a small study. Gaining a better understanding of the role skin bacteria may play in eczema could lead to more effective treatments.
Eczema comes in many forms, with atopic eczema being among the most common. This occurs when the skin is unable to retain much moisture, resulting in it becoming dry, cracked and itchy. The condition is thought to have many potential causes, with different people’s symptoms being triggered by various things, such as certain soaps, cold weather or food allergies.
To better understand the potential role of the skin microbiome, at the University of California, San Diego, and his colleagues collected skin swabs from 60 people, half of whom had atopic eczema. They then used genetic sequencing to identify the microbial profiles of each participant’s swabs.
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Overall, those with eczema had a less diverse bacterial make-up than those without the condition. “We observed the diversity of microbes on the skin’s surface decreasing in patients with eczema,” says Gomes. However, those with eczema had higher amounts of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, bacteria that are commonly found on skin and are mostly harmless, but can cause hot, red and swollen skin, such as lumps and blisters.
Next, the researchers took another swab to look at the molecules on the participants’ skin. Using a mass spectrometer, they found potentially inflammatory molecules – such as aspartyl-phenylalanine, leucylproline and N-acetyl-methionine – at higher levels on the skin of people with eczema.
It is unclear whether changes to the skin microbiome may cause eczema or if symptoms of the condition, such as dryness, alter the microbiome. The molecules the researchers identified in people with eczema have previously been found in some strains of S. aureus, suggesting that this bacterium produces them. However, the team isn’t sure whether that is the case or if these molecules are involved in eczema.
Further research, to better understand how the skin microbiome can differ between people with and without eczema and to figure out its potential role in the condition, could lead to treatments that target certain bacteria or their byproducts.
“The study used novel techniques that will definitely advance the field, but it also has certain limitations,” says at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Simultaneously correlating microbial and molecular changes on the skin of people with and without eczema hasn’t been done before, but we don’t understand the significance of these changes, he says. Atopic eczema may have genetic links, which Ghosh says he would like to see further explored in future research.
bioRxiv
