Skin microbiome profiling reveals the crucial role of microbial metabolites in anti-photoaging.

BACKGROUND: Skin microbiota is essential for health maintenance. Photoaging is the primary environmental factor that affects skin homeostasis, but whether it influences the skin microbiota remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between photoaging and skin microbiome. METHODS: A cohort of senior bus drivers was considered as a long-term unilateral ultraviolet (UV) irradiated population. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was conducted to assess skin microbial composition variations on different sides of their faces. The microbiome characteristics of the photoaged population were further examined by photoaging guinea pig models, and the correlations between microbial metabolites and aging-related cytokines were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Photoaging decreased the relative abundance of microorganisms including Georgenia and Thermobifida in human skin and downregulated the generation of skin microbe-derived antioxidative metabolites such as ectoin. In animal models, Lactobacillus and Streptobacillus abundance in both the epidermis and dermis dropped after UV irradiation, resulting in low levels of skin antioxidative molecules and leading to elevated expressions of the collagen degradation factors matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-2 and inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: Skin microbial characteristics have an impact in photoaging and the loss of microbe-derived antioxidative metabolites impairs skin cells and accelerates the aging process. Therefore, microbiome-based therapeutics may have potential in delaying skin aging.

Skin locations inference and body fluid identification from skin microbial patterns for forensic applications.

Given that microbiological analysis can be an alternative method that overcomes the shortcomings of traditional forensic technology, and skin samples may be the most common source of cases, the analysis of skin microbiome was investigated in this study. High-throughput sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene was performed to reveal the skin microbiome of healthy individuals in Guangdong Han. The bacterial diversity of the palm, navel, groin and plantar of the same individual was analyzed. The overall classification based on 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed that the microbial composition of skin samples from different anatomical parts was different, and the dominant bacterial genus of the navel, plantar, groin and palm skin were dominated by Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus, respectively. PCoA analysis showed that the skin at these four anatomical locations could only be grouped into three clusters. A predictive model based on random forest algorithm showed the potential to accurately distinguish these four anatomical locations, which indicated that specific bacteria with low abundance were the key taxa. In addition, the skin microbiome in this study is significantly different from the dominant microbiome in saliva and vaginal secretions identified in our previous study, and can be distinguished from these two tissue fluids. In conclusion, the present findings on the community and microbial structure details of the human skin may reveal its potential application value in assessing the location of skin samples and the type of body fluids in forensic medicine.

Simple tape-stripping method for highly reliable and quantitative analysis of skin microbiome.

The composition of human skin microbiome profoundly impacts host skin health and disease. However, the relationship between skin homeostasis or the development of skin diseases and daily changes in skin microbial composition is poorly understood. Longitudinal samplings at more frequent intervals would address this issue, while conventional sampling methods have technical difficulties, leading to limitations in sampling opportunities. Here, we developed a simple and stable tape-stripping method regardless of the operator's skill. Our method enables skin microbial sampling within 30 seconds and taking multiple skin microbial samples from the same body site. The amount of microbial DNA among multiple sampling sites could be measured within 13.5%. The sequencing results of multiple sampling showed high consistency, Pearson's correlation coefficient between multiple samples of 0.98. Furthermore, these results were comparable to those collected by the conventional swabbing method. These results demonstrate that our tape-stripping method enables simple microbiome collection and highly reliable quantitative skin microbiome analysis. These features of our method would lead to a further understanding of skin disease development or diagnosis of skin conditions in clinical research by increasing the opportunities for microbial sampling.

Feasibility of engineered Bacillus subtilis for use as a microbiome-based topical drug delivery platform.

Non-adherence to medication is a major challenge in healthcare that results in worsened treatment outcomes for patients. Reducing the frequency of required administrations could improve adherence but is challenging for topical drug delivery due to the generally short residence time of topical formulations on the skin. In this study, we sought to determine the feasibility of developing a microbiome-based, long-acting, topical delivery platform using Bacillus subtilis for drug production and delivery on the skin, which was assessed using green fluorescent protein as a model heterologous protein for delivery. We developed a computational model of bacteria population dynamics on the skin and used its qualitative predictions to guide experimental design choices. Using an ex vivo pig skin model and a human skin tissue culture model, we saw persistence of delivered bacteria for multiple days and observed little evidence of cytotoxicity to human keratinocyte cells in vitro. Finally, using an in vivo mouse model, we found that the delivered bacteria persisted on the skin for at least 1 day during every-other-day application and did not appear to present safety concerns. Taken together, our results support the feasibility of using engineered B. subtilis for topical drug delivery.

Chronic Exposure to Petroleum-Derived Hydrocarbons Alters Human Skin Microbiome and Metabolome Profiles: A Pilot Study.

Petroleum-derived substances, like industrial oils and grease, are ubiquitous in our daily lives. Comprised of petroleum hydrocarbons (PH), these substances can come into contact with our skin, potentially causing molecular disruptions and contributing to the development of chronic disease. In this pilot study, we employed mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses to explore these effects. Superficial skin samples were collected from subjects with and without chronic dermal exposure to PH at two anatomical sites: the fingers (referred to as the hand) and arms (serving as an intersubject variability control). Exposed hands exhibited higher bacterial diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices) and an enrichment of oil-degrading bacteria (ODB), including Dietzia, Paracoccus, and Kocuria. Functional prediction suggested enriched pathways associated with PH degradation in exposed hands vs non-exposed hands, while no differences were observed when comparing the arms. Furthermore, carboxylic acids, glycerophospholipids, organooxygen compounds, phenol ethers, among others, were found to be more abundant in exposed hands. We observed positive correlations among multiple ODB and xenobiotics, suggesting a chemical remodeling of the skin favorable for ODB thriving. Overall, our study offers insights into the complex dysregulation of bacterial communities and the chemical milieu induced by chronic dermal exposure to PH.

An Eastern County from an European Eastern Country-The Characteristics of Cutaneous Microbiome in Psoriasis Patients-Preliminary Results.

The cutaneous microbiome represents a topic of high interest nowadays. Multiple studies have suggested the importance of the skin microbiome in different dermatological pathologies, highlighting the possible implications of cutaneous microorganisms in either the pathogenesis or prognosis of skin maladies. Psoriasis represents a common inflammatory skin disease, with a high prevalence in the worldwide population. The role of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis could explain a number of pathogenic theories and treatment objectives of this incurable skin disease. Our interest in the characteristics of the cutaneous microbiome, especially in psoriatic patients who attended a tertiary dermatological centre in Galati, Romania, is reflected in our current study, of which the preliminary results are discussed in this article. Using three types of skin sampling techniques (swabs, adhesive tape, and punch biopsies), we tried to characterise the microorganisms harboured in the skin of psoriatic patients and healthy individuals. This study was performed using culture-based probes, which were analysed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer equipment. Our preliminary results suggested that the greatest diversity was observed in the perilesional areas of psoriatic patients. The lowest cutaneous diversity was obtained from sampling psoriatic plaques. These results are similar to other studies of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis. The most frequent microorganisms found in all groups studied were of the Staphylococcus species: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Analysing the living environment of each individual from this study, our preliminary results suggested different results from other studies, as higher diversity and heterogenicity was observed in urban environments than in rural living areas. Regarding the differences between sexes, our preliminary results showed higher quantitative and qualitative changes in the skin microbiome of male participants than female participants, opposite to the results found in other studies of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis. Given these preliminary results, we can conclude that we have found important differences by studying the cutaneous microbiome of psoriatic patients and healthy control individuals from a population that, to our knowledge, has not been yet studied from this point of view. Our results showed important characteristics of the skin microbiome in an Eastern European population, where cultural and environmental living habits could influence the cutaneous microbiome.

Facial Skin Microbiome Composition and Functional Shift with Aging.

The change in the skin microbiome as individuals age is only partially known. To provide a better understanding of the impact of aging, whole-genome sequencing analysis was performed on facial skin swabs of 100 healthy female Caucasian volunteers grouped by age and wrinkle grade. Volunteers' metadata were collected through questionnaires and non-invasive biophysical measurements. A simple model and a biological statistical model were used to show the difference in skin microbiota composition between the two age groups. Taxonomic and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the skin microbiome was more diverse in the older group (≥55 yo). There was also a significant decrease in Actinobacteria, namely in Cutibacterium acnes, and an increase in Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii. Some Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species belonging to the Firmicutes phylum and species belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum increased. In the 18-35 yo younger group, the microbiome was characterized by a significantly higher proportion of Cutibacterium acnes and Lactobacillus, most strikingly, Lactobacillus crispatus. The functional analysis using GO terms revealed that the young group has a higher significant expression of genes involved in biological and metabolic processes and in innate skin microbiome protection. The better comprehension of age-related impacts observed will later support the investigation of skin microbiome implications in antiaging protection.

Combined metagenomic- and culture-based approaches to investigate bacterial strain-level associations with medication-controlled mild-moderate atopic dermatitis.

Background: The skin microbiome is disrupted in atopic dermatitis (AD). Existing research focuses on moderate to severe, unmedicated disease. Objective: We sought to investigate metagenomic- and culture-based bacterial strain-level differences in mild, medicated AD and the effects these have on human keratinocytes (HKs). Methods: Skin swabs from anterior forearms were collected from 20 pediatric participants (11 participants with AD sampled at lesional and nonlesional sites and 9 age- and sex-matched controls). Participants had primarily mild to moderate AD and maintained medication use. Samples were processed for microbial metagenomic sequencing and bacterial isolation. Isolates identified as Staphylococcus aureus were tested for enterotoxin production. HK cultures were treated with cell-free conditioned media from representative Staphylococcus species to measure barrier effects. Results: Metagenomic sequencing identified significant differences in microbiome composition between AD and control groups. Differences were seen at the species and strain levels for Staphylococci, with S aureus found only in participants with AD and differences in Staphylococcus epidermidis strains between control and AD swabs. These strains showed differences in toxin gene presence, which was confirmed in vitro for S aureus enterotoxins. The strain from the participant with the most severe AD produced enterotoxin B levels more than 100-fold higher than the other strains (P < .001). Strains also displayed differential effects on HK metabolism and barrier function. Conclusions: Strain-level differences in toxin genes from Staphylococcus strains may explain varying effects on HK, with S aureus and non-aureus strains negatively affecting viability and barrier function. These differences are likely important in AD pathogenesis.

Exploring the impact of solar radiation on skin microbiome to develop improved photoprotection strategies.

The skin microbiome undergoes constant exposure to solar radiation (SR), with its effects on health well-documented. However, understanding SR's influence on host-associated skin commensals remains nascent. This review surveys existing knowledge on SR's impact on the skin microbiome and proposes innovative sun protection methods that safeguard both skin integrity and microbiome balance. A team of skin photodamage specialists conducted a comprehensive review of 122 articles sourced from PubMed and Research Gateway. Key terms included skin microbiome, photoprotection, photodamage, skin cancer, ultraviolet radiation, solar radiation, skin commensals, skin protection, and pre/probiotics. Experts offered insights into novel sun protection products designed not only to shield the skin but also to mitigate SR's effects on the skin microbiome. Existing literature on SR's influence on the skin microbiome is limited. SR exposure can alter microbiome composition, potentially leading to dysbiosis, compromised skin barrier function, and immune system activation. Current sun protection methods generally overlook microbiome considerations. Tailored sun protection products that prioritize both skin and microbiome health may offer enhanced defense against SR-induced skin conditions. By safeguarding both skin and microbiota, these specialized products could mitigate dysbiosis risks associated with SR exposure, bolstering skin defense mechanisms and reducing the likelihood of SR-mediated skin issues.

The porcine skin microbiome exhibits broad fungal antagonism.

The skin and its microbiome function to protect the host from pathogen colonization and environmental stressors. In this study, using the Wisconsin Miniature Swine™ model, we characterize the porcine skin fungal and bacterial microbiomes, identify bacterial isolates displaying antifungal activity, and use whole-genome sequencing to identify biosynthetic gene clusters encoding for secondary metabolites that may be responsible for the antagonistic effects on fungi. Through this comprehensive approach of paired microbiome sequencing with culturomics, we report the discovery of novel species of Corynebacterium and Rothia. Further, this study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the porcine skin mycobiome and the evaluation of bacterial-fungal interactions on this surface. Several diverse bacterial isolates exhibit potent antifungal properties against opportunistic fungal pathogens in vitro. Genomic analysis of inhibitory species revealed a diverse repertoire of uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters suggesting a reservoir of novel chemical and biological diversity. Collectively, the porcine skin microbiome represents a potential unique source of novel antifungals.

Exploring the skin microbiome in atopic dermatitis pathogenesis and disease modification.

Inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis [AD]) affect children and adults globally. In AD, the skin barrier is impaired on multiple levels. Underlying factors include genetic, chemical, immunologic, and microbial components. Increased skin pH in AD is part of the altered microbial microenvironment that promotes overgrowth of the skin microbiome with Staphylococcus aureus. The secretion of virulence factors, such as toxins and proteases, by S aureus further aggravates the skin barrier deficiency and additionally disrupts the balance of an already skewed immune response. Skin commensal bacteria, however, can inhibit the growth and pathogenicity of S aureus through quorum sensing. Therefore, restoring a healthy skin microbiome could contribute to remission induction in AD. This review discusses direct and indirect approaches to targeting the skin microbiome through modulation of the skin pH; UV treatment; and use of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Furthermore, exploratory techniques such as skin microbiome transplantation, ozone therapy, and phage therapy are discussed. Finally, we summarize the latest findings on disease and microbiome modification through targeted immunomodulatory systemic treatments and biologics. We believe that targeting the skin microbiome should be considered a crucial component of successful AD treatment in the future.

Microbiome and lipidomic analysis reveal the interplay between skin bacteria and lipids in a cohort study.

Human skin acts as a protective barrier between the body and the external environment. Skin microbiome and intercellular lipids in the stratum corneum (SC) are essential for maintaining skin barrier function. However, the interplay between skin bacteria and the lipids is not fully understood. In this study, we characterized the skin microbiome and SC lipid profiles from the forearm and face in a cohort of 57 healthy participants. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed the skin microbial composition is significantly different between body locations and genders. Female forearm samples have the highest microbial diversity. The relative abundance of Staphylococcus hominis, Micrococcus luteus, Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum, Finegoldia magna, and Moraxellaceae sp. are significantly higher in the forearm than the face. The predictive functional analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt2) and ANCOM-BC showed different bacterial metabolic pathway profiles between body locations or genders, and identified 271 differential pathways, including arginine and polyamine biosynthesis, chorismate biosynthesis pathways, which are more abundant in the female forearm, and sulfur oxidation pathway, which is more abundant in the male face. The SC lipid profiles differ between the body locations as well. Total free fatty acids (FFA), cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine are more abundant in the face. Dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides are more abundant in the forearm. The correlation analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and lipids revealed novel interplay between the bacteria and skin lipids. Shannon entropy and S. hominis negatively correlated with FFA, cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine; while positively correlated with dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides. The correlation of predictive pathway profiles and lipids identified pathways involved in amino acids metabolism, carbohydrates degradation, aromatic compounds metabolism and fatty acid degradation metabolism are positively correlated with dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides and negatively correlated with FFA, cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine. This study provides insights on the potential correlation between skin microbiome and lipids.

Modulation of the skin microbiome in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma delays tumour growth and increases survival in the murine EL4 model.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are a group of lymphoproliferative disorders of skin-homing T cells causing chronic inflammation. These disorders cause impairment of the immune environment, which leads to severe infections and/or sepsis due to dysbiosis. In this study, we elucidated the host-microbial interaction in CTCL that occurs during the phototherapeutic treatment regime and determined whether modulation of the skin microbiota could beneficially affect the course of CTCL. EL4 T-cell lymphoma cells were intradermally grafted on the back of C57BL/6 mice. Animals were treated with conventional therapeutics such as psoralen + UVA (PUVA) or UVB in the presence or absence of topical antibiotic treatment (neomycin, bacitracin, and polymyxin B sulphate) as an adjuvant. Microbial colonisation of the skin was assessed to correlate with disease severity and tumour growth. Triple antibiotic treatment significantly delayed tumour occurrence (p = 0.026), which prolonged the survival of the mice (p = 0.033). Allocation to phototherapeutic agents PUVA, UVB, or none of these, along with antibiotic intervention, reduced the tumour growth significantly (p = 0.0327, p ≤ 0.0001, p ≤ 0.0001 respectively). The beta diversity indices calculated using the Bray-Curtis model showed that the microbial population significantly differed after antibiotic treatment (p = 0.001). Upon modulating the skin microbiome by antibiotic treatment, we saw an increase in commensal Clostridium species, e.g., Lachnospiraceae sp. (p = 0.0008), Ruminococcaceae sp. (p = 0.0001)., Blautia sp. (p = 0.007) and a significant reduction in facultative pathogens Corynebacterium sp. (p = 0.0009), Pelomonas sp. (p = 0.0306), Streptococcus sp. (p ≥ 0.0001), Pseudomonas sp. (p = 0.0358), and Cutibacterium sp. (p = 0.0237). Intriguingly, we observed a significant decrease in Staphylococcus aureus frequency (p = 0.0001) but an increase in the overall detection frequency of the Staphylococcus genus, indicating that antibiotic treatment helped regain the microbial balance and increased the number of non-pathogenic Staphylococcus populations. These study findings show that modulating microbiota by topical antibiotic treatment helps to restore microbial balance by diminishing the numbers of pathogenic microbes, which, in turn, reduces chronic inflammation, delays tumour growth, and increases survival rates in our CTCL model. These findings support the rationale to modulate the microbial milieu during the disease course of CTCL and indicate its therapeutic potential.

Inhibition of Clinical MRSA Isolates by Coagulase Negative Staphylococci of Human Origin.

Staphylococcus aureus is frequently highlighted as a priority for novel drug research due to its pathogenicity and ability to develop antibiotic resistance. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are resident flora of the skin and nares. Previous studies have confirmed their ability to kill and prevent colonization by S. aureus through the production of bioactive substances. This study screened a bank of 37 CoNS for their ability to inhibit the growth of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Deferred antagonism assays, growth curves, and antibiofilm testing performed with the cell-free supernatant derived from overnight CoNS cultures indicated antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against MRSA indicators. Whole genome sequencing and BAGEL4 analysis of 11 CoNS isolates shortlisted for the inhibitory effects they displayed against MRSA led to the identification of two strains possessing complete putative bacteriocin operons. The operons were predicted to encode a nukacin variant and a novel epilancin variant. From this point, strains Staphylococcus hominis C14 and Staphylococcus epidermidis C33 became the focus of the investigation. Through HPLC, a peptide identical to previously characterized nukacin KQU-131 and a novel epilancin variant were isolated from cultures of C14 and C33, respectively. Mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of each peptide in the active fractions. Spot-on-lawn assays demonstrated both bacteriocins could inhibit the growth of an MRSA indicator. The identification of natural products with clinically relevant activity is important in today's climate of escalating antimicrobial resistance and a depleting antibiotic pipeline. These findings also highlight the prospective role CoNS may play as a source of bioactive substances with activity against critical pathogens.

Multi-omics analyses reveal interactions between the skin microbiota and skin metabolites in atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases. Skin microecological imbalance is an important factor in the pathogenesis of AD, but the underlying mechanism of its interaction with humans remains unclear. Methods: 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to reveal the skin microbiota dynamics. Changes in skin metabolites were tracked by LC-MS metabolomics. We then explored the potential mechanism of interaction by analyzing the correlation between skin bacterial communities and metabolites in corresponding skin-associated samples. Results: Samples from 18 AD patients and 18 healthy volunteers (HVs) were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and LC-MS metabolomics. AD patients had dysbiosis of the skin bacterial community with decreased species richness and evenness. The relative abundance of the genus Staphylococcus increased significantly in AD, while the abundances of the genera Propionibacterium and Brevundimonas decreased significantly. The relative abundance of the genera Staphylococcus in healthy females was significantly higher than those in healthy males, while it showed no difference in AD patients with or without lesions. The effects of AD status, sex and the presence or absence of rashes on the number of differentially abundant metabolites per capita were successively reduced. Multiple metabolites involved in purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathways (such as xanthosine/xanthine and L-phenylalanine/trans-cinnamate) were increased in AD patients. These trends were much more obvious between female AD patients and female HVs. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the genus Staphylococcus was positively correlated with various compounds involved in phenylalanine metabolism and purine metabolic pathways. The genera Brevundimonas and Lactobacillus were negatively correlated with various compounds involved in purine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism and sphingolipid signaling pathways. Discussion: We suggest that purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathway disorders may play a certain role in the pathogenic mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus in AD. We also found that females are more likely to be colonized by the genus Staphylococcus than males. Differentially abundant metabolites involved in purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathways were more obvious in female. However, we should notice that the metabolites we detected do not necessarily derived from microbes, they may also origin from the host.

Characterization of the skin microbiome in normal and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma affected cats and dogs.

Human cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and actinic keratoses (AK) display microbial dysbiosis with an enrichment of staphylococcal species, which have been implicated in AK and SCC progression. SCCs are common in both felines and canines and are often diagnosed at late stages leading to high disease morbidity and mortality rates. Although recent studies support the involvement of the skin microbiome in AK and SCC progression in humans, there is no knowledge of this in companion animals. Here, we provide microbiome data for SCC in cats and dogs using culture-independent molecular profiling and show a significant decrease in microbial alpha diversity on SCC lesions compared to normal skin (P ≤ 0.05). Similar to human skin cancer, SCC samples had an elevated abundance of staphylococci relative to normal skin-50% (6/12) had >50% staphylococci, as did 16% (4/25) of perilesional samples. Analysis of Staphylococcus at the species level revealed an enrichment of the pathogenic species Staphylococcus felis in cat SCC samples, a higher prevalence of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in dogs, and a higher abundance of Staphylococcus aureus compared to normal skin in both companion animals. Additionally, a comparison of previously published human SCC and perilesional samples against the present pet samples revealed that Staphylococcus was the most prevalent genera across human and companion animals for both sample types. Similarities between the microbial profile of human and cat/dog SCC lesions should facilitate future skin cancer research. IMPORTANCE: The progression of precancerous actinic keratosis lesions (AK) to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is poorly understood in humans and companion animals, despite causing a significant burden of disease. Recent studies have revealed that the microbiota may play a significant role in disease progression. Staphylococcus aureus has been found in high abundance on AK and SCC lesions, where it secretes DNA-damaging toxins, which could potentiate tumorigenesis. Currently, a suitable animal model to investigate this relationship is lacking. Thus, we examined the microbiome of cutaneous SCC in pets, revealing similarities to humans, with increased staphylococci and reduced commensals on SCC lesions and peri-lesional skin compared to normal skin. Two genera that were in abundance in SCC samples have also been found in human oral SCC lesions. These findings suggest the potential suitability of pets as a model for studying microbiome-related skin cancer progression.

Longitudinal profiling of the microbiome at four body sites reveals core stability and individualized dynamics during health and disease.

To understand the dynamic interplay between the human microbiome and host during health and disease, we analyzed the microbial composition, temporal dynamics, and associations with host multi-omics, immune, and clinical markers of microbiomes from four body sites in 86 participants over 6 years. We found that microbiome stability and individuality are body-site specific and heavily influenced by the host. The stool and oral microbiome are more stable than the skin and nasal microbiomes, possibly due to their interaction with the host and environment. We identify individual-specific and commonly shared bacterial taxa, with individualized taxa showing greater stability. Interestingly, microbiome dynamics correlate across body sites, suggesting systemic dynamics influenced by host-microbial-environment interactions. Notably, insulin-resistant individuals show altered microbial stability and associations among microbiome, molecular markers, and clinical features, suggesting their disrupted interaction in metabolic disease. Our study offers comprehensive views of multi-site microbial dynamics and their relationship with host health and disease.

Transferability of Human and Environmental Microbiome on Clothes as a Tool for Forensic Investigations.

Considering the growing importance of microbiome analyses in forensics for identifying individuals, this study explores the transfer of the skin microbiome onto clothing, its persistence on fabrics over time, and its transferability from the environment and between different garments. Furthermore, this project compares three specific QIAGEN microbiome extraction kits to test their extraction efficiency on fabric samples. Additionally, this study aims to check if these extracts contain human DNA, providing a chance to obtain more information from the same evidence for personal identification. The results obtained show: (1) variations in the skin microbiome between the volunteers, potentially due to their different sex; (2) differences in microbial composition between worn and unworn clothing; (3) the influence of the environment on the microbial signature of unworn clothing; (4) the potential use of certain phyla as biomarkers to differentiate between worn and unworn garments, even over extended periods; (5) a tendency towards extraction biases in the QIAampMP® DNA microbiome kit among the three tested ones; and (6) none of the extraction kits allow for the typing of human genetic profiles suitable for comparison. In conclusion, our study offers supplementary insights into the potential utility of time-transferred microbiome analysis on garments for forensic applications.

Skin Lesions with Loss of Tissue and Cutaneous-Onset Sepsis: The Skin Infection-Sepsis Relationship.

Infectious and inflammatory dermatoses featuring skin lesions with loss of tissue expose skin layers to microbial invasions, disrupt the normal skin microbiome, and potentially lead to sepsis. However, literature data on the incidence of cutaneous-onset sepsis are scarce. This retrospective observational study assessed hospital admissions for primary skin lesions without bacterial infections and sepsis during 2020-2022 in the largest emergency hospital in NE Romania. Of 509 patients, 441 had infected lesions, 78 had sepsis caused by venous ulcers from microbial eczema cellulitis, superinfected bullous dermatoses, erysipelas, and erythroderma. Cultured samples revealed S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli; and K. pneumoniae and S. ß-hemolytic associated with sepsis, even if this was rarer. Clinical manifestations included ulcerations, erosions, fissures, excoriations, bullae, vesicles, pruritus, tumefaction, edema, fever, chills, pain, adenopathy, and mildly altered mental status. Underlying chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, anemia, and type-1 diabetes mellitus were comorbidities associated with infection and sepsis. Significant associations and risk factors, including their combined effects, are discussed to draw attention to the need for further research and adequate management to prevent sepsis in adult patients of any age presenting with infected skin lesions (especially cellulitis) and comorbidities (especially type 1 diabetes mellitus and anemia).

Microbiota of laboratory channel catfish skin mucosa and aquaria water exposed to chloramine-T trihydrate.

Here, we describe the skin mucosa microbiome of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) before and after exposure to chloramine-T trihydrate. We also describe the aquaria water microbiome after the post-treatment period. These data provide a unique baseline description of skin mucosa and aquaria water microbiome from catfish reared in research aquaria.