Shaping of cutaneous function by encounters with commensals

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• The skin microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms essential for skin health and defense.
• It plays vital roles in sensing the environment and modulating the host immune system.
• Variability exists between individuals and body sites, with core commensals present in healthy states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent findings on the skin microbiome, focusing on its composition and functions.
• To highlight the roles of major commensals (bacteria, fungi, bacteriophages) in skin health and disease.
• To emphasize the need for further research into strain-level dynamics and functional interactions.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on skin microbiome research.
• Analysis of studies utilizing sequencing technologies to characterize taxonomic composition.
• Inclusion of functional studies at metatranscriptomic and proteomic levels.

Main Results:

• The skin microbiome is highly variable but contains core commensals crucial for skin homeostasis.
• Alterations in microbial composition and activity can lead to skin diseases.
• Current understanding is limited regarding strain-level dynamics and functional interactions.

Conclusions:

• The skin microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and bacteriophages, significantly influences skin functions.
• Further investigation into strain-level microbiome composition and host interactions is warranted.
• Understanding these dynamics is critical for developing novel therapeutic strategies for skin conditions.