Dysbiotic Lesional Microbiome With Filaggrin Missense Variants Associate With Atopic Dermatitis in India

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Microbiome Research
• Genetics

Background:

• Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is linked to Filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function (LoF) mutations and skin microbial shifts, particularly in Caucasians.
• This study investigates FLG mutations and microbiome dysbiosis in Indian AD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of FLG LoF and missense mutations in Indian AD patients.
• To analyze the microbiome composition and altered pathways in AD patients, with and without FLG mutations.

Main Methods:

• Shotgun sequencing of skin microbiome DNA from 34 AD patients and 54 healthy controls from India.
• Sequencing of the FLG coding region to identify mutations.
• Host-microbiome association analysis.

Main Results:

• FLG LoF mutations were less prevalent in Indian AD patients compared to Europeans.
• Staphylococcus aureus was abundant in AD skin, while S. hominis, C. acnes, and M. globosa were more prevalent in controls.
• Enriched microbial pathways in AD skin were associated with skin barrier permeability, ammonia production, and inflammation.
• FLG missense mutations correlated with shifts in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes abundance.

Conclusions:

• Host DNA profile significantly influences microbiome composition in AD development.
• Enriched microbial pathways in AD cases were linked to MRSA strains.
• Findings suggest personalized microbiome modulation for effective AD management.