Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Lymphocyte Isolation from Human Skin for Phenotypic Analysis and Ex Vivo Cell Culture
Published on: April 8, 2016
Integrated Host Genetics and Skin Microbiome Profiling Suggest an HLA-C-Peptostreptococcus Axis in Psoriasis
Oliver Seifert1,2, Malin Assarsson1,2, Lokeshwaran Manoharan3
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
Psoriasis involves genetic and microbial interactions. Specific gene variants correlate with bacteria like Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, even in non-lesional skin, suggesting early host-microbe shaping.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease influenced by genetics and the microbiome.
- The role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C variants and their connection to the skin microbiome in psoriasis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate host-microbiome interactions in psoriasis using integrated multi-omics analysis.
- To identify coordinated genetic and microbial features associated with psoriasis status.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA sequencing for skin microbiome profiling.
- Targeted genotyping of psoriasis-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
- Supervised multivariate modeling (DIABLO) for integrated analysis.
Main Results:
- Combined genetic and microbial signatures differentiated lesional, non-lesional, and healthy skin.
- HLA-C variants showed associations with Peptostreptococcus anaerobius.
- Genotype-microbiome correlations were found in non-lesional skin, linking psoriasis risk alleles with increased P. anaerobius and Aerococcus urinae abundance.
Conclusions:
- Psoriasis is characterized by coordinated host genetic and microbial interactions centered on antigen presentation.
- Genotype-microbiome coupling in non-lesional skin suggests genetic factors may shape microbial communities before visible disease onset.
- Psoriasis may involve a dynamic host-microbe ecosystem where genetic susceptibility influences microbial persistence and inflammation.
Related Concept Videos
The Skin Microbiota
Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Acne Infection
Skin Diseases and Disorders
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Phylogenetic Species Concept in Microbiology
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...