Skin microbiome modulation induced by probiotic solutions

Abstract

BackgroundThe skin is colonized by a large number of microorganisms, of which most are beneficial or harmless. However, disease states of skin have specific microbiome compositions that are different from those of healthy skin. Gut microbiome modulation through fecal transplant has proven as a valid therapeutic strategy in diseases such as Clostridium difficile infections. Therefore, techniques to modulate the skin microbiome composition may become an interesting therapeutic option in diseases affecting the skin such as psoriasis or acnes vulgaris.\n\nHere we have used mixtures of different skin microbiome components to alter the composition of a recipient skin microbiome.\n\nResultsWe show that after sequential applications of a donor microbiome, the recipient microbiome becomes similar to that of the donor. After intervention, an initial, week-long phase is characterized by dominance of donor strains. The level of engraftment depends on the composition of the recipient and donor microbiomes, and the applied bacterial load. We observed higher engraftment using a multi-strain donor solution with recipient skin rich in Cutibacterium acnes subtype H1 and Leifsonia.\n\nConclusionsWe have demonstrated the use of living bacteria to modulate skin microbiome composition.