Bacterial skin care
Nature Medicine
November 23, 2009
A bacterium normally present in the skin can control cutaneous inflammation, a study in this week's Nature Medicine reports.
The normal bacterial flora of the skin includes staphylococcal species which are certain bacteria that induce inflammation when present below one of the layers of skin but are harmless on the surface layer. Richard Gallo and his coworkers found a mechanism by which staphylococci bacteria inhibit skin inflammation. This inhibition depends on the amount of LTA, a molecule produced by the staphylococci that acts on skin cells.
The authors discovered that skin cells require activation of a pathogen-sensing receptor called TLR3 to release proinflammatory molecules. Staphylococcal LTA inhibits this release acting through a second pathogen-sensing receptor: TLR2. This work is the first time that the skin flora is documented to regulate specific inflammatory responses in the skin.
doi: 10.1038/nm.2062
Research highlights
-
Dec 3
Ageing: Cellular rejuvenation restores vision in miceNature
-
Dec 1
Neurodegenerative disease: Two blood molecules may predict Alzheimer’s disease developmentNature Aging
-
Nov 27
Archaeology: Neanderthal thumbs better adapted to holding tools with handlesScientific Reports
-
Nov 26
Metabolism: Link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cholesterol hints at COVID-19 treatment possibilitiesNature Metabolism
-
Nov 26
Evolution: Ancient bird sticks its big beak into the evolutionary recordNature
-
Nov 25
Stem cells: Modelling SARS-CoV-2 lung infection in a dishNature
