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Skin Microbiome and Skin Health: Molecular Interactions

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 11355

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Dr. Terenzio Cosio

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Departement or Laboratory Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario « A. Gemelli » , Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00133 Roma, Italy
Interests: Candida; Aspergillus; retinoids; trifarotene; all-trans retinoic acid; Trichophyton; psoriasis; mycobiota; botulin toxin; IL-17; apremilast; bimekizumab; poliomavirus; glutathione
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Dear Colleagues,

What role do cutaneous microorganisms play in maintaining health or promoting disease states?

The skin microbiota is made up of millions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on our skin and appendages. Cutaneous microorganisms, such as those in our gut, are crucial in immune system education, natural product breakdown, and defence against invasive infections. Historically, culture-based techniques were used to investigate skin microbial populations. However, as this approach selects microorganisms that thrive in artificial growth conditions, it underestimates the total diversity of the community. To better understand the complexity of the cutaneous microbiota, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the molecular principles underlying the basic physiological processes, mechanisms, biological functions, and interactions between cutaneous microbiota, interspecies crosstalk, and the host response.

For this Special Issue, we aim to gather recent insights into skin microbial communities, including their composition in health and disease, assembly and ecology, and interactions with the immune system. We welcome the submission of papers exploring prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for microbe-related skin diseases, such as healthy diets, lifestyles, probiotics, and prebiotics. Moreover, we welcome new approaches to modulating and engineering/rebuilding the microbiota and the molecular characterization of commensals and pathogens and their proteomic and/or metabolic signatures, with a special focus on skin microbiota and virota.

Dr. Terenzio Cosio
Guest Editor

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Keywords

skin microbiota
human disease
human health
omics
microbiota–host interactions
microbiota manipulation
microbiota
virota
inflammatory diseases
dysbiosis

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3014 KB

Open AccessArticle

Species-Level Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of the Bacterial Abundance of the Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, and Pemphigus Foliaceous Patients Using Shotgun Next-Generation Sequencing

by Lana Sá, Eleuza Machado, Verônica Ginani, Renata Timbó, Ricardo Romiti, Patrícia Kurizky and Ciro Gomes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(2), 838; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27020838 - 14 Jan 2026

Viewed by 695

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed a specific relationship between gut bacteria and inflammatory skin profiles. We aimed to perform a species-level comparative metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome in patients with psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and pemphigus foliaceus (PF). We included omnivorous nonsmokers and nondrinkers with psoriasis (n = 24), HS (n = 10), and PF (n = 11), as well as healthy controls (n = 10). We collected faecal samples from all patients for classic parasitological analysis. Gut microbiome analysis was conducted using shotgun next-generation sequencing. We used the Deseq2, Limma_voom, LinDA, and MaAMaAsLin 2 bioinformatics tools to evaluate concordance and differential abundance between patients. Thirteen patients (23.64%) were diagnosed with active intestinal parasitosis. The presence of intestinal parasitosis was significantly related to immunosuppression (p = 0.009). The most abundant microorganism species found in the faeces of the patients evaluated was Escherichia coli. Psoriasis patients presented a greater abundance of bacteria from the Veillonellaceae family, whereas PF patients presented a greater abundance of Firmicutes bacteria. Patients with PF showed increased E. coli virulence and antibiotic resistance functional markers. Immunosuppression significantly influenced the presence of intestinal parasitosis as well as increased the virulence of functional markers in patients with PF receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Microbiome and Skin Health: Molecular Interactions)

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15 pages, 2136 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrative Analysis of Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes Across Skin, Blood, and Stool in Rosacea Patients

by Marie Isolde Joura, Éva Nemes-Nikodém, Antal Jobbágy, Zsuzsanna A Dunai, Nóra Makra, András Bánvölgyi, Norbert Kiss, Miklós Sárdy, Sarolta Eszter Sándor, Péter Holló and Eszter Ostorházi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(17), 8127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178127 - 22 Aug 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2490

Abstract

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with multifactorial pathogenesis involving immune dysregulation and microbial alterations. This study compared the mycobiomes of skin, blood, and stool samples in rosacea patients and healthy controls to assess fungal diversity, abundance, and possible translocation, as well as associations with bacterial microbiomes. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing was performed on samples from 14 rosacea patients and 8 controls. While distinct fungal community compositions were observed across sample types, no significant differences in fungal diversity or genus abundance were found between the patient and control groups in any compartment. Malassezia dominated the skin mycobiome, while stool samples showed higher abundances of Candida and Saccharomyces, which were inversely correlated. Patients with high skin and blood Malassezia also exhibited increased Cutibacterium abundance, suggesting a potential role in impaired skin barrier integrity. Stool samples with elevated Saccharomyces correlated with higher levels of anti-inflammatory bacteria Prevotella and Agathobacter, whereas Candida dominance showed the opposite. These findings suggest that fungal dysbiosis, in the interplay with bacterial communities, may influence rosacea pathogenesis through the gut–skin axis. This work underscores the significance of integrated microbiome research across multiple biological compartments in order to enhance our understanding and potential targeting of microbial factors in rosacea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Microbiome and Skin Health: Molecular Interactions)

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Review

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19 pages, 1618 KB

Open AccessReview

From Gut Dysbiosis to Skin Inflammation in Atopic Dermatitis: Probiotics and the Gut–Skin Axis—Clinical Outcomes and Microbiome Implications

by Adina Elena Micu, Ioana Adriana Popescu, Ioana Alina Halip, Mădălina Mocanu, Dan Vâță, Andreea Luana Hulubencu, Dragoș Florin Gheucă-Solovăstru and Laura Gheucă-Solovăstru

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(1), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010365 - 29 Dec 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3091

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in which barrier impairment, immune dysregulation, and gut–skin dysbiosis intersect, prompting growing interest in probiotics as microbiota-modulating adjuncts. We conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, restricted to publications from 1 January 2018 to 31 October 2025 (searches last run in December 2025). Eligible evidence included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, and mechanistic or conceptual reviews addressing microbiome alterations and microbiota-modulating interventions in AD. Most pediatric RCTs using multistrain, Lactobacillus-dominant formulations (often combined with Bifidobacterium) reported modest improvements in AD severity and pruritus and in selected barrier- and inflammation-related biomarkers. However, direct cutaneous microbiome “restoration” outcomes were reported in a minority of studies, and most clinical evidence relies on clinical endpoints and gut–skin axis plausibility rather than longitudinal skin microbiome readouts. Single-strain regimens showed inconsistent effects, and evidence in adolescents and adults remained heterogeneous. Mechanistically, probiotics may enhance short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) signaling, dampen toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4)-nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, and promote interleukin-10 (IL-10)- and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-driven tolerance. Probiotics are a biologically plausible adjunct targeting the gut–skin axis in AD and are generally well tolerated; however, heterogeneity across trials, limited follow-up, inconsistent adverse-event reporting, and scarce skin microbiome endpoints preclude firm clinical recommendations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Microbiome and Skin Health: Molecular Interactions)

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16 pages, 1848 KB

Open AccessReview

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenicity and Its Interaction with Other Microorganisms During the Skin Wound Healing Process

by Inti Yamberla, Carla Pupiales, Andrea Jazmín Chiliquinga, Tania Sulca-Villamarín, Alejandra Plasencia, Francisco Cabrera Aulestia, Ramiro F. Díaz, Andrés Caicedo and Pedro Miguel Barba

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(19), 9677; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199677 - 4 Oct 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4367

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen frequently associated with delayed wound healing, particularly in chronic skin injuries. Its capability to form biofilms, secrete virulence factors, and the faculty to compete with other microorganisms makes it a major challenge in clinical wound management. Recent literature reveals different molecular and cellular mechanisms through which P. aeruginosa disrupts the wound healing process. Findings highlight that it interferes with key phases of healing by modulating host immune responses, degrading extracellular matrix components, and inhibiting keratinocyte migration. Its quorum-sensing systems regulate the expression of critical virulence factors such as exotoxin A, elastases, pyocyanin, and rhamnolipids. Additionally, the production of the biofilm matrix components alginate, and polysaccharides provide protection against host defenses and antibiotics. Interactions with other microorganisms, including antagonistic effects on Staphylococcus epidermidis and synergistic relationships with Staphylococcus aureus, modify the wound microbiota. Promising therapeutic alternatives have shown efficacy in disrupting biofilms and reducing virulence. These insights remark the importance of targeting both P. aeruginosa and its ecological interactions to enhance wound healing outcomes and develop more effective treatments. This review aimed to highlight the pathogenic role of P. aeruginosa and its interactions with other microbial species in the context of skin wound healing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Microbiome and Skin Health: Molecular Interactions)

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