Infection, Immunity, and Allergy Caused by Propionibacterium acnes

Dear Colleagues,

Propionibacterium acnes, formerly known as Corynebacterium parvum and currently referred to as Cutibacterium acnes, is a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that is part of the normal microbiota of the skin, oral cavity and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. P. acnes survives intracellularly and persists in macrophages without intracellular replication. An overload of P. acnes in macrophages induces autophagy and some P. acnes remain persistent within these cells. Intracellular P. acnes has been identified in alveolar and sinus macrophages in the lungs and lymph nodes, respectively, and colonies of P. acnes have been isolated from peripheral lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes, even in the absence of inflammation. The bacterium can also invade epithelial cells and has been found to persist intracellularly in prostate glands, where it may lead to the development of disease. The mechanisms that allow us to tolerate the presence of P. acnes in our body without eliciting destructive inflammation are unknown. Alternatively, inflammatory conditions potentially caused by this commensal bacterium have been reported in some patients with diseases of unknown causes. The aim of this Special Issue is to report an overview of the latest research on the complexed interaction between infection, immunity, and hypersensitivity caused by P. acnes and/or other commensal microorganisms that are thought to be normally symbiotic in the human body.

Dr. Yoshinobu Eishi
Guest Editor

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