Correlating the Gut Microbiota and Circulating Hormones with Acne Lesion Counts and Skin Biophysical Features

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory condition that is multi-factorial and impacted by both intrinsic and extrinsic features. Several previous studies have assessed for correlations between factors such as circulating hormones, stress, or the microbiome. However, there have not been any correlations specifically against lesion counts or differentiating correlations between inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts. Here, we correlate several factors against acne lesions. Twenty men and women with mild to moderate acne were recruited, and their hormonal levels and their gut microbiome were collected and correlated against their inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions of acne. Facial non-inflammatory lesions were weakly correlated to sebum excretion rate and weakly inversely correlated to forehead and cheek hydration. We examined stress through the use of a normalized peak-to-trough ratio (higher numbers indicated less stress), which correlated with skin hydration and inversely correlated with sebum excretion rate. Sebum excretion rate was weakly correlated to testosterone levels, and facial hydration correlated with estradiol levels. Correlations with the gut microbiome showed differential correlations with inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions, with Clostridium sp AF 23-8 correlating to inflammatory lesion counts, while Actinomyces naeslundii str Howell 279 correlated to non-inflammatory lesions. Overall, measures of stress and circulating hormones correlate to skin biophysical properties and acne lesion counts. Also, different gut bacteria correlate with either inflammatory or non-inflammatory lesion counts. We hope that our findings stimulate further work on the gut–mind–stress–skin axis within acne.

The Role of the Gut Microbiome and Microbial Dysbiosis in Common Skin Diseases

“…Strains positively correlated with inflammatory lesions were Coprococcus sp AF16-22, Butyrivibrio crossotus DSM 2876, Clostridium sp AF23-8, Escherichia coli KTE51, Akkermansia muciniphila ATCC BAA-835, Bilophila wadsworthia 316, and Methanobrevibacter smithii DSM2375. A negative correlation with inflammatory changes was confirmed for Coprococcus sp ART55-1 and Alistipes senegalensis JC50 [124].…”

Impact of Diet and Nutrition in Patients with Acne Vulgaris

“…It is worth noting that a large body of evidence also indicates that an abnormal diet has a fundamental effect on dysbiosis in the gut flora, being a cause of metabolic and inflammatory skin diseases, including severe inflammatory forms of acne [39][40][41]. Abnormalities in the gut microbiome contribute to the pathogenesis of acne, mainly via a modified mTOR route and enhanced gut barrier permeability [42,43].…”