Electricity-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis counteracts Cutibacterium acnes

Abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) ATCC 12228 was incubated with 2% polyethylene glycol (PEG)-8 Laurate to yield electricity which was measured by a voltage difference between electrodes. Production of electron was validated by a Ferrozine assay. The anti-Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) activity of electrogenic S. epidermidis was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The voltage change (~ 4.4 mV) reached a peak 60 min after pipetting S. epidermidis plus 2% PEG-8 Laurate onto anodes. The electricity produced by S. epidermidis caused significant growth attenuation and cell lysis of C. acnes. Intradermal injection of C. acnes and S. epidermidis plus PEG-8 Laurate into the mouse ear considerably suppressed the growth of C. acnes. This suppressive effect was noticeably reversed when cyclophilin A of S. epidermidis was inhibited, indicating the essential role of cyclophilin A in electricity production of S. epidermidis against C. acnes. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that skin S. epidermidis, in the presence of PEG-8 Laurate, can mediate cyclophilin A to elicit an electrical current that has anti-C. acnes effects. Electricity generated by S. epidermidis may confer immediate innate immunity in acne lesions to rein in the overgrowth of C. acnes at the onset of acne vulgaris.

A cross‐sectional cohort study on the skin microbiota in patients with different acne durations

“…Increasing evidence showed that an interaction between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acne could be involved with the physiopathology of acne. 39,40 A study has shown that Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from the skin can inhibit the overgrowth of Cutibacterium acne by fermenting glycerol. 41 On the contrary, Cutibacterium acne can also influence the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis.…”

“…This is consistent with our observation that Cutibacterium remained at high levels in skin pores, whereas its dominance on the skin surface was replaced by Staphylococcus which grows better when the oxygen level is higher. Increasing evidence showed that an interaction between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acne could be involved with the physiopathology of acne 39,40 . A study has shown that Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from the skin can inhibit the overgrowth of Cutibacterium acne by fermenting glycerol 41 .…”

Extracellular electrons transferred from honey probiotic Bacillus circulans inhibits inflammatory acne vulgaris

“…We previously reported that S. epidermidis can ferment glycerol and PEG-8 laurate to generate potential electron donors for electricity generation to combat ultraviolet damage 30 or suppress acne vulgaris 31 . In this study, we further demonstrated that adding glucose to the culture medium of B. circulans in vitro can inhibit the growth of C. acnes ; specifically, this suppression was significantly reversed when roseoflavin was added to the mix.…”

Effects of Heat-Killed Lactococcus lactis Strain Plasma on Skin Homeostasis-Related Genes and the Skin Microbiome among Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Study

“…S. epidermidis and S. hominis have been shown to secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill S. aureus, and transplantation of these species onto the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis leads to decreased colonization by S. aureus [23]. It has been also reported that butyric acid from S. epidermidis down-regulates the ultraviolet-induced pro-inflammatory IL-6 cytokine [24] and that the electricity produced by S. epidermidis caused significant growth attenuation and cell lysis of P. acnes [25]. Thus, robustness in the quantity of each microbiota might support microbe-microbe interactions between Staphylococcus species that are beneficial to the host.…”