MIT researchers have uncovered crucial insights into the dynamics of facial bacteria, revealing opportunities to leverage probiotics for acne prevention, especially during the early teenage years.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have revealed crucial dynamics in the interactions of bacterial populations living on our faces, which play a significant role in the development of acne and eczema. The detailed insights into these microbial interactions may pave the way for innovative treatments targeting acne and other skin conditions, with particular emphasis on the potential of probiotics.
Senior author Tami Lieberman, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, emphasized the significance of the finding.
“We found that there are some surprising dynamics, and these dynamics provide insights for how to design probiotic therapy. If we had a strain that we knew could prevent acne, these results would suggest we should make sure we apply them early during the transition to adulthood, to really get them to engraft,” she said in a news release.
The researchers discovered that new strains of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), implicated in acne development, are mostly acquired during the early teenage years.
After this, the bacterial populations stabilize significantly, suggesting a narrow but critical window for effective intervention with probiotic treatments. The transitional stage of adolescence, marked by hormonal changes and increased oil production on the skin, presents an optimal time for introducing beneficial bacteria.
Jacob Baker, a former postdoctoral student at MIT who is now the chief scientific officer at Taxa Technologies, is the lead author of the study published in the latest issue of Cell Host & Microbe.
Microbial Dynamics Unpacked
Although C. acnes has long been associated with acne, the precise reasons it triggers the condition in some individuals but not others remain unclear. It could be due to differences in bacterial strains or how individuals’ immune systems respond. Probiotic strains of C. acnes are available and thought to help prevent acne, yet their efficacy has not been definitively proven.
The study focused on two predominant bacteria on the face: C. acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis). These species exist in various strains that differ by small genetic mutations.
The research team employed advanced sequencing techniques to accurately measure this diversity and track changes over time. They analyzed microbiome samples from children and parents to understand how bacterial lineages evolve and transfer between close contacts.
The results revealed remarkable stability in the composition of C. acnes populations over time, but also showed that the early teenage years are a prime period for the introduction of new lineages. This understanding could optimize the timing of probiotic treatments.
Population Turnover Perspectives
In adulthood, while there is minimal sharing of C. acnes strains between parents and their offspring, the turnover within individuals remains very low.
On the other hand, S. epidermidis strains showed a higher rate of turnover, but without significant lineage sharing among household members.
This suggests a complex interplay of factors, including genetics, personal habits and the skin’s microenvironment, may influence bacterial dynamics.
“We want to understand why we each have unique strain communities despite the fact that there is this constant accessibility and high turnover, specifically for S. epidermidis,” added Lieberman. “What’s driving this constant turnover in S. epidermidis, and what are the implications of these new colonizations for acne during adolescence?”
The MIT team plans to further investigate how the timing of bacterial strain acquisition affects the immune response and how unique microbiome populations are maintained despite close contact within families.