Study of Skin Microbiome in AD and PS Patients

Description

We believe that as this skin diseases (AD and Psoriasis) are effectively managed with topical and/or systemic therapies, the levels of C. acnes (and other commensal bacteria with anti-S. aureus actions) will increase and this will subsequently be followed by reductions in S. aureus and these changes will be reflected in skin barrier improvements and changes in biomarkers. We have several aims. Aim 1 – Determine how the abundance of S. aureus, other microbes of interest including, but not exclusive to, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species [CONS], and C. acnes on the skin surface varies as a function of time and/or disease activity in AD, plaque stage psoriasis (PS) and healthy, non-atopics (NA). Aim 2 – Validate whether a biomarker (or panel) identifies subjects with greater S. aureus burden (e.g., abundance). Aim 3 – Identify a biomarker (or panel) that predicts clinical improvement observed in our AD or PS subjects. Aim 4 – Quantify S. aureus virulence factors from skin swabs of all three subject populations. Exploratory Aim 5 – Develop a skin microbial repository (optional) where we will focus on the interplay between S. aureus and other microbes from AD and PS patients, and age- and gender-matched healthy NAs. Exploratory Aim 6 – Develop a repository of skin tape strips for biomarker and protease assays. Exploratory Aim 7 – (optional enrollment) – To identify skin epithelial gene signatures from AD skin that are unique and not found in healthy non- AD, NA control skin samples after they are infected ex vivo with HSV-1. A secondary goal of this work will be to evaluate how Real-World treatment(s) affect these observations.