Acne Vaccine Neutralizes Bacterial Enzyme Hyaluronidase to Reduce Skin Inflammation

Experts are now one step closer to solving the acne problem with a more precise and less disruptive treatment than is presently available.

(Photo: Pixabay/ AlexanderGrey)

What Causes Acne?

Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when follicles under the skin become clogged. This inflammatory disorder usually occurs on the face, although it can also appear on the chest, back, and shoulders.

In healthy skin, the oil glands make sebum, emptying onto the skin surface through the pore. As the body sheds skin cells, the keratinocytes, the primary cells of the epidermis that line the follicle, rise to the skin's surface.

When someone has acne, the oil, hair, and keratinocytes stick together inside the pore, preventing the keratinocytes from shedding and keeping the oil from reaching the skin's surface. This mixture of oil and cells enables bacteria to grow in the plugged follicles and cause inflammation. When the wall of the plugged follicle breaks down, the skin cells, bacteria, and oil are spilled into nearby skin to create lesions or pimples.

It is estimated that around 70-80% of individuals develop acne at some point in their lives, especially during adolescence. Aside from bacteria, other factors, such as genetics and environment, are also to blame.

Groundbreaking Acne Vaccine

In groundbreaking research on anti-acne therapies, a team of experts at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine has created an acne vaccine that successfully reduced inflammation in a mouse acne model. Their work is discussed in the study "Functional divergence of a bacterial enzyme promotes healthy or acneic skin."

This vaccine works by neutralizing a particular type of enzyme produced by an acne-associated bacteria without affecting the healthy bacterial enzyme.

According to UC professor George Y. Liu, their team is working to create a therapy that is much more tailored towards the exact cause of acne instead of just generically blocking inflammation. By understanding the mechanisms of bacteria in inducing acne, they hope to develop a single or combination vaccine that can address acne much more effectively.

The study began with investigating acne-associated bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, which can be found on everyone's skin. The researchers identified two hyaluronidase variants, an enzyme this bacteria produced. One variant (HylA) is made by C. acnes and is associated with skin breakouts, while C. acnes cause the other variant (HylB) and are related to healthy skin.

Upon examining the genetic and structural differences between these two enzymes, the team discovered that while HylA causes inflammation, HylA appears to reduce acne and promote healthy skin. It was further revealed that the two enzyme variants originated from a common ancestor but evolved to have contrasting effects.

Based on this discovery, Liu and his colleagues developed a vaccine and inhibitors targeting HylA to reduce inflammation. They point to the importance of understanding the genetic factors of C. acnes to develop targeted acne treatments. The team is hopeful that this novel approach could benefit acne patients since no specific acne treatment of its type is available.