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May 17

Skin's Hidden Language: Unraveling Ceramide Influence on the Microbiome


Ceramides & Microbiome

Elucidating the relationship between ceramides and the skin microbiome could revolutionise the treatment of skin disease. Ceramides, the lipid molecules abundant in the stratum corneum, play a crucial role in skin barrier function and alterations to their levels or profiles are associated with impaired barrier function and, in some cases, skin disease.

 

What We Know:

 

  • Ceramides are responsible for preventing water loss, maintaining skin moisture levels and ultimately maintaining skin barrier function (Baker et al., 2023).


  • The breakdown of the skin barrier is a common feature of numerous inflammatory skin conditions and is well-understood in diseases like atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (Rajkumara et al., 2023).


  • In the case of AD, patients generally have reduced ceramide levels (Elias et al., 2019).


  • Regarding psoriasis, there is a reduction in the enzymes involved in ceramide biosynthesis and metabolism, causing a decrease in overall ceramides levels (Choi & Maibach, 2005).


  • Staphylococcus epidermidis plays a role in skin barrier maintenance by secreting sphingomyelinase, an enzyme that facilitates the conversion of host cell sphingomyelin into ceramides (Zheng et al., 2022).


  • Ceramides also play a role in maintaining the acidic mantle: a protective film that covers that surface of the skin with a pH 4.5-5.5, which is crucial for the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms like S. epidermidis (Baker et al., 2023).

 

Industry Impact & Potential:


  • Probiotic-type topical treatments, containing microbiota like S. epidermidis, show potential in treating skin diseases by leveraging their role in maintaining skin barrier integrity (Zheng et al., 2022).


  • Researchers propose a targeted approach of screening the existing skin microbiome composition for deficiencies in S. epidermidis enzymes and subsequently treating the skin with strains that produce the lacking enzyme(s) in combination with direct bacterial interference mechanisms to eliminate harmful pathogens (Zheng et al., 2022).

  • pH-optimised moisturisers enhance the chemical skin barrier by promoting optimal enzymatic activity that boosts ceramide synthesis, as well as creating favourable environments for beneficial microorganisms (Rajkumara et al., 2023).


  • Mice models have shown that through the bacterial phenomenon of quorum sensing, commensal microbiota can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus toxin production (which is highly associated with AD symptoms), thus preventing skin barrier damage and inflammation (Williams et al., 2019).


Our Solution:

 

Sequential offers an end-to-end Microbiome Product Testing Solution, alongside guided product development and formulation services. Leveraging our expertise, we assist businesses in devising novel approaches to topical ceramide and/or probiotic-based treatments for various skin diseases and inflammatory conditions. 




Reference List:


Baker, P., Huang, C., Radi, R., Moll, S. B., Jules, E., & Arbiser, J. L. (2023). Skin Barrier Function: The Interplay of Physical, Chemical, and Immunologic Properties. Cells, 12(23), 2745. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12232745


Bouwstra, J. A., Helder, R. W. J., & El Ghalbzouri, A. (2021). Human skin equivalents: Impaired barrier function in relation to the lipid and protein properties of the stratum corneum. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 175, 113802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.05.012


Choi, M. J., & Maibach, H. I. (2005). Role of ceramides in barrier function of healthy and diseased skin. American journal of clinical dermatology, 6(4), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200506040-00002


Elias, P. M., Wakefield, J. S., & Man, M. Q. (2019). Moisturizers versus Current and Next-Generation Barrier Repair Therapy for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 32(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1159/000493641


Rajkumar, J., Chandan, N., Lio, P., & Shi, V. (2023). The Skin Barrier and Moisturization: Function, Disruption, and Mechanisms of Repair. Skin pharmacology and physiology, 36(4), 174–185. https://doi.org/10.1159/000534136


Williams, M. R., Costa, S. K., Zaramela, L. S., Khalil, S., Todd, D. A., Winter, H. L., . . . Gallo, R. L. (2019). Quorum sensing between bacterial species on the skin protects against epidermal injury in atopic dermatitis. Science Translational Medicine, 11(490), eaat8329. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aat8329


Zheng, Y., Hunt, R. L., Villaruz, A. E., Fisher, E. L., Liu, R., Liu, Q., Cheung, G. Y. C., Li, M., & Otto, M. (2022). Commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis contributes to skin barrier homeostasis by generating protective ceramides. Cell host & microbe, 30(3), 301–313.e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2022.01.004

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