A review of skin immune processes in acne

Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 15:14:1324930. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1324930. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is one of the most prevalent skin conditions, affecting almost all teenagers worldwide. Multiple factors, including the excessive production of sebum, dysbiosis of the skin microbiome, disruption of keratinization within hair follicles, and local inflammation, are believed to trigger or aggravate acne. Immune activity plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of acne. Recent research has improved our understanding of the immunostimulatory functions of microorganisms, lipid mediators, and neuropeptides. Additionally, significant advances have been made in elucidating the intricate mechanisms through which cutaneous innate and adaptive immune cells perceive and transmit stimulatory signals and initiate immune responses. However, our understanding of precise temporal and spatial patterns of immune activity throughout various stages of acne development remains limited. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge concerning the immune processes involved in the initiation and progression of acne. Furthermore, we highlight the significance of detailed spatiotemporal analyses, including analyses of temporal dynamics of immune cell populations as well as single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing, for the development of targeted therapeutic and prevention strategies.

Keywords: acne vulgaris; immune response; lipid mediators; microorganism; neuropeptides; single-cell analysis.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acne Vulgaris*
  • Adolescent
  • Cognition
  • Humans
  • Immunity
  • Immunization
  • Skin*

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The study was supported by the independent research fund of Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory (2023YKZY001). The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article, or the decision to submit it for publication.