Scientists from Monash University found that microbial fermentation of dietary fiber in the gut can protect against allergic skin disease.
The finding could potentially lead to novel treatments to prevent or treat allergies.
The research is published in Mucosal Immunology and was conducted by Professor Ben Marsland et al.
While it is well established that the gut microbiome shapes the immune system, the influence it has on the skin is less explored.
In the study, the team showed that the fermentation of fiber in the gut by bacteria and subsequent production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in particular butyrate, protected against atopic dermatitis in mice.
They labeled the butyrate with isotopes and tracked it in the body—it took only minutes to reach the skin where it enhanced the metabolism of keratinocytes, priming them to mature and produce the key structural components required for a healthy skin barrier.
Actively improving the skin barrier could have protective effects against environmental exposures that cause allergies and perhaps even other skin diseases which are underpinned by a damaged or weak skin barrier.
The team found SCFAs could be administered orally or directly on the skin as a cream, bypassing the gut.
The fact that short-chain fatty acids can be given topically and are well-tolerated opens up possibilities for the development of preventative strategies or disease-modifying interventions.
One possibility to explore is whether this could help children who are at risk of developing skin allergies that cascade towards food allergies and asthma, the so-called “atopic march.”
If you care about skin health, please read studies about how to prevent skin cancer effectively, and top signs of diabetic skin disease you need to know.
For more information about supplements, please see recent studies about blood pressure drugs linked to skin disease, and results showing red onion skin could help reduce high blood pressure.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
