Causal roles of skin and gut microbiota in skin appendage disorders suggested by genetic study

Abstract

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ObjectivesThere is evidence from observational studies that human microbiota is linked to skin appendage Disorders (SADs). Nevertheless, the causal association between microbiota and SADs is yet to be fully clarified.MethodsA comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was first performed to determine the causal effect of skin and gut microbiota on SADs. A total of 294 skin taxa and 211 gut taxa based on phylum, class, order, family, genus, and ASV level information were identified. Summary data of SADs and eight subtypes (acne vulgaris, hidradenitis suppurativa, alopecia areata, rogenic alopecia, rosacea, rhinophyma, seborrhoeic dermatitis, and pilonidal cyst) were obtained from the FinnGen consortium. We performed bidirectional MR to determine whether the skin and gut microbiota are causally associated with multiple SADs. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 65 and 161 causal relationships between genetic liability in the skin and gut microbiota with SADs were identified, respectively. Among these, we separately found 5 and 11 strong causal associations that passed Bonferroni correction in the skin and gut microbiota with SADs. Several skin bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Propionibacterium, were considered associated with multiple SADs. As gut probiotics, Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli were associated with a protective effect on SAD risk. There was no significant heterogeneity in instrumental variables or horizontal pleiotropy.ConclusionsOur MR analysis unveiled bidirectional causal relationships between SADs and the gut and skin microbiota, and had the potential to offer novel perspectives on the mechanistic of microbiota-facilitated dermatosis.

Keywords

• skin microbiota
• gut microbiota
• skin appendage disorders
• Mendelian randomization
• causal inference