2. Academic Validation
  3. Skin commensal Cutibacterium acnes alleviates UVB-induced solar dermatitis via ceramide-mediated TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB

Skin commensal Cutibacterium acnes alleviates UVB-induced solar dermatitis via ceramide-mediated TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB

  • Free Radic Biol Med. 2026 Jun:249:76-88. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2026.02.074.
Yaolei Ma 1,  Zhexin Ni 2,  Long Zhu 3,  Ju Yang 4,  Yunan Zhang 5,  Wenping Liu 6,  Rui Wang 7,  Yuanbo Sun 8,  Jinfeng Liu 9,  Pengfei Zhang 10,  Lingxiang Yu 11,  Chaoji Huangfu 12,  Yue Gao 13,  Wei Zhou 14
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China; Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China; Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University, No. 251 Ningda Road, Xining, 810016, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Department of Dermatology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command PLA, No. 270, Rongdu Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China; School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China; Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China; Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 9 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyanghu Road, Tianjin, 301617, China; Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 10 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 11 Senior Department of Hepatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 12 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 13 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 14 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, No. 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41794153 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2026.02.074
Abstract

Background: The high-altitude environment is characterized by hypobaric hypoxia and intense ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, contributing to increased incidence of UVB-induced skin injuries, including plateau solar dermatitis (PSD). The role of commensal skin microbiota in mediating photoprotection under such extreme conditions remains poorly understood. This study aimed to identify UVB-protective skin microbiota in high-altitude populations and to elucidate their potential mechanisms in mitigating UVB-induced skin damage.

Methods: Skin microbiota profiles were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene Sequencing in healthy plateau residents and PSD patients. Protective effects were evaluated using a murine model of UVB-induced skin injury and an in vitro UVB-exposed HaCaT keratinocyte model. Integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses were performed to identify candidate bioactive microbial metabolites, followed by functional validation.

Results: Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) was significantly enriched in healthy plateau residents compared with PSD patients. Topical application of C. acnes alleviated UVB-induced skin inflammation, Collagen degradation, and DNA damage in mice. Multi-omics analyses revealed dysregulation of sphingolipid metabolism following UVB exposure and highlighted bacterial-derived ceramides as candidate protective metabolites. Two representative ceramides, CER2 and CER14, significantly reduced UVB-induced Apoptosis, oxidative stress, and DNA damage in keratinocytes. These effects were associated with suppression of TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling activity.

Conclusion: This study identifies C. acnes as a commensal bacterium with photoprotective potential against UVB-induced skin damage in high-altitude environments. Ceramide-related lipid metabolites derived from C. acnes contribute to attenuation of UVB-triggered inflammatory signaling and cellular injury, providing new insights into microbiome-based strategies for photoprotection.

Keywords

Ceramide; Cutibacterium acnes; NF-κB signaling; Plateau; UVB-skin injury.

Figures
Products