ilaria cavallo

Dottoressa di ricerca

ciclo: XXXIII


supervisore: Fiorentina Ascenzioni
co-supervisore: Enea Gino Di Domenico

Titolo della tesi: Role of biofilm production and skin inflammatory molecules in supporting the growth and persistence of Cutibacterium acnes in acne vulgaris

Summary Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory disorder affecting more than 80% of young adolescents. Evidence suggests that Cutibacterium acnes plays a role in the pathogenesis of acne lesions, although the mechanism(s) are, as yet, poorly understood. The study aimed to measure the prevalence of C. acnes in comedogenesis and the progression towards inflamed acne lesions; to analyze the role of C. acnes as well as the impact of biofilm production and in the antibiotic susceptibility of C. acnes isolates; to assess the level of different inflammatory molecules on the skin of acne patients and their role in promoting bacterial growth and persistence. Samples for microbiological analysis were collected from the skin of 10 healthy subjects and the unaffected skin, the comedones, and the papulo-pustular lesions of 15 acne patients. Microbiota analysis showed a significantly higher relative abundance of C. acnes (P < 0.05) in inflammatory (papule and pustule) compared with non-inflammatory (comedones) acne lesions, unaffected skin, and the skin of healthy subjects. All the strains analyzed were able to produce biofilm. Still, the C. acnes strains isolated from acne patients were significantly more efficient in biofilm production than those isolated from the skin of healthy subjects. The level of cutaneous interleukin (IL)-α, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the skin of acne patients as compared to control subjects. Additionally, the presence of both IL-1α and VEGF selectively promoted a concentration-dependent increase of C. acnes growth in-vitro. These findings suggest that C. acnes proliferates in the inflammatory lesions of acne patients. The increased IL-1α and VEGF levels observed in acne patients' skin may play a role in promoting the growth of C. acnes. Biofilm production by C. acnes may contribute to sustaining bacterial adhesion and chronic persistence in acne.

Produzione scientifica

  • 11573/1225868 - 2018 - Inflammatory cytokines and biofilm production sustain Staphylococcus aureus outgrowth and persistence: A pivotal interplay in the pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis (01a Articolo in rivista)
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; SPERDUTI, ISABELLA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1225894 - 2017 - Biofilm producing Salmonella typhi: Chronic colonization and development of gallbladder cancer (01g Articolo di rassegna (Review))
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1225892 - 2017 - How human papillomavirus replication and immune evasion strategies take advantage of the host DNA damage repair machinery (01g Articolo di rassegna (Review))
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA
  • 11573/1225842 - 2018 - The Emerging Role of Microbial Biofilm in Lyme Neuroborreliosis (01g Articolo di rassegna (Review))
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1225889 - 2018 - The clinical Biofilm Ring Test: A promising tool for the clinical assessment of biofilm-producing Candida species (01a Articolo in rivista)
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; SPERDUTI, ISABELLA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1225908 - 2017 - Biofilm is a major virulence determinant in bacterial colonization of chronic skin ulcers independently from the multidrug resistant phenotype (01a Articolo in rivista)
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; SPERDUTI, ISABELLA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1338742 - 2019 - Staphylococcus aureus and the cutaneous microbiota biofilms in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (01g Articolo di rassegna (Review))
    CAVALLO, ILARIA; ASCENZIONI, FIORENTINA; DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO
  • 11573/1338736 - 2019 - Microbial biofilm correlates with an increased antibiotic tolerance and poor therapeutic outcome in infective endocarditis (01a Articolo in rivista)
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1493331 - 2020 - Silver Sulfadiazine Eradicates Antibiotic-Tolerant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms in Patients with Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcers. (01a Articolo in rivista)
    CAVALLO, ILARIA
  • 11573/1486501 - 2020 - Biofilm Production by Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Significantly Increases the Risk of Death in Oncological Patients (01a Articolo in rivista)
    DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO; CAVALLO, ILARIA; SPERDUTI, ISABELLA; ASCENZIONI, FIORENTINA; TOMA, LUIGI
  • 11573/1493350 - 2018 - Nucleic Acid Sensing Perturbation: How Aberrant Recognition of Self-Nucleic Acids May Contribute to Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Diseases (02a Capitolo o Articolo)
    CAVALLO, ILARIA
  • 11573/1493338 - 2020 - Ceftolozane-tazobactam for febrile neutropenia treatment in hematologic malignancy patients colonized by multi-resistant enterobacteriaceae: Preliminary results from a prospective cohort study (01f Lettera, Nota)
    CAVALLO, ILARIA
  • 11573/1630423 - 2022 - Role of extracellular DNA in Dalbavancin activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilms in patients with skin and soft tissue infections (01a Articolo in rivista)
    CAVALLO, ILARIA; SPERDUTI, ISABELLA; TRUGLIO, MAURO; PASQUA, MARTINA; TOMA, LUIGI; MORRONE, ALDO; DI DOMENICO, ENEA GINO

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