IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis

Abstract Background The IL-17A inhibitors target aberrant immune responses in psoriasis but also impacts the host’s defense against infections. The effects of this treatment on skin microorganisms and microbiome-encoded metabolic pathways remain unclear. Objectives This was an exploratory clinical s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ying Lv, Huiying Bian, Yanjia Jing, Jing Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06723-9
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849235031536435200
author Ying Lv
Huiying Bian
Yanjia Jing
Jing Zhou
author_facet Ying Lv
Huiying Bian
Yanjia Jing
Jing Zhou
author_sort Ying Lv
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The IL-17A inhibitors target aberrant immune responses in psoriasis but also impacts the host’s defense against infections. The effects of this treatment on skin microorganisms and microbiome-encoded metabolic pathways remain unclear. Objectives This was an exploratory clinical study designed to investigate whether Psoriasis is associated with skin microbiota, as well as a longitudinal cohort study aimed at revealing the effects of IL-17A inhibitor treatment on skin microbiota in Psoriasis. Methods In this study, we recruited 26 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and 15 healthy controls. We collected skin microbiome samples from both greasy and dry skin regions. All samples were analyzed using 16S rDNA gene sequencing to determine the microbial profiles. Results Compared with healthy controls, the composition and function of skin microbiome in psoriasis patients are heterogeneous. Treatment with IL-17A inhibitors significantly increases the alpha diversity of the skin microbiota in psoriasis patients, indicating potential restoration of microbial community richness and evenness. However, this treatment does not entirely alter the taxonomic composition of the skin microbiota; rather, it shifts the relative abundance of specific microbial species, indicating that certain core microbial features remain relatively stable. Moreover, IL-17A inhibitors help adjust the functional profile of the skin microbiome in psoriasis patients, bringing it closer to that of healthy individuals. Conclusions Psoriasis patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in both the composition and functionality of their skin microbiota. Although IL-17A inhibitor treatment fails to fundamentally alter its taxonomic composition, this therapy effectively enhances microbial community stability by increasing alpha diversity and modulating the relative abundance of various taxa. Additionally, it adjusts the functional profile of the skin microbiota towards a healthier state, thereby contributing to the restoration of microecological balance.
format Article
id doaj-art-e1366cebd59841dcbd8d7cd19fe1a263
institution Kabale University
issn 1479-5876
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Translational Medicine
spelling doaj-art-e1366cebd59841dcbd8d7cd19fe1a2632025-08-20T04:02:55ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762025-07-0123111510.1186/s12967-025-06723-9IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasisYing Lv0Huiying Bian1Yanjia Jing2Jing Zhou3Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Dermatology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical UniversityDepartment of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityAbstract Background The IL-17A inhibitors target aberrant immune responses in psoriasis but also impacts the host’s defense against infections. The effects of this treatment on skin microorganisms and microbiome-encoded metabolic pathways remain unclear. Objectives This was an exploratory clinical study designed to investigate whether Psoriasis is associated with skin microbiota, as well as a longitudinal cohort study aimed at revealing the effects of IL-17A inhibitor treatment on skin microbiota in Psoriasis. Methods In this study, we recruited 26 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and 15 healthy controls. We collected skin microbiome samples from both greasy and dry skin regions. All samples were analyzed using 16S rDNA gene sequencing to determine the microbial profiles. Results Compared with healthy controls, the composition and function of skin microbiome in psoriasis patients are heterogeneous. Treatment with IL-17A inhibitors significantly increases the alpha diversity of the skin microbiota in psoriasis patients, indicating potential restoration of microbial community richness and evenness. However, this treatment does not entirely alter the taxonomic composition of the skin microbiota; rather, it shifts the relative abundance of specific microbial species, indicating that certain core microbial features remain relatively stable. Moreover, IL-17A inhibitors help adjust the functional profile of the skin microbiome in psoriasis patients, bringing it closer to that of healthy individuals. Conclusions Psoriasis patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in both the composition and functionality of their skin microbiota. Although IL-17A inhibitor treatment fails to fundamentally alter its taxonomic composition, this therapy effectively enhances microbial community stability by increasing alpha diversity and modulating the relative abundance of various taxa. Additionally, it adjusts the functional profile of the skin microbiota towards a healthier state, thereby contributing to the restoration of microecological balance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06723-9PsoriasisIL-17A inhibitor16S rDNA geneSkin microbiome stability
spellingShingle Ying Lv
Huiying Bian
Yanjia Jing
Jing Zhou
IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
Journal of Translational Medicine
Psoriasis
IL-17A inhibitor
16S rDNA gene
Skin microbiome stability
title IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
title_full IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
title_fullStr IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
title_full_unstemmed IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
title_short IL-17A inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis: implications for microbial homeostasis
title_sort il 17a inhibitors modulate skin microbiome in psoriasis implications for microbial homeostasis
topic Psoriasis
IL-17A inhibitor
16S rDNA gene
Skin microbiome stability
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06723-9
work_keys_str_mv AT yinglv il17ainhibitorsmodulateskinmicrobiomeinpsoriasisimplicationsformicrobialhomeostasis
AT huiyingbian il17ainhibitorsmodulateskinmicrobiomeinpsoriasisimplicationsformicrobialhomeostasis
AT yanjiajing il17ainhibitorsmodulateskinmicrobiomeinpsoriasisimplicationsformicrobialhomeostasis
AT jingzhou il17ainhibitorsmodulateskinmicrobiomeinpsoriasisimplicationsformicrobialhomeostasis