Emerging roles of Staphylococcus epidermidis in skin health

Abstract:

The human skin surface is home to a variety of microorganisms that are closely associated with skin health. Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the major microorganisms on the skin surface of the normal population and plays a role in maintaining skin health. Under normal physiological conditions, S. epidermidis participates in innate immunity of skin through antimicrobial peptides, and its cell wall component, lipoteichoic acid, contributes to the development and initiation of the adaptive immune system, thereby regulating the skin immune process. By secreting sphingomyelinase, S. epidermidis can replenish ceramide in the skin and enhance the tight junctions of keratinocytes, thus maintaining skin barrier homeostasis. S. epidermidis can communicate with a wide range of bacteria and plays a benign role in the antimicrobial defense of the skin. Furthermore, S. epidermidis promotes skin re-epithelialization to accelerate wound repair. This review summarizes the latest findings about the role of S. epidermidis in the maintenance of skin health, contributing to the in-depth understanding of its beneficial effects on the skin as a potential probiotic to be fully utilized for the treatment of dermatological diseases and the development of cosmetics.