Beauty and Bacteria: Scientists genetically modify germ to treat acne

In an international research team led by Pompeu Fabra University's Translational Synthetic Biology Laboratory Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), researchers have successfully engineered Cutibacterium acnes, a type of skin bacterium, to secrete a therapeutic molecule to treat acne symptoms. 

According to the study, the NGAL protein, a mediator of the acne medication isotretinoin, is produced by researchers who have altered the genome of Cutibacterium acnes. It has been demonstrated that this protein lowers sebum production by causing sebocytes—the skin cells that secrete sebum—to die, reported Interesting Engineering.

“We have developed a topical therapy with a targeted approach, using what nature already has. We engineered a bacterium that lives in the skin and makes it produce what our skin needs. Here, we focused on treating acne, but this platform can be extended to several other indications,” says Nastassia Knödlseder, the study's first author.

Cutibacterium acnes was once thought to be an unmanageable bacterium that presented difficulties when it came to introducing DNA and making proteins. Marc Güell's team of researchers was able to overcome these challenges by enhancing gene expression, stability, and DNA transport. The created synthetic bacteria possess safety characteristics that allow for practical uses, an essential first step toward potential human treatments.