How Eczema Research On Skin Bacteria May Lead To A Treatment For Itching

●     It's widely known that itching is a particularly bothersome and complex symptom associated with eczema, yet it remains poorly understood.

●     In a recent study, scientists utilised animal models, human tissue samples, and nerve fibres to investigate the underlying mechanisms behind this itchiness.

●     Their investigation pointed towards Staphylococcus aureus bacteria potentially playing a significant role in exacerbating the condition.

●     The researchers are optimistic that their discoveries could lead to future novel treatments for various skin ailments.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common skin issue affecting around 223 million people worldwide.

The main problem for many with eczema is the itching. Although scratching might feel suitable for a moment, it can harm the skin, increase the chance of getting skin infections, and increase inflammation.

Eczema's itching can interfere with one's life. It can make it hard to sleep well, affect how adults perform at work, and take away the fun of school for kids.

The head of the National Eczema Association mentioned that constant itching is one of the most challenging parts of having eczema. This leads to what's known as the "itch-scratch cycle," where scratching to stop the itch only makes the skin more itchy and damaged, making you want to scratch even more.

Finding a long-term solution to this itching can be challenging. But new research offers some hope. 

A study in the Cell Journal looked into how a specific germ on the skin might cause itching in eczema, which could open the door to new ways to treat it.

Your skin is not just a cover for your body; it's your largest organ and does many important things. 

It keeps out germs, prevents water loss, protects against bumps and cuts, and shields you from the sun's harmful rays. Your skin also lets you feel pain, how hot or cold something is, and even touch.

For people with eczema, something extra is happening in the skin. Special nerve endings called pruriceptors make the skin itchy.

Besides, your skin is like a bustling city, for tiny living things like bacteria and fungi make up the skin microbiome.

Scientists are curious about how all these tiny creatures affect our health, but there's still much to learn.

The balance and variety of these tiny life forms on your skin, like in your gut, are super essential for keeping your skin happy and healthy. They even "talk" to your skin's defence systems and the microbes in your gut.

Figuring out how these tiny creatures interact with each other and our skin and immune system might help us find new ways to deal with skin problems in the future.

A researcher from Harvard was curious about how these skin microbes might be linked to the itchy feeling you get with conditions like eczema since his lab had already discovered that these microbes can cause pain if they get under the skin.

S. aureus is a type of bacteria that often causes skin infections and is found a lot on the skin of people with a condition called atopic dermatitis or eczema.

Scientists think this bacteria might be behind the swelling and redness of eczema.

But, up until now, we weren't sure if it also had something to do with the itching that drives people with eczema crazy.

A detailed study in the Cell journal decided to tackle this question. They used animals, bits of human skin, and nerve fibres to get into how this bacteria might be linked to the itch of eczema.

In their study, the researchers first put S. aureus bacteria on the skin of mice. They noticed that these mice were more likely to get skin irritation, similar to eczema, and they scratched a lot more than mice that didn't have the bacteria.

The team then examined how exactly S. aureus makes mice want to scratch. They focused on something called proteases, which are like scissors that the bacteria use to cut up proteins. S. aureus makes 10 different kinds of these scissors, so the scientists checked each one.

They found that one particular scissor, protease V8, was the main reason the mice felt itchy. When they gave mice just this V8 scissor, without the rest of the bacteria, the mice still started scratching a lot.

To add to their findings, they also noticed that patches of human skin with eczema had more of this V8 scissor than skin that wasn't affected by eczema.

The researchers found out that the V8 enzyme from the bacteria can directly target itch-sensing nerves in both mice and humans. It does this by hooking onto a specific spot called PAR1.

When the scientists could block this spot, the itching and skin damage went down significantly.

This V8 enzyme isn't just about causing itch, though. It's handy for the S. aureus bacteria in other ways, too.

It helps the bacteria get nutrients, fight off the body's defences, and break down proteins in the blood.

Authorities have already given the green light to a drug called Vorapaxar (ZONTIVITY) that can block PAR1. This drug is taken by mouth and is used to prevent heart-related issues. However, there aren't any versions of this drug that you can apply directly to your skin.

The scientist leading this research hopes that one day, creams or ointments will block PAR1, which could help people with eczema or other itchy skin conditions. However, creating treatments like these that everyone can use will take quite some time.

The research team is still exploring how this V8 enzyme is connected to itching and skin redness. They're curious if scratching itself could worsen inflammation or lead to other immune system reactions. They're also looking into other enzymes from germs that might cause itching and how exactly V8 and PAR1 work together.

There's a lot of excitement about what these discoveries could mean for the future. Finding a way to block the enzyme causing the itch could lead to new treatments for eczema, making a big difference for those dealing with the condition.

If you need help or advice related to eczema or skin conditions mentioned above, Mobi Doctor is here to help you out. Please feel free to contact me for the support you need.