563 Commensal microbes can regulate skin barrier through the control of tryptophan-aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling cascade

Abstract

Commensal microbes are critical in maintaining skin homeostasis. However, their mechanisms of crosstalk with host epithelia during barrier disruption and repair are not defined. Using germ free (GF) mice, we have recently demonstrated that microbiota is necessary and sufficient for proper differentiation and repair of the epidermal barrier. By comparing epithelial transcriptomes of GF mice to specific pathogen free (SPF) mice we found that microbiota regulate genes involved in epithelial development and differentiation.