Skin microbiome and antimicrobial protection in relation to acne in professional hockey players and comparison groups

Dzhadaeva A.V., Arzumanian V.G., Vartanova N.O., Zaborova V.A., Samoylikov P.V., Kolyganova T.I., Vasilyev Yu.L., Kytko O.V.

Moscow State Budgetary Healthcare Institution “Moscow Research and Practical Centre of Dermatovenerology and Cosmetology, Moscow, Russia
Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia

The aim of the study was research of the effect of physical activity associated with hockey on the opportunistic microbiota of the skin, its antimicrobial activity and secreted proteome in persons with acne and healthy skin.
The selected model included professional hockey players (N=38), amateur hockey players (N=29) and volunteers not involved in sports (N=33), both with healthy skin and with acne. Swabs from the upper back skin were used as biomaterial samples. The microorganism species and the samples' proteome were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; the dermcidin concentration in the samples – by ELISA, and antimicrobial activity of samples – by spectrophotometry.
Of the 334 microorganisms belonging to 39 species and 17 genera isolated from the skin, Staphylococcus hominis (30%), Micrococcus luteus (67%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (76%) were most often found in the entire sample. Physical activity directly correlated with species diversity, total skin contamination and its contamination with prevailing types of bacteria. However, these three indicators did not correlate with acne severity. The acne severity was significantly positively correlated with the antimicrobial activity of skin secretion samples and the dermcidin content, which were higher in younger persons. Neither dermcidin nor antimicrobial activity was associated with exercise.
The quantity of reliably identified sweat secretion proteins in volunteers, non-athletes with acne, was 6, in healthy non-athletes – 12, in professional hockey players with acne – 11, and in healthy professional hockey players – 17. The predominant proteins in all of these categories were antimicrobial polypeptides dermcidin and prolactin-inducible protein.