title: [A comparison of biochemical and genetic classification of propionibacterium acnes strains isolated from skin lesions of patients with acne].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Propionibacterium acnes is dominating group of resident bacteria in skin biocenosis. These bacteria participate in autosterilisation of skin with the process of decomposition of triglycerides into free fatty acids and by keeping the pH of skin on the level 5.5. When the process goes out of control the excess of fatty acids in sebaceous glands leads to necrosis and inflammation. Apart of the presence on the skin P acnes also are present in mucous membranes of intestinal tract, eyes, internal ears channels, and in upper respiratory tracts. Traditionally they are regarded as anaerobes, but they tolerate oxygen atmosphere and are resistant to phagocytosis, surviving even in macrophages. These bacteria produce a number of enzymes and proinflammatory factors activating monocytes, stimulating mitogenic activity of lymphocytes T. According to common opinion they are responsible for disease acne vulgaris, but there are also researchers claiming their low pathogenicity. The list of the P acnes related diseases is not short, some of these diseases may be facilitated by predisposing factors as surgery interventions, diagnostic, or cosmetic procedures. The aim of the study was to compare standard biochemical analysis of P acnes strains to genotypic typing basing on the results from MP-PCR analyses. Relations of hemolysis activity to biochemical types or genetic types were also analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis of 66 P acnes strains isolated from skin lesions of patients with acne vulgaris was performed. A collection of the strains was analysed biochemically according to Pulverer, Sourek and Hoffler method modified by Kasprowicz, and typed genetically by MP-PCR method. Relations of biochemical and genetic types to beta-hemolysis of strains were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dominating biochemical type was type number I grouping 79% of all isolates, and dominant genotype was A which was detected in 75% of all collected strains. Beta-hemolysis was a feature present in 34% of strains, more frequently in type I (40%) than in type II (12%). beta-hemolysis was present only in A-genotype strains, but A-genotype by itself does not determine that reaction: 53% of A-genotype strains does not exhibit beta-hemolysis. All type I strains represent A-genotype. Type II was genotypicaly differentiated: all genotypes A, A', B, and C were present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained show genotypic heterogenity of P acnes strains and relations to biochemical types. Hemolysis was detected independently to biotype or genotype representation. The results confirm biochemical and genetic heterogenities of P acnes, but the observations also indicate necessity of further microbiological-molecular investigation of that bacteria group using other molecular techniques to the study.
authors.affiliation: Centrum Badań Mikrobiologicznych i Autoszczepionek im. Jana Bobra, w Krakowie.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasprowicz
authors.forename: Magdalena M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Owczarek
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miedzobrodzki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Białecka
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000382:microbiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D055815:Young Adult