title: Skin microbiome in melanomas and melanocytic nevi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-throughput DNA sequencing has shown that the cutaneous microbiome varies due to different exogenous and endogenous factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the microbiome of cutaneous melanomas and melanocytic nevi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-invasive swab specimens were taken from 15 cutaneous melanomas and 17 benign melanocytic nevi. Partial sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was carried out on the 454 GS-FLX Titanium platform and the resulting sequence data was analysed by bioinformatics and statistical methods. 95% of the OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) belonged to four phyla: Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The genus Propionibacterium was overall the most common genus, followed by Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in the relative abundances of bacterial genera or bacterial diversity between the patient groups. Melanoma samples showed a marginally decreased cutaneous microbial diversity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggests that the skin microbiome may not be a useful diagnostic tool for melanoma and melanocytic nevi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Allergology, University Central Hospital, Meilahdentie 2, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salava
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Velma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Aho
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paulin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Petri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Auvinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Allergology, University Central Hospital, Meilahdentie 2, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lauerma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000382:microbiology*; D064307:Microbiota; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000382:microbiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Skin microbiome; benign melanocytic nevi; cutaneous microbial diversity; melanoma