Skin surface microbiota in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
To explore the composition and variation characteristics of the skin microbiota in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to provide new perspectives for the study of disease mechanisms and early diagnosis and treatment. The skin microbiota of 30 SLE patients (including 20 untreated patients in the active stage and 10 patients in the stable stage after hormone treatment) and 20 healthy controls were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing technology to assess microbial diversity and abundance. Results revealed significantly reduced skin microbiota diversity and richness in SLE patients compared to controls. Notably, stable-stage patients exhibited even lower diversity and richness than active-stage patients. Specific bacterial groups such as Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Lysinibacillus, Acinetobacter, and Escherichia-Shigella were significantly enriched in patients with active SLE and decreased in stable-stage patients, indicating potential associations with SLE pathogenesis. The dysbiosis of the skin microbiota in SLE patients is closely related to the disease state. The observed microbiota alterations provide valuable insights into SLE pathogenesis and suggest the potential of skin microbiota as a diagnostic biomarker.