Ribotype‐dependent growth inhibition and promotion by erythritol in Cutibacterium acnes

Abstract

Background The close balance between Cutibacterium acnes and the skin flora, particularly between C. acnes phylotypes, has been suggested to play an important role in the onset of acne. C. acnes has been classified into ribotypes (RTs) based on polymorphisms in its 16S rRNA sequence, with RT4 and RT5 being associated with the onset of acne and RT6 with healthy skin. Aims The present study investigated the impact of erythritol on the growth of C. acnes strains classified into different RTs and attempted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its effects. Methods Culturing tests were performed on several RTs of C. acnes with or without erythritol. A transcriptional analysis of HM554 (RT6) and HM514 (RT5) was also conducted. Results The growth of RT2 and RT6, RTs associated with healthy skin, was significantly promoted in a medium containing 10% (W/W) erythritol, whereas that of RT1, RT3, RT4, RT5, and RT8, RTs associated with the development of acne, was inhibited. A RNA‐seq analysis of HM554 showed that the expression of six genes (EIGs) potentially involved in carbohydrate metabolism was strongly induced by the presence of 10% erythritol (Log2 fold change >2.0 and p‐value <0.05). A comparative expression analysis by qPCR revealed that EIGs other than g3pD were strongly induced by erythritol in HM514, similar to HM554, whereas g3pD was only slightly induced. Conclusion Erythritol inhibited the growth of RTs associated with acne and promoted that of RTs associated with healthy skin. The enzyme encoded by g3pD may play an important role in the metabolism of erythritol and the dissolution of its growth inhibitory effects on C. acnes.

Erythritol alters gene transcriptome signatures, cell growth, and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

“…For RNA preparation of bacteria cultured in 802 medium with or without 5% (w/w) erythritol, 60 or 30 µL of the above seed culture was inoculated into 3 mL of 802 medium, respectively, and incubated at 30°C until OD 660 = 0.8-1.0. The RNA extraction and RNA-seq operations were performed according to the procedures described in a previous report [7]. The sample size was n = 3 for each condition.…”

“…Erythritol is a sugar alcohol with four carbon atoms and is approximately 75% as sweet as sucrose; and the EU Scienti c Committee on Food concluded in 2003 that it was safe to use in foods [3]. Erythritol was found to be more effective than xylitol, a sugar alcohol with one more carbon than erythritol, in inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, such as the caries-causing bacterium Streptococcus mutans [4], the indigenous oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii [5], the periodontal disease bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis [5], the causative bacteria of axillary and foot odor Corynebacterium minutissimum, Corynebacterium striatum, and Staphylococcus epidermidis [6], as well as the acne-causing bacterium Cutibacterium acnes [7]. We recently revealed that erythritol has an inhibitory effect on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius, including methicillinresistant S. aureus and MRSP [8].…”

Erythritol alters phosphotransferase gene expression and inhibits the in vitro growth of Staphylococcus coagulans isolated from canines with pyoderma

“…Both erythritol and xylitol, another type of polyol, were shown to inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus gordonii , and Porphyromonas gingivalis , major human oral commensal bacteria ( 18 – 20 ). Recently, studies have also reported that erythritol inhibited the growth of the human skin commensal bacteria Corynebacterium minutissimum, Corynebacterium striatum, Staphylococcus epidermidis , and Cutibacterium acnes , as well as the major canine oral commensal bacteria Porphyromonas gulae and Porphyromonas macacae ( 21 – 23 ).…”