In Colitis Patients, Skin Conditions Can Come From The Intestine
Cross section of healthy skin, showing layers of skin (red), the normal microbiome of skin bacteria (green) and several types of immune cells (purple). In the skin affected by colitis, the bacteria remain the same, but the number of immune cells is greater, creating inflammation. Image by Scharschmidt Lab. A new study by UC San Francisco researchers reveals how intestinal inflammation can irritate not only the digestive system, but the skin as well. It’s a story in which the main players are specialized immune cells and the community of bacteria – called the microbiome – that resides in the gut and skin. Scientists are becoming increasingly aware that disruptions to the gut microbiome can affect other parts of the body. These changes have been linked to an increased risk of diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis. In a study published May 31, 2022 in Cell Reports, a team of researchers investigated how colitis, or chronic inflammation of the colon, can cau