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. 2023 Aug 18;9(33):eadg6262. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6262

Fig. 4. C. acnes and propionic acid increase expression of lipid synthesis genes and enhance the barrier and the antimicrobial function of keratinocytes.

Fig. 4.

(A) RNA-seq heatmap showing the top 2000 genes differentially expressed in NHEKs in response to exposure to 15% of C. acnes CM or 8 mM propionic acid for 4 days. (B) PCA of the normalized RNA-seq data. (C) Heatmap showing effect of C. acnes CM or propionic acid (PA) on genes involved in the lipid. (D) Paracellular diffusion of FD-4 solution (1.25 mg/ml) after exposure of confluent NHEK to 8 mM propionic acid or 15% of C. acnes supernatant or S. hominis supernatant. (E) Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) on tape-stripped mouse skin after applying C. acnes supernatant or 8 mM propionic acid topically. (F) Growth curves of C. acnes treated with different concentrations of lipids extracted from NHEK after exposing to 15% C. acnes supernatant or 8 mM propionic acid for 4 days. Note that the heatmaps were scaled by row. Experiments conducted were performed at least in triplicate. A.U., arbitrary unit. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001.