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Naik B, Sasikumar J, Das SP. From Skin and Gut to the Brain: The Infectious Journey of the Human Commensal Fungus Malassezia and Its Neurological Consequences. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04270-w. [PMID: 38871941 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04270-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The human mycobiome encompasses diverse communities of fungal organisms residing within the body and has emerged as a critical player in shaping health and disease. While extensive research has focused on the skin and gut mycobiome, recent investigations have pointed toward the potential role of fungal organisms in neurological disorders. Among those fungal organisms, the presence of the commensal fungus Malassezia in the brain has created curiosity because of its commensal nature and primary association with the human skin and gut. This budding yeast is responsible for several diseases, such as Seborrheic dermatitis, Atopic dermatitis, Pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia folliculitis, dandruff, and others. However recent findings surprisingly show the presence of Malassezia DNA in the brain and have been linked to diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The exact role of Malassezia in these disorders is unknown, but its ability to infect human cells, travel through the bloodstream, cross the blood-brain barrier, and reside along with the lipid-rich neuronal cells are potential mechanisms responsible for pathogenesis. This also includes the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, gut-microbe interaction, and accumulation of metabolic changes in the brain environment. In this review, we discuss these key findings from studies linking Malassezia to neurological disorders, emphasizing the complex and multifaceted nature of these cases. Furthermore, we discuss potential mechanisms through which Malassezia might contribute to the development of neurological conditions. Future investigations will open up new avenues for our understanding of the fungal gut-brain axis and how it influences human behavior. Collaborative research efforts among microbiologists, neuroscientists, immunologists, and clinicians hold promise for unraveling the enigmatic connections between human commensal Malassezia and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharati Naik
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Jayaprakash Sasikumar
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Shankar Prasad Das
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India.
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2
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De La Cruz KF, Townsend EC, Alex Cheong JZ, Salamzade R, Liu A, Sandstrom S, Davila E, Huang L, Xu KH, Wu SY, Meudt JJ, Shanmuganayagam D, Gibson ALF, Kalan LR. The porcine skin microbiome exhibits broad fungal antagonism. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 173:103898. [PMID: 38815692 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The skin and its microbiome function to protect the host from pathogen colonization and environmental stressors. In this study, using the Wisconsin Miniature Swine™ model, we characterize the porcine skin fungal and bacterial microbiomes, identify bacterial isolates displaying antifungal activity, and use whole-genome sequencing to identify biosynthetic gene clusters encoding for secondary metabolites that may be responsible for the antagonistic effects on fungi. Through this comprehensive approach of paired microbiome sequencing with culturomics, we report the discovery of novel species of Corynebacterium and Rothia. Further, this study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the porcine skin mycobiome and the evaluation of bacterial-fungal interactions on this surface. Several diverse bacterial isolates exhibit potent antifungal properties against opportunistic fungal pathogens in vitro. Genomic analysis of inhibitory species revealed a diverse repertoire of uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters suggesting a reservoir of novel chemical and biological diversity. Collectively, the porcine skin microbiome represents a potential unique source of novel antifungals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karinda F De La Cruz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Elizabeth C Townsend
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - J Z Alex Cheong
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Rauf Salamzade
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aiping Liu
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Shelby Sandstrom
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Evelin Davila
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; National Summer Undergraduate Research Project, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lynda Huang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Kayla H Xu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Sherrie Y Wu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jennifer J Meudt
- Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States; Center for Biomedical Swine Research & Innovation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dhanansayan Shanmuganayagam
- Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States; Center for Biomedical Swine Research & Innovation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Angela L F Gibson
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Lindsay R Kalan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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3
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Serghiou IR, Webber MA, Hall LJ. An update on the current understanding of the infant skin microbiome and research challenges. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 75:102364. [PMID: 37586254 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Multiple factors contribute to establishment of skin microbial communities in early life, with perturbations in these ecosystems impacting health. This review provides an update on methods used to profile the skin microbiome and how this is helping enhance our understanding of infant skin microbial communities, including factors that influence composition and disease risk. We also provide insights into new interventional studies and treatments in this area. However, it is apparent that there are still research bottlenecks that include overreliance on high-income countries for skin microbiome 'surveys', many studies still focus solely on the bacterial microbiota, and also technical issues related to the lower microbial biomass of skin sites. These points link to pertinent open-research questions, such as how the whole infant skin microbiome interacts and how microbial-associated functions shape infant skin health and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iliana R Serghiou
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UQ, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Mark A Webber
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UQ, UK; Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Lindsay J Hall
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UQ, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK; Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK; Intestinal Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, ZIEL - Institute for Food & Health, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
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4
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Nicholas-Haizelden K, Murphy B, Hoptroff M, Horsburgh MJ. Bioprospecting the Skin Microbiome: Advances in Therapeutics and Personal Care Products. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1899. [PMID: 37630459 PMCID: PMC10456854 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioprospecting is the discovery and exploration of biological diversity found within organisms, genetic elements or produced compounds with prospective commercial or therapeutic applications. The human skin is an ecological niche which harbours a rich and compositional diversity microbiome stemming from the multifactorial interactions between the host and microbiota facilitated by exploitable effector compounds. Advances in the understanding of microbial colonisation mechanisms alongside species and strain interactions have revealed a novel chemical and biological understanding which displays applicative potential. Studies elucidating the organismal interfaces and concomitant understanding of the central processes of skin biology have begun to unravel a potential wealth of molecules which can exploited for their proposed functions. A variety of skin-microbiome-derived compounds display prospective therapeutic applications, ranging from antioncogenic agents relevant in skin cancer therapy to treatment strategies for antimicrobial-resistant bacterial and fungal infections. Considerable opportunities have emerged for the translation to personal care products, such as topical agents to mitigate various skin conditions such as acne and eczema. Adjacent compound developments have focused on cosmetic applications such as reducing skin ageing and its associated changes to skin properties and the microbiome. The skin microbiome contains a wealth of prospective compounds with therapeutic and commercial applications; however, considerable work is required for the translation of in vitro findings to relevant in vivo models to ensure translatability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keir Nicholas-Haizelden
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK;
| | - Barry Murphy
- Unilever Research & Development, Port Sunlight, Wirral CH63 3JW, UK; (B.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Michael Hoptroff
- Unilever Research & Development, Port Sunlight, Wirral CH63 3JW, UK; (B.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Malcolm J. Horsburgh
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK;
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Brown JK. Editorial overview: Fungal diversity: Now for something completely different. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 73:102294. [PMID: 37018995 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- James Km Brown
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
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Chen Y, Knight R, Gallo RL. Evolving approaches to profiling the microbiome in skin disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1151527. [PMID: 37081873 PMCID: PMC10110978 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1151527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite its harsh and dry environment, human skin is home to diverse microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and microscopic mites. These microbes form communities that may exist at the skin surface, deeper skin layers, and within microhabitats such as the hair follicle and sweat glands, allowing complex interactions with the host immune system. Imbalances in the skin microbiome, known as dysbiosis, have been linked to various inflammatory skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis, acne, and psoriasis. The roles of abundant commensal bacteria belonging to Staphylococcus and Cutibacterium taxa and the fungi Malassezia, where particular species or strains can benefit the host or cause disease, are increasingly appreciated in skin disorders. Furthermore, recent research suggests that the interactions between microorganisms and the host's immune system on the skin can have distant and systemic effects on the body, such as on the gut and brain, known as the "skin-gut" or "skin-brain" axes. Studies on the microbiome in skin disease have typically relied on 16S rRNA gene sequencing methods, which cannot provide accurate information about species or strains of microorganisms on the skin. However, advancing technologies, including metagenomics and other functional 'omic' approaches, have great potential to provide more comprehensive and detailed information about the skin microbiome in health and disease. Additionally, inter-species and multi-kingdom interactions can cause cascading shifts towards dysbiosis and are crucial but yet-to-be-explored aspects of many skin disorders. Better understanding these complex dynamics will require meta-omic studies complemented with experiments and clinical trials to confirm function. Evolving how we profile the skin microbiome alongside technological advances is essential to exploring such relationships. This review presents the current and emerging methods and their findings for profiling skin microbes to advance our understanding of the microbiome in skin disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Richard L. Gallo
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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The Role of the Mycobiome in Women’s Health. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9030348. [PMID: 36983516 PMCID: PMC10051763 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the human bacteriome and virome have gained a great deal of attention over the years, the human mycobiome has been far more neglected despite having significant value and implications in human health. In women, mycobiome profiles in breastmilk, vaginal regions, the gut, skin, and the oral cavity can provide insight into women’s health, diseases, and microbiome dysbiosis. Analyses of mycobiome composition under factors, such as health, age, diet, weight, and drug exposure (including antibiotic therapies), help to elucidate the various roles of women’s mycobiome in homeostasis, microbiome interactions (synergistic and antagonistic), and health. This review summarizes the most recent updates to mycobiome knowledge in these critical areas.
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Saraiva JP, Bartholomäus A, Toscan RB, Baldrian P, Nunes da Rocha U. Recovery of 197 eukaryotic bins reveals major challenges for eukaryote genome reconstruction from terrestrial metagenomes. Mol Ecol Resour 2023. [PMID: 36847735 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
As most eukaryotic genomes are yet to be sequenced, the mechanisms underlying their contribution to different ecosystem processes remain untapped. Although approaches to recovering Prokaryotic genomes have become common in genome biology, few studies have tackled the recovery of eukaryotic genomes from metagenomes. This study assessed the reconstruction of microbial eukaryotic genomes using 6000 metagenomes from terrestrial and some transition environments using the EukRep pipeline. Only 215 metagenomic libraries yielded eukaryotic bins. From a total of 447 eukaryotic bins recovered 197 were classified at the phylum level. Streptophytes and fungi were the most represented clades with 83 and 73 bins, respectively. More than 78% of the obtained eukaryotic bins were recovered from samples whose biomes were classified as host-associated, aquatic, and anthropogenic terrestrial. However, only 93 bins were taxonomically assigned at the genus level and 17 bins at the species level. Completeness and contamination estimates were obtained for a total of 193 bins and consisted of 44.64% (σ = 27.41%) and 3.97% (σ = 6.53%), respectively. Micromonas commoda was the most frequent taxon found while Saccharomyces cerevisiae presented the highest completeness, probably because more reference genomes are available. Current measures of completeness are based on the presence of single-copy genes. However, mapping of the contigs from the recovered eukaryotic bins to the chromosomes of the reference genomes showed many gaps, suggesting that completeness measures should also include chromosome coverage. Recovering eukaryotic genomes will benefit significantly from long-read sequencing, development of tools for dealing with repeat-rich genomes, and improved reference genomes databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao Pedro Saraiva
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Rodolfo Brizola Toscan
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Ulisses Nunes da Rocha
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
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The dynamic balance of the skin microbiome across the lifespan. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:71-86. [PMID: 36606709 PMCID: PMC9988004 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
For decades research has centered on identifying the ideal balanced skin microbiome that prevents disease and on developing therapeutics to foster this balance. However, this single idealized balance may not exist. The skin microbiome changes across the lifespan. This is reflected in the dynamic shifts of the skin microbiome's diverse, inter-connected community of microorganisms with age. While there are core skin microbial taxa, the precise community composition for any individual person is determined by local skin physiology, genetics, microbe-host interactions, and microbe-microbe interactions. As a key interface with the environment, the skin surface and its appendages are also constantly exchanging microbes with close personal contacts and the environment. Hormone fluctuations and immune system maturation also drive age-dependent changes in skin physiology that support different microbial community structures over time. Here, we review recent insights into the factors that shape the skin microbiome throughout life. Collectively, the works summarized within this review highlight how, depending on where we are in lifespan, our skin supports robust microbial communities, while still maintaining microbial features unique to us. This review will also highlight how disruptions to this dynamic microbial balance can influence risk for dermatological diseases as well as impact lifelong health.
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Smythe P, Wilkinson HN. The Skin Microbiome: Current Landscape and Future Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043950. [PMID: 36835363 PMCID: PMC9963692 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Our skin is the largest organ of the body, serving as an important barrier against the harsh extrinsic environment. Alongside preventing desiccation, chemical damage and hypothermia, this barrier protects the body from invading pathogens through a sophisticated innate immune response and co-adapted consortium of commensal microorganisms, collectively termed the microbiota. These microorganisms inhabit distinct biogeographical regions dictated by skin physiology. Thus, it follows that perturbations to normal skin homeostasis, as occurs with ageing, diabetes and skin disease, can cause microbial dysbiosis and increase infection risk. In this review, we discuss emerging concepts in skin microbiome research, highlighting pertinent links between skin ageing, the microbiome and cutaneous repair. Moreover, we address gaps in current knowledge and highlight key areas requiring further exploration. Future advances in this field could revolutionise the way we treat microbial dysbiosis associated with skin ageing and other pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paisleigh Smythe
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
- Skin Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Holly N. Wilkinson
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
- Skin Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Correspondence:
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