Is the vaccine against pimples?

Researchers are working on a vaccine for acne

06/15/2014

Pimples and blackheads are a particular problem for adolescents. But even adults often have to deal with it. Maybe they could help in the future a vaccine. An Austrian company is currently developing a vaccine against acne.

Teenagers and adults suffer from acne
Especially adolescents in puberty often suffer from pimples and blackheads. But even adults often have skin problems and acne. In the future, they might be able to help you with a vaccine. According to the Austrian "Der Standard", a young Viennese biotech company is currently working on the development of a vaccine against acne. Physicians, on the other hand, are skeptical. Therefore, sufferers must first probably continue to resort to home remedies for pimples and blemished skin.

Molecular biologist working on vaccine
Acne develops when the hair pores, also called follicles, become clogged with a mixture of microscopic dandruff and sebum. Then bacteria, which otherwise live on the skin surface, settle in the closed pores. Above all, the bacterium with the name Propionibacterium acnes feels comfortable there. On the one hand, oxygen, a poison for this type of bacteria, is lacking, and on the other hand, greasy-oily tallow is used as energy-rich food. Molecular biologist Sanja Selak, who works with her team on the vaccine, commented, "In these ideal conditions, P. acnes proliferates explosively. This gets the immune system on the scene and the pimples get infected. "

Humans react differently to the bacterium
Humans react very differently to the bacterium. While in some cases the immune system often cope with the infection quickly, in severe cases a kind of vicious circle of inflammation arises. Since the acne bacteria have apparently found a way to outsmart the immune system, Selak wants to start right there with the vaccine. "We want to find out with which antigens Propionibacterium acnes manipulates the immune system and then specifically destroys these antigens," says the scientist. When developing vaccines, it would be a challenge to first find exactly those antigens on the pathogens that a vaccine can target. So far, this is a time- and money-consuming guessing game in which thousands of potential candidates filter out a few target molecules for pre-clinical potency tests in the test tube. "Of those, however, 85 percent will pass through in the first clinical trial phase," explained Selak. However, this procedure is turned upside down by its method. The molecular biologist makes the effect tests at the beginning and then only isolates those antibodies that have caused the greatest immune response in the tests.

Physicians are skeptical of acne vaccination
However, the idea of ​​acne vaccination is considered skeptical by medical professionals. For example, the dermatologist Daisy Kopera, a professor at the Medical University of Graz, sees the primary cause of acne not in the bacteria but in the overproduction of sebum in the hair follicles and explains: "P. Acne is part of the normal colonization of the skin, so acne is also not contagious. "Since the hormonal changes in puberty lead to a particularly strong sebum, most acne patients are between 15 and 18 years old. "An acne vaccine would certainly be ideal, but it would not diminish sebum production," says Kopera. Traditional therapies with preparations that inhibit sebum production from the inside as well as antibiotics will continue to be important in their view.

Researcher cites criticism of vaccines against acne
Selak himself also cited a criticism of acne vaccinations: "The literature suggests that vaccinating against a normally harmless strain of bacteria such as P. acnes affects the totality of colonization of the skin with microorganisms and thus potentially negative for the global immune status However, she says that research should not be overly ruled by prevailing dogma and stated, "We are developing our vaccine against a single subtype of P. acnes responsible for the majority of the diseases. This is only one of six subtypes of this bacterial species that occur on human skin, since the intervention in the bacterial flora is small. "

Home remedies for pimples and blemishes
Affected individuals will probably have to deal with their acne in other ways. Stress and unhealthy fats and sugars, among other things, can promote the development of blackheads and pimples, so it is advisable to pay attention to a balanced diet and relaxation. For a long time various natural substances have been used in homeopathy as a home remedy for boils. For example, healing earth, the pure juice of aloe vera or the laying on of camomile tea bags are suitable for external use. In addition, in the case of skin impurities, teas from medicinal herbs with blood-purifying, purifying, detoxifying and metabolism-stimulating effects may be suitable for internal use. (Ad)