Does an Inactivated Probiotic Hydrogel cause skin inflammation?

Abstract

Background: S. epidermidis consumes poly (ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEG-DMA) as a carbohydrate source and can produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). It has not been clearly identified that applying the hydrogel that contains inactivated probiotic bacterial PEG-DMA on skin can induce cutaneous cell inflammation or not. Aim: We aimed to identify inflammation inducing potential of S. epidermidis-PEG-DMA fermented hydrogel in a mouse tissue model. Materials and Methods: Moreover, we applied PEG-DMA hydrogels with and without S. epidermidis 3 times for 24 hours in the right ear and 1 time for 24 hours in the left ear of the experimental groups of mice. Four mice were selected as a control group which did not apply any substances. After an experiment, PGE2 concentration was determined in mice ear’s tissue supernatant for 3 times repeated. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for statistically significant differences between the median values of the continuous variables of the ELISA concentration. Results: The tissue PGE2 concentration was detected 44.78 [95%CI 41.51 47.19] in PEG-DMA probiotic hydrogel applied group and 91.29 [95%CI 79.89 95.67] in PEG-DMA only hydrogel applied group and 73.00 [95%CI 69.79 78.00] in control group mice. The PGE2 concentration was different not only in the groups of mice (p<0.0001) and also the applied numbers (the amount of hydrogel) of the hydrogels (p<0.004). Conclusion: Interestingly, PEG-DMA probiotic hydrogel does not cause skin inflammation furthermore it decreases the PGE2 level, but PEG-DMA only hydrogel does the opposite effect.