Proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles derived from propionibacterium acnes

Purpose: Extracellular vesicle (EV) has been reported to conduct critical pathophysiological functions as an emerging mode of communication in bacteria. Recently, Propionibacterium acnes, an anaerobic Gram-positive human commensal found in the skin and gastrointestinal tract, has drawn increasing attention as an underestimated pathogen in a variety of diseases. Experimental design: For the comprehensive understanding of P. acnes, here we report the isolation of P. acnes EVs for the first time and identification of 252 vesicular proteins with high confidence using triplicate LC-MS/MS analyses. Result: Comprehensive proteomic profiling reveals that P. acnes EVs harbor various proteins involved in biochemical processes, antibiotic resistance, bacterial competition, cell adherence, virulence, and immunogenicity. Conclusion and clinical relevance: We believe that this report will provide valuable information for investigating the biological role of P. acnes EVs and effective targets for developing clinical applications against P. acnes.