Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while mycosis fungoides (MF), a type of blood cancer, develops when a mutation arises in the white blood cells. Patients affected by this disease display different symptoms based on the stage/the prgression of the diseases:
Stage I - Patch Stage II - Plaque Stage II - Tumoral Stage IV - Sézary Syndrome
Furthermore, during disease progression, the degenerated blood cells not only affect the skin but might also attack the lymphatic system or lead to the formation of tumors in and around organs. Additionally, a damaged skin surface is susceptible to multi-resistant bacteria. One bacterial species predominantly present on the skin surface of MF patients is Staphylococcus spec., particularly the pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus.
S. aureus is a Gram-positive, opportunistic, and facultatively anaerobic bacterium that has recently garnered increased attention due to its resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Its presence on the skin of MF patients reduces the skin microbiome and promotes the formation of patches and plaques. Moreover, current treatments only slow disease progression. The exact mechanism by which S. aureus outcompetes the skin microbiome and contributes to disease progression in MF patients remains unclear.
Generally, different Staphylococcus species, like S. epidermidis and S. hominis, and many more are found on MF-patients, that might also play a pivotal role in disease progression.
To understand the role of CTCL-associated Staphylococcus spec. in progression of mycosis fungoides and the interaction they undergo with they human hosts, as well as the research in finding novel drugs to fight these pathogens are key issues we are addressing in this project.
Leitung:
Dr. Nazzareno Dominelli
Raum 03-832
Telefon: +49 6131 39 28472
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