Inflammasome activation by Propionibacterium acnes: the story of IL-1 in acne continues to unfold.

Insights into the immune mechanisms at play in skin diseases including acne continue to be made. In this issue, Kistowska et al. confirm that Propionibacterium acnes activates inflammasomes leading to the production of IL-1β and they further identify putative mechanisms by which this process occurs. These data raise interesting questions regarding a multipronged approach by which P. acnes elicits inflammation in early versus late acne and putative differences in the effects of IL-1α and IL-1β in this disease process.