Detection of Propionibacterium acnes polypeptides which have stimulated an immune response in acne patients but not in normal individuals

Patient and normal volunteer sera were used as probes in two-dimensional PAGE of P. acnes culture supernatant fluid and cell extracts to determine whether specific P. acnes polypeptides were associated with the immune reaction in acne. Eight polypeptides, M(r) 20 to 131 x 10(3), pI 4.7 to 6.5 in the cell extract, and 7 polypeptides M(r) 10 to 24 kD, pI 4.8 to 7.5 in the culture supernatant fluid were specifically highlighted by patient sera and not volunteer sera. These polypeptides were not related to described extracellular enzymes of P. acnes. It is possible that these polypeptides are involved in the induction of acne.