inflammation & autoimmunity

skin & beauty

IL17A

What role does this cytokine family play in acne? (IL-17A and IL-17F)

Written by John Williams, B.Sc on October 9th, 2020

The genes IL-17A and IL-17F play similar roles in inflammation, are produced by Th17 cells and are associated with acne. Read on to find out how we can target Th17 cells in order to help improve acne symptoms.

Summary

IL-17A and IL-17F encode proteins that play a role in inflammation. Variants of these genes may play a role in acne by producing more IL-17A or IL-17F, leading to affected areas appearing bigger, redder and hotter. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by preventing Th-17 cells from making IL-17A and IL-17F in the first place.

IL-17 and Acne

IL-17 is a family of immune cells called “cytokines” that play a role in inflammation and cause skin cells to multiply. This article will focus on two members of this family: IL-17A and IL-17F. While they function in a similar manner, IL-17F produces less inflammation than IL-17A. This is because IL-17A recruits many other cells that will increase inflammation whereas IL-17F only recruits a few such cells [R, R, R].

Th-17 cells make both IL-17A and IL-17F as well as other cytokines that cause inflammation. The bacteria responsible for causing acne activates this process. As a result, high IL-17 levels are associated with acne and result in affected areas feeling bigger, redder and hotter than the surrounding skin [R, R].

Your IL-17 Results for Acne

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs2275913
rs763780

Primary SNP: IL17A rs2275913

‘A’ = associated with increased IL-17A levels; associated with increased inflammation
‘G’ = no association with IL-17A levels

Inflammation, one of the symptoms of acne, is higher in ‘A’ variants because they produce more IL-17A. While the ‘AA’ variant only occurs in 12% of the general population, it is particularly uncommon in populations from Africa with only 0.3% of people having that genotype [R].

Other Important SNPs: IL17F rs763780

‘T’ = associated with increased IL-17F levels; associated with increased inflammation
‘C’ = no association with IL-17F levels

Inflammation, one of the symptoms of acne, is higher in ‘T’ variants because they produce more IL-17F. The ‘C’ variant is quite uncommon, occurring in only 9% of the population [R].

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Get more sunlight (Vitamin D)

The sebaceous glands, which are plugged in acne vulgaris, have a large number of Vitamin D receptors. Vitamin D levels seem to be inversely related to acne; that is, if your Vitamin D levels are low, you are more likely to have acne and the opposite is true for high Vitamin D levels [R].

Vitamin D3, which can be obtained from sunlight or animal products, reduces the activity of the IL17 pathway by preventing the bacteria P. acnes from activating Th17 cells. This prevents IL-17A and IL-17F from being released and results in reduced inflammation [R].

A study found that taking Vitamin D for acne saw a 75 to 80 percent improvement in acne symptoms. That same study also found that, once Vitamin D was stopped, the acne returned within 10 days only 10% of the time [R].

The Vitamin D found in sunlight may help with acne.

Diet

Increase Vitamin A

Vitamin A works on acne by preventing P. acnes from activating Th17 cells, thus reducing the inflammation caused by IL-17A and IL-17F [R].

Dietary Vitamin A comes in two forms: preformed and provitamin A. Preformed Vitamin A comes from sources like liver and can actually cause harm if you ingest too much of it. That’s why we suggest adding more provitamin A to your diet. Provitamin A is turned into Vitamin A inside of your body and can be obtained by eating green leafy vegetables, carrots and sweet potatoes [R].

Add more Vitamin A to your diet by eating green leafy vegetables, carrots or sweet potatoes.

Supplements

Zinc

The IGF-1 pathway causes certain kinds of skin cells to increase in number in acne. Zinc is able to counteract the IGF-1 pathway in order to reduce production of these cells. Zinc has also been found to reduce IL-17 levels in other inflammatory diseases, such as hepatitis [R, R].

Applying zinc ointment to your skin has been found to be helpful in mild to moderate cases of acne [R].

When taken together, this information suggests a possible role for zinc in improving acne symptoms by reducing IL-17 related inflammation.

Consider supplementing with zinc as it may help reduce acne-related symptoms.

John Williams

B.Sc

John received his BSc from the University of Toronto. John has spent the last several years teaching high school science and math to English-language learners, which has forced him to learn how to simplify difficult concepts as much as possible. He has also worked in two different research labs and has experience as a student intern working and studying under doctors in hospitals and clinics to help diagnose and treat patients, interpret lab results and fill out mountains of paperwork.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More inflammation & autoimmunity blogs

How to Combat Histamine Intolerance Through Genetics (DAO) Are You Genetically Vulnerable to High Brain Histamine, Migraines, or ADHD? (HNMT) How to Tell if You’re Lectin Sensitive Using Your Genetic Data (CNR1) Are You Sensitive to Lectins? (MTHFR) Fight Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Brain Fog (PARP1) Is This Gene Causing Your Autoimmune Problems? (PTPN22) Are You Genetically Susceptible to Post-Treatment Lyme? (ABCB1) A Key Genetic Player in Autoimmunity (HLA-B) Is This Inflammation Gene Reducing Your Intelligence? (TNFSF9) Can You Manage Allergies and Asthma by Balancing Methylation? (MTHFR)

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Summary IL-17 and Acne Your IL-17 Results for Acne

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