# Revisiting Rosacea Through the Skin–Gut–Brain Axis: A Neuroimmune Perspective

**Authors:** Elvira Lazić Mosler, Marina Vekić Mužević, Dalibor Karlović, Marko Tarle, Marina Raguž

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/life16020347 · 2026-02-18

## TL;DR

This paper explores rosacea as a neuroimmune disorder involving the skin, gut, and brain, suggesting new ways to understand and treat it.

## Contribution

The paper introduces brain-centered mechanisms as key components of the skin–gut–brain axis in rosacea.

## Key findings

- Rosacea involves dysregulated interactions between the skin, gut, and central nervous system.
- Gut microbiota dysbiosis and neuroimmune signaling contribute to skin inflammation in rosacea.
- Central sensitization and autonomic dysregulation are highlighted as integral to the disease mechanism.

## Abstract

Rosacea is increasingly recognized as a complex inflammatory disorder extending beyond isolated cutaneous pathology, involving dysregulated interactions between the skin, gastrointestinal system, and central nervous system. The skin–gut–brain axis has emerged as a relevant conceptual framework for understanding this multifactorial disease, integrating gut microbiota dysbiosis, neuroimmune signaling, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and stress-related mechanisms. The aim of this narrative hypothesis-driven overview is to reframe rosacea as a neuroimmune disorder in which central nervous system involvement plays an active regulatory role, rather than as a purely peripheral or dermatological condition. We synthesize the mechanistically relevant evidence linking gastrointestinal inflammation and microbial imbalance with neurogenic inflammation, mast cell activation, sebaceous gland dysfunction, and aberrant innate immune responses in the skin, with particular emphasis on neurovascular and trigeminal pathways. A key novelty of this perspective lies in highlighting brain-centered mechanisms, including central sensitization, autonomic dysregulation, and stress-related neural modulation, as integral components of the skin–gut–brain axis in rosacea. By integrating peripheral and central processes, we propose rosacea as a model condition for studying neuroimmune dysregulation across interconnected regulatory systems. Finally, we discuss the clinical and translational implications of this framework and outline future research directions, focusing on autonomic regulation, patient stratification, and personalized, multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** rosacea (MONDO:0006604)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** CAMP (cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide) [NCBI Gene 820] {aka CAP-18, CAP18, CRAMP, FALL-39, FALL39, HSD26}, TAC1 (tachykinin precursor 1) [NCBI Gene 6863] {aka Hs.2563, NK2, NKNA, NPK, TAC2}, KLK5 (kallikrein related peptidase 5) [NCBI Gene 25818] {aka KLK-L2, KLKL2, SCTE}, CALCA (calcitonin related polypeptide alpha) [NCBI Gene 796] {aka CALC1, CGRP, CGRP-I, CGRP-alpha, CGRP1, CT}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}, IGF1 (insulin like growth factor 1) [NCBI Gene 3479] {aka IGF, IGF-I, IGFI, MGF}
- **Diseases:** irritable bowel syndrome (MESH:D043183), depression (MESH:D003866), chronic pain syndromes (MESH:D059350), inflammatory bowel disease (MESH:D015212), dysesthesia (MESH:D010292), systemic (MESH:D015619), neurogenic inflammation (MESH:D020078), bloating (MESH:C535647), gastritis (MESH:D005756), migraine (MESH:D008881), erythema (MESH:D004890), vascular instability (MESH:D043171), intestinal dysregulation (MESH:D007410), inflammatory skin disorder (MESH:D012868), SIBO (MESH:D001765), sebaceous gland (MESH:D012625), chronic (MESH:D002908), dysesthetic symptoms (MESH:D012816), flushing (MESH:D005483), skin- or gut-limited disorder (MESH:C536735), fibromyalgia (MESH:D005356), neurovascular dysregulation (MESH:D013901), gastrointestinal (MESH:D005767), vascular dysfunction (MESH:D002561), dermatological disease (MESH:D000168), functional (MESH:D003291), autonomic dysregulation (MESH:D021081), celiac disease (MESH:D002446), disorder of (MESH:D009358), Autonomic Dysfunction (MESH:D001342), injury to (MESH:D014947), disease (MESH:D004194), bowel disorders (MESH:D012778), gastroesophageal reflux disease (MESH:D005764), cutaneous inflammation (MESH:D007249), Gastrointestinal symptoms (MESH:D012817), telangiectasia (MESH:D013684), sleep disturbance (MESH:D012893), gut dysfunction (MESH:C535334), pain (MESH:D010146), Helicobacter pylori infection (MESH:D016481), ROSacea (MESH:D012393), inflammatory dermatosis (MESH:D012871), dysbiosis (MESH:D064806), disorders of the head and neck (MESH:D006258), edema (MESH:D004487), neuroinflammatory (MESH:D000090862), anxiety (MESH:D001007)
- **Chemicals:** lipopolysaccharides (MESH:D008070), lipid (MESH:D008055), Alcohol (MESH:D000438), tryptophan (MESH:D014364), short-chain fatty acids (MESH:D005232), bile acid (MESH:D001647), catecholamines (MESH:D002395), histamine (MESH:D006632)
- **Species:** Rosacea (genus) [taxon 316188], Helicobacter pylori (species) [taxon 210], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941723/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941723