Research progress on the signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of acne

Acne is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous units, affecting a large number of adolescents and adults worldwide, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Its pathogenesis is considered to be related to several factors such as increased sebum secretion, abnormal keratosis of pilosebaceous follicular ducts, Cutibacterium acnes infections and dysbiosis of the skin microbiome, inflammation and immune response, etc. There are multiple signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis. This article reviews the signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of acne, and discusses the role of PI3K/Akt/mTORC 1, Wnt/β-catenin, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling pathways in the pathological process of acne, as well as the important roles of IGF-1, androgens, TLR-2, TH17, etc. in acne inflammation.