Abernathy-Close et al1 provide a valuable contribution to theunderstanding of therapy for cutaneous lupus erythematosus(CLE) through their proof-of-concept study examining the effectsof mupirocin, a topical antibiotic, on inflammatory pathways withinCLE lesions. Their data indicate a correlation between reducedStaphylococcus aureus bacterial load and a subsequent declinein local inflammation, as well as decreased expression of inflam-matory genes, .particularly those related to type I interferon (IFN)signaling. These findings highlight the pivotal role of the skinmicrobiome in influencing immune responses and advancingtreatment options for lupus-associated skin lesions
