Ann Dermatol.  2013 Aug;25(3):310-314. 10.5021/ad.2013.25.3.310.

Evaluation of Expression of Lipases and Phospholipases of Malassezia restricta in Patients with Seborrheic Dermatitis

• Lee YW
• Lee SY
• Lee Y
• Jung WH

• KMID: 2265870
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2013.25.3.310

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Malassezia species (spp.) are cutaneous opportunistic pathogens and associated with various dermatological diseases including seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and atopic dermatitis. Almost all Malassezia spp. are obligatorily lipid-dependent, which might be caused by lack of the myristic acid synthesis. Recent genome analysis of M. restricta and M. globosa suggested that the absence of a gene encoding fatty acid synthesis might be compensated by abundant genes encoding hydrolases, which produce fatty acids, and that lipases and phospholipases may play a role in virulence of the fungus.
OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to investigate the contribution of lipases and phospholipases in virulence of the M. restricta as being the most frequently isolated Malassezia spp. from the human skin.
METHODS
Swap samples of two different body sites of at least 18 patients with seborrheic dermatitis were obtained and in vivo expression of lipases and phospholipases of M. restricta was analyzed by the gene specific two-step nested RT-PCR.
RESULTS
The results of the current study suggest that majority of the patients display expression of lipase RES_0242.
CONCLUSION
These data imply a possible role of lipase in the host environment to produce free fatty acids for the fungus.

Keyword

Lipase; Malassezia; Nested reverse transcriptase PCR; Phospholipases; Seborrheic dermatitis

MeSH Terms

Dermatitis, Atopic
Dermatitis, Seborrheic
Fatty Acids
Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
Fungi
Genes, vif
Genome
Humans
Hydrolases
Lipase
Malassezia
Myristic Acid
Phospholipases
Fatty Acids
Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
Hydrolases
Lipase
Myristic Acid
Phospholipases

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Results from two-step nested polymerase chain reaction. Malassezia restricta was isolated from almost all patients except from the cheek of the patient 17. Expression of genes encoding lipase RES_0242 was most frequently detected across the samples. Lipase RES_0242 and lipase RES_3114 were only expressed in vivo. Asterisk indicates expression of the lipases and phospholipases in the cells cultured in vitro.

• 

  Fig. 2 Summary of the results of two-step nested polymerase chain reaction. Asterisk indicates expression of the lipases and phospholipases in the cells cultured in vitro. F: female, M: male.

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