Open AccessIn vitro modulation of human keratinocyte pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokine production by the capsule of Malassezia species
Author(s) -
Thomas Daniel S.,
Ingham Eileen,
Bojar Richard A.,
Holland Keith T.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2008.00468.x
Subject(s) - malassezia , biology , seborrhoeic dermatitis , microbiology and biotechnology , proinflammatory cytokine , cytokine , intracellular , immunology , seborrheic dermatitis , interleukin 6 , inflammation , biochemistry , medicine , pathology , dermatology
Malassezia spp. are commensal, cutaneous fungi that are implicated in seborrhoeic dermatitis. We hypothesize that the lipid‐rich capsule of Malassezia spp. masks the organism from host detection, and depletion of this layer elicits an inflammatory response. To test this, preparations of capsulated or acapsular [10% (v/v) Triton X‐100 treated], viable and nonviable, exponential or stationary phase Malassezia furfur, Malassezia globosa, Malassezia obtusa, Malassezia restricta, Malassezia slooffiae and Malassezia sympodialis , were incubated with normal human keratinocytes. Proinflammatory (IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐1α and tumour necrosis factor‐α) and anti‐inflammatory cytokine (IL‐10) release and intracellular IL‐10 concentrations were quantified using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. Capsulated Malassezia yeasts stimulated limited or no production of inflammatory cytokines, and increased intracellular IL‐10 ( P <0.05). Removal of the capsule of many Malassezia preparations caused a significantly increased production of IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐1α, and a decrease in intracellular IL‐10. Notably, acapsular viable, stationary phase M. globosa caused a 66‐fold increase in IL‐8 production ( P <0.001) and acapsular nonviable, stationary phase M. furfur caused a 38‐fold increase in IL‐6 production ( P <0.001) and a 12‐fold decrease in intracellular IL‐10 ( P <0.001). These results support the hypothesis that the lipid layer of Malassezia spp. modulates cytokine production by keratinocytes. This has implications in the pathogenesis of seborrhoeic dermatitis.