Debaryomyces hansenii colonization and its protein profile in psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is an immune mediated skin disorderwhich is mainly characterized by abnormal proliferation anddifferentiation of keratinocytes. It is believed that Debaryomyceshansenii (Candida famata) can colonize skin and mucous membranesof psoriatic patients and exacerbate psoriatic lesions via toxins,antigens, and proteins. The aims of this study were to evaluateDebaryomyces hansenii colonization and its protein profile inpsoriatic patients.Method: Fifty-one patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 51 healthyindividuals were enrolled in the study. Skin and oral specimensfrom all participants were cultured on the CHROMagar Candidamedium. Isolated yeast like fungi were identified using thesequence of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. Debaryomyceshansenii proteins were analyzed using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate-Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.Result: Debaryomyces hansenii was only isolated from the oralcavity of 7.84% of the patients. The extracts obtained from variousDebaryomyces hansenii isolates had 45 protein bands, which rangedfrom 18 to >180 kDa. Secretory proteins were seen only in twoisolates, which ranged from 35 to100 kDa.Conclusion: Debaryomyces hansenii can colonize oral cavity ofpatients with psoriasis. In addition, various Debaryomyces hanseniiisolates have different somatic proteins, which may have a rolein provocation and exacerbation of psoriasis.