Activation of the alternative pathway of complement by malassezia ovalis (Pityrosporum ovale)

Belew, Patricia W.; Rosenberg, Elizabeth; Jennings, B. R.

doi:10.1007/bf00443030

Cited by 60 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Based on the association of psoriasiform skin lesions with known activators of the alternative pathway of complement in animals and man, it has been postulated that psoriasis might result from abnormal activation of the alternative pathway (Belew, Rosenberg & Jennings, 1980;Rosenberg, Belew & Bale, 1980). Data in the present paper tend to support that concept and indicates that alternative pathway function is indeed affected in patients with psoriasis.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in psoriasis

et al. 1982

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Summary Some of the immunologic aspects of psoriasis suggest that complement may be involved in the pathophysiology of that disease. The purpose of this work was to examine the complement system in more detail in 20 patients with psoriasis. Classical pathway determinations, RCH50 and factor B levels were normal or elevated. Abnormally low properdin levels were seen in 12/20 patients. No patient had a serum properdin value greater than 1 standard deviation above the control mean. Mean C3–C9 consumption after zymosan or cobra venom incubation was also significantly less than normal (P < 0·001). Thus, abnormalities of the complement system are present in psoriasis and seem limited to the alternative pathway.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in psoriasis

et al. 1982

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“…The importance of complement in the opsonisation and phagocytosis of many fungi, including C. albicans (414), Aspergillus (232), and Cryptococcus (107), has been demonstrated. Several groups have reported the ability of Malassezia to activate the complement system, via either the alternative pathway (43,412,422) or the classical pathway (422). The extent of activation of the alternative pathway was cell concentration and time dependent, reaching a plateau after 30 min (422).…”

Section: Activation Of the Complement Cascadementioning

confidence: 99%

Immunology of Diseases Associated withMalasseziaSpecies

2002

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SUMMARY Malassezia species are members of the human cutaneous commensal flora, in addition to causing a wide range of cutaneous and systemic diseases in suitably predisposed individuals. Studies examining cellular and humoral immune responses specific to Malassezia species in patients with Malassezia-associated diseases and healthy controls have generally been unable to define significant differences in their immune response. The use of varied antigenic preparations and strains from different Malassezia classifications may partly be responsible for this, although these problems can now be overcome by using techniques based on recent work defining some important antigens and also a new taxonomy for the genus. The finding that the genus Malassezia is immunomodulatory is important in understanding its ability to cause disease. Stimulation of the reticuloendothelial system and activation of the complement cascade contrasts with its ability to suppress cytokine release and downregulate phagocytic uptake and killing. The lipid-rich layer around the yeast appears to be pivotal in this alteration of phenotype. Defining the nonspecific immune response to Malassezia species and the way in which the organisms modulate it may well be the key to understanding how Malassezia species can exist as both commensals and pathogens.

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“…The reason why some individuals develop seborrheic dermatitis in the presence of P, ovale and others do not is not known. It has been postulated that Pityrosporum yeasts activate the alternative pathway of complement with an inflammatory response (16), The possibility of an allergic type of response to these yeasts in our patients is remote, since none of them responded positively to the intradermal test with pityrosporin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Pityrosporum ovale in Infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis

Ruíz-Maldonado

López-Matínez

Chavarria

et al. 1989

Pediatric Dermatology

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The presence of Pityrosporum ovale was investigated in four groups of infants age 1 to 24 months, 15 with infantile seborrheic dermatitis, 15 with infantile atopic dermatitis, 15 with other infantile dermatoses, and 15 healthy infants. Samples were taken from the scalp, face, presternal area, and inguinal area. Pityrosporum ovale was detected by smears and/or cultures in 73% of infants with seborrheic dermatitis, 33% with atopic dermatitis, 33% with other dermatoses, and 53% of healthy infants. The percentages of positive smears and/or cultures from four body sites in each patient group were 42% for seborrheic dermatitis, 20% for atopic dermatitis, 20% for other infantile dermatoses, and 23% for healthy infants. The majority of infants with positive cultures or positive direct examination for P. ovale were between 1 and 8 months of age. The organism was isolated in 28% of samples taken from the scalp, 32% from the face, 30% from the presternal area, and 15% from the inguinal area. Patients with infantile seborrheic dermatitis were treated with 2% topical ketoconazole cream for two weeks. Eleven of these children were clinically cleared and 13 became mycologically negative. Pityrosporum ovale was significantly more frequent in infants with seborrheic dermatitis than in those with atopic dermatitis, in other infantile dermatoses, or in healthy infants, both in the total number of infants with positive smears and/or cultures and in the number of positive samples per body area (P less than 0.05).

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Activation of the alternative pathway of complement by malassezia ovalis (Pityrosporum ovale)

Abstract: Activation of C3 and factor B in normal human serum by P. ovale was demonstrated using a standard unidirectional immunoelectrophoresis technique. Activation of complement by the alternative (properdin) pathway is a possible mechanism by which P. ovale may mediate an inflammatory response.

Cited by 60 publications

References 25 publications

Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in psoriasis

Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in psoriasis

Immunology of Diseases Associated withMalasseziaSpecies

Pityrosporum ovale in Infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis

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