Debaryomyces hansenii colonization and its protein profile in psoriasis

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