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New hopes: eczema-causing yeast may be eradicated
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Scientists from Sweden have discovered peptides that destroy the yeast Malassezia sympodialis without harming healthy skin cells. Malassezia sympodialis can cause skin conditions such as atopic eczema, seborrheic eczema and dandruff.
There are still many questions to be answered before these peptides can be used in humans. However, the combination of low-level toxicity to yeast and safety for human cells makes these agents very promising as antifungal agents. Scientists hope that in the future, these substances will be used to relieve symptoms in patients suffering from atopic eczema.
Atopic eczema is a skin inflammation characterized by dry, itchy, flaky skin; it usually begins in early childhood and is characterized by frequent relapses. This disease is quite common: for example, in the UK, about 20% of children suffer from eczema.
In addition, the prevalence of atopic eczema has been constantly growing lately. Scientists still cannot find the cause of atopic eczema, and, accordingly, effective treatment methods.
The yeast M. sympodialis is one of the triggers for the development of eczema. Normally, the skin barrier is able to stop the proliferation of yeast on its own, but in people with eczema this mechanism is impaired.
In the study, the scientists analyzed 21 different antibacterial peptides and their ability to penetrate cells and inhibit the growth of M. sympodialis.
Peptides are mini-proteins that are made up of the same building blocks, but much smaller.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are natural antibiotics that kill many different types of microorganisms, including yeast, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Peptides (PPS), due to their ability to penetrate cell membranes, are often studied by pharmaceutical companies looking for new ways to deliver drugs directly to the site of disease.
To assess antifungal efficacy and potential toxicity to human keratinocyte cells, the scientists added the peptides to growing M. sympodialis colonies and keratinocytes.
They found that 6 (five PPS and one AMP) of the 21 peptides successfully killed the yeast without damaging the keratinocyte membrane.
The scientists concluded that this study is the first to identify peptides as antifungal agents against M. sympodialis.
The scientists believe that further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms by which these peptides work. They hope that their discovery will lead to new treatments for these debilitating skin diseases.
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