Malassezia-Induced Skin Inflammation and Fungal Burden Analysis in a Murine Model

In This Article

Abstract

Source: Sparber, F. et al., Infecting Mice with Malassezia spp. to Study the Fungus-Host Interaction. J. Vis. Exp. (2019)

This video demonstrates Malassezia-induced skin infection in mice. Malassezia oil suspension is applied over the wounded ear, triggering inflammation and swelling of the ear tissue. Later, the ears are dissected, homogenized, and spread on an agar plate for growth. The number of colonies indicates the fungal burden resulting from skin inflammation.

Protocol

All procedures involving animal models have been reviewed by the local institutional animal care committee and the JoVE veterinary review board.

1. Cultivation of Malassezia under laboratory conditions

NOTE: Store all the reagents and media used for this protocol at room temperature (RT, 20 – 25 °C) unless stated otherwise, as the lower temperature can inhibit fungal growth.

Prepare the liquid-modified Dixon (mDixon) medium for Malassezia growth. To prepare 500 mL of liquid mDixon medium, dissolve 18 g Malt extract, 10 g desiccated Ox-bile....

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Results

Liquid culture growth of M. sympodialis in mDixon medium; comparative analysis with control.
Figure 1: In vitro cultivation of Malassezia. (A) M. sympodialis strain ATCC 42132 grown for 3 days at 30 °C and 180 rpm in liquid mDixon medium (left) next to a control Erlenmeyer flask containing mDixon medium that wa.......