Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2026

A Catheter-Related Candida albicans Infection Model in Mouse
03:24

A Catheter-Related Candida albicans Infection Model in Mouse

Published on: March 22, 2024

Protein carbonyl group content in patients affected by familiar chronic nail candidiasis

S Gangemi1, A Saija, A Tomaino

  • 1Division and School of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Italy. sgangemi@eniware.it

Mediators of Inflammation
|September 30, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Familiar chronic nail candidiasis (FCNC) patients show lower serum protein carbonyl groups, indicating reduced oxidative stress. This finding may suggest a link to decreased protease activity in these rare nail infections.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Familiar chronic nail candidiasis (FCNC) is a rare, early-onset fungal infection affecting nails.
  • Host defense against Candida involves complex immune mechanisms, including oxidative and reactive nitrogen pathways.
  • Low serum intercellular adhesion molecule 1 is associated with FCNC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate oxidative stress markers in a family with isolated FCNC.
  • To analyze serum protein carbonyl groups as indicators of oxidative stress in FCNC patients.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples from a five-generation Italian family with FCNC were analyzed.
  • Protein carbonyl groups, a marker of oxidative stress, were quantified in patient and healthy donor sera.

Main Results:

  • Serum protein carbonyl groups were significantly lower in FCNC patients compared to healthy donors.
  • This reduction suggests a potentially lower oxidative stress state in affected individuals.

Conclusions:

  • The decreased serum protein carbonyl groups in FCNC patients may not solely reflect lower oxidative stress.
  • A potential link between reduced protein carbonyls and lower protease activity in FCNC is hypothesized.

More Related Videos

Examination of Oral Candida Infection in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients05:26

Examination of Oral Candida Infection in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients

Published on: March 1, 2024

Candida albicans Biofilm Chip (CaBChip) for High-throughput Antifungal Drug Screening08:05

Candida albicans Biofilm Chip (CaBChip) for High-throughput Antifungal Drug Screening

Published on: July 18, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Nails01:05

Accessory Structures of the Skin: Nails

Nails are one of the important accessory structures of the skin. They are hard, protective structures that cover the dorsal surface of the distal phalanges of fingers and toes. Nails are composed of specialized keratinized cells and serve various functions, including protection, sensation, and manual dexterity.
The main components of a nail include the following.
Nail Plate: The nail plate is the visible portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertips or toes. It is a hard, translucent...
Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

Skin Diseases and Disorders

Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...