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Summary: The activation of NLRP3, NLRC4 and AIM2 inflammasomes is pivotal for innate immunity against some pathogenic fungi, but their role in the pathogenesis of Malassezia folliculitis (MF) remains unclear. The objective of the study was to determine the expression of 4 canonical inflammasomes (NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4 and AIM2) and their priming‐associated molecules (TLR2, TLR4, Dectin‐1, Dectin‐2 and NFκB) in MF lesion. Expression of NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2, caspase‐1, IL‐1β, TLR2, TLR4, Dectin‐1, Dectin‐2 and NFκB was detected by immunohistochemistry in skin lesion of 23 MF patients and normal skin of 12 healthy subjects. Furthermore, NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2, caspase‐1 and IL‐1β mRNA was measured by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) in 12 MF cases and 10 controls. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2, Casp‐1, IL‐1β, TLR2, TLR4, Dectin‐1, Dectin‐2 and NFκB expression was up‐regulated in the epidermis and dermal inflammatory cells of MF lesion compared with control skin (P < .01‐.05), but NLRP1 expression was not different between both groups (P > .05). qRT‐PCR showed that levels of NLRP3, Casp‐1 and IL‐1β mRNA were significantly increased (P < .01‐.05), whereas those of NLRP1, NLRC4 and AIM2 mRNA were slightly augmented compared to control skin (P > .05). Our observation suggests that simultaneous activation of NLRP3, NLRC4 and AIM2 inflammasomes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom) is an enzyme responsible for the conversion of androgen into oestrogen. To study the role of ovarian aromatase (Cyp19a1a) in sex differentiation, the novel c DNA clone encoding ovarian aromatase (Cyp19a1a) was identified from the ovary of the black rockfish ( Sebastes schlegeli). The cloned c DNA is 1868 bp in length with 79 bp 5′U TR, 209 bp 3′UTR [excluding poly (A)] and contains 1550 bp ORF, encoding a protein of 516 amino acids. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that the black rockfish ovarian aromatase (Cyp19a1a) shared 61-89% sequence identity with those of other seven fish species. The cyp19a1a transcript was found more highly abundant in ovary, but not detected in the testis, brain, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, skin, heart, head kidney, gill, intestine and eyes by semi-quantitative reverse transcription ( RT)- PCR. The cyp19a1a gene is not equivalent in tissue-specific expression in the female and male, showed the possibility of distinct promoters and regulatory mechanisms. The expression level of cyp19a1a in ovary declined with the ovary development, but was higher than that in testis in all phases. These results indicated that cyp19a1a might be involved in gonadal development in S. schlegeli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]