Screening of Metal Ions for Malassezia Inhibition and Their Mechanisms in Antifungal Action and Material Development

Research Group, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Abstract

Some of the metal ions are known for their special antimicrobial properties, allowing them to make contribution for development of antifungal materials. and copper ions (Cu2+) in particular have been increasingly explored for their potent activity and potential in therapeutic material development due to its ability to trigger upregulation of autophagy-related genes in Malassezia and ability to cause disruption of the fungal cell membrane structure. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of copper ions on Malassezia species, a yeast associated with various skin disorders. After exposure to copper ions at concentrations of 8.0, 16.0 mM for 6 hours and 20 hours, we observed a significant reduction in colony growth. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed elevated levels of nucleic acid and protein leakage, indicating disruption of cellular integrity. Furthermore, RT-qPCR results showed that copper ions upregulated the expression of autophagy-related genes, featuring Malapachy_3247 and MRET_0334. These findings indicate that copper ion effectively inhibits Malassezia by inducing autophagy, and cell membrane damage.