Mycoses. 2021 May 8. doi: 10.1111/myc.13299. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Onychomycosis is the general term to define fungal nail infections that arise from dermatophytes, non-dermatophytic molds, and yeasts. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis is a new indicator of oxidative stress. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of thiol/disulfide balance in the pathogenesis of onychomycosis.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included adult patients with onychomycosis who were admitted to the dermatology department and healthy adult volunteers without any dermatologic or systemic condition. The patients and controls were evaluated in terms of native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels, and disulfide/native thiol, disulfide/total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratios. The possible association between these parameters and clinical subtypes of onychomycosis and demographic characteristics was also investigated.
RESULTS: A total of 52 patients with onychomycosis and 50 healtyh subjects were enrolled in the study. The patient group showed lower levels of total thiol, native thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratio, and higher ratios of disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol. No statistically significant relationship was found between the parameters, clinical subtypes of onychomycosis, and demographic characteristics (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION: Patients with onychomycosis showed a shifted thiol/disulfide homeostasis towards oxidative stress with a reduction in thiols and an increase in disulfide/native thiol, and disulfide/total thiol ratios. These findings may indicate the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of onychomycosis.
PMID:33964024 | DOI:10.1111/myc.13299
