Research Topic: melanin biosynthesis

Acidic pH Modulates Cell Wall and Melanization in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Affecting Macrophage Interaction

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A dangerous fungal infection called paracoccidioidomycosis affects people in Latin America. Researchers found that when this fungus encounters acidic conditions similar to those inside immune cells in the body, it protects itself by producing a dark pigment called melanin and changing its cell surface. These changes help the fungus hide from the immune system and reduce the ability of immune cells called macrophages to attack and destroy it.

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Immunomodulatory functions of fungal melanins in respiratory infections

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Some dangerous fungi produce a dark pigment called melanin that acts like a cloak, protecting them from the body’s immune system. This review explains how melanin blocks multiple immune defenses, including suppressing warning signals to immune cells, preventing immune cells from engulfing and killing the fungi, and even absorbing harmful reactive molecules. Understanding these sneaky tactics could help scientists develop new treatments that strip away this protective cloak, making the fungi vulnerable to both the body’s natural defenses and antifungal drugs.

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Mechanistic Insights into Tyrosinase-Catalyzed Metabolism of Hydroquinone: Implications for the Etiology of Exogenous Ochronosis and Cytotoxicity to Melanocytes

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Hydroquinone is a common ingredient in skin-lightening products that works through enzyme-mediated chemical reactions. This research revealed how an enzyme called tyrosinase processes hydroquinone through different chemical pathways, ultimately producing melanin-like compounds. The study found that long-term hydroquinone use may cause a darkening side effect called exogenous ochronosis through continued enzyme activity, and identified a new chemical marker to track this process.

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