Short sequence repeats of the intergenic spacer regions of ribosomal RNA genes in Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta colonizing the scalps of male individuals with and without androgenetic alopecia.

We analyzed the short sequence repeats (SSRs) of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region 1 of the ribosomal RNA genes in Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta, which predominantly colonize the scalp in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). No AGA-specific SSRs were found in the M. globosa IGS region, whereas a (CT)6 :(AT)8 SSR was predominantly detected in the M. restricta IGS region in the AGA group. Malassezia colonization was higher in the scalps of patients with M. restricta (CT)6 :(AT)8 SSRs than in the scalps of patients without M. restricta (CT)6 :(AT)8 SSRs. These observations suggest that this specific SSR type in M. restricta is involved in the development or exacerbation of AGA.