TNF and psoriasis: The mechanism by which Malassezia could contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis is not yet fully described, but it is known that M. sympodialis can enhance the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 (interleukin 1), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha), IL-8 (interleukin 8), and IL-6 (interleukin 6) in keratinocytes (Watanabe et al., 2001).