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Fan S, Shen Y, Qian L. Social life of free-living amoebae in aquatic environment- comprehensive insights into interactions of free-living amoebae with neighboring microorganisms. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1382075. [PMID: 38962117 PMCID: PMC11220160 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1382075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are prevalent in nature and man-made environments, and they can survive in harsh conditions by forming cysts. Studies have discovered that some FLA species are able to show pathogenicity to human health, leading to severe infections of central nervous systems, eyes, etc. with an extremely low rate of recovery. Therefore, it is imperative to establish a surveillance framework for FLA in environmental habitats. While many studies investigated the risks of independent FLA, interactions between FLA and surrounding microorganisms determined microbial communities in ecosystems and further largely influenced public health. Here we systematically discussed the interactions between FLA and different types of microorganisms and corresponding influences on behaviors and health risks of FLA in the environment. Specifically, bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotes can interact with FLA and cause either enhanced or inhibited effects on FLA infectivity, along with microorganism community changes. Therefore, considering the co-existence of FLA and other microorganisms in the environment is of great importance for reducing environmental health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Li Qian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
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2
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Fan W, Li P, Wei Q, Liu X, Cai Y, Li B, Lu Y. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing-assisted diagnosis of a rare case of primary cutaneous acanthamoebiasis in an HIV patient: a case report. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1356095. [PMID: 38863830 PMCID: PMC11165212 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1356095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic and free-living Acanthamoeba are widely distributed in the environment and have been reported to cause keratitis and universally fatal encephalitis. Primary cutaneous acanthamoebiasis caused by Acanthamoeba is exceedingly rare and presents as isolated necrotic cutaneous lesions without involvement of the cornea or central nervous system. Cutaneous acanthamoebiasis often occurs in immunocompromised patients and is likely overlooked or even misdiagnosed only by cutaneous biopsy tissue histopathological analysis. Here, we report a HIV-infected 63-year-old female with oral leukoplakia for 4 months and scattered large skin ulcers all over the body for 2 months. The cause of the cutaneous lesions was unclear through cutaneous specimens histopathological analysis, and subsequently Acanthamoeba were detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), which may be the cause of cutaneous lesions. Based on the mNGS results, a pathologist subsequently reviewed the previous pathological slides and found trophozoites of Acanthamoeba so that the cause was identified, and the skin ulcers improved significantly after treatment with multi-drug combination therapy. Acanthamoeba is also a host of pathogenic microorganisms. The presence of endosymbionts enhances the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba, and no other pathogens were reported in this case. mNGS is helpful for rapidly diagnosing the etiology of rare skin diseases and can indicate the presence or absence of commensal microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Fan
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Pin Li
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Medical Laboratory (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Qihao Wei
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Genomics Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Xinru Liu
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Medical Laboratory (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Yuxiang Cai
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Li
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Genomics Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Yaping Lu
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Medical Laboratory (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
- Research and Development Department, Sinopharm Genomics Technology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
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3
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Hargrove T, Lamb DC, Wawrzak Z, Hull M, Kelly SL, Guengerich FP, Lepesheva GI. Identification of Potent and Selective Inhibitors of Acanthamoeba: Structural Insights into Sterol 14α-Demethylase as a Key Drug Target. J Med Chem 2024; 67:7443-7457. [PMID: 38683753 PMCID: PMC11089504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba are free-living pathogenic protozoa that cause blinding keratitis, disseminated infection, and granulomatous amebic encephalitis, which is generally fatal. The development of efficient and safe drugs is a critical unmet need. Acanthamoeba sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) is an essential enzyme of the sterol biosynthetic pathway. Repurposing antifungal azoles for amoebic infections has been reported, but their inhibitory effects on Acanthamoeba CYP51 enzymatic activity have not been studied. Here, we report catalytic properties, inhibition, and structural characterization of CYP51 from Acanthamoeba castellanii. The enzyme displays a 100-fold substrate preference for obtusifoliol over lanosterol, supporting the plant-like cycloartenol-based pathway in the pathogen. The strongest inhibition was observed with voriconazole (1 h IC50 0.45 μM), VT1598 (0.25 μM), and VT1161 (0.20 μM). The crystal structures of A. castellanii CYP51 with bound VT1161 (2.24 Å) and without an inhibitor (1.95 Å), presented here, can be used in the development of azole-based scaffolds to achieve optimal amoebicidal effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana
Y. Hargrove
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School
of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - David C. Lamb
- Faculty
of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea
University, Swansea SA2 8PP, U.K.
| | - Zdzislaw Wawrzak
- Synchrotron
Research Center, Life Science Collaborative Access Team, Northwestern University, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Marcus Hull
- Faculty
of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea
University, Swansea SA2 8PP, U.K.
| | - Steven L. Kelly
- Faculty
of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea
University, Swansea SA2 8PP, U.K.
| | - F. Peter Guengerich
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School
of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Galina I. Lepesheva
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School
of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute of Chemical Biology, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Center
for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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4
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Ali M, Rice CA, Byrne AW, Paré PE, Beauvais W. Modelling dynamics between free-living amoebae and bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16623. [PMID: 38715450 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) serve as hosts for a variety of endosymbionts, which are microorganisms that reside and multiply within the FLA. Some of these endosymbionts pose a pathogenic threat to humans, animals, or both. The symbiotic relationship with FLA not only offers these microorganisms protection but also enhances their survival outside their hosts and assists in their dispersal across diverse habitats, thereby escalating disease transmission. This review is intended to offer an exhaustive overview of the existing mathematical models that have been applied to understand the dynamics of FLA, especially concerning their interactions with bacteria. An extensive literature review was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases to identify mathematical models that describe the dynamics of interactions between FLA and bacteria, as published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The literature search revealed several FLA-bacteria model systems, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pasteurella multocida, and Legionella spp. Although the published mathematical models account for significant system dynamics such as predator-prey relationships and non-linear growth rates, they generally overlook spatial and temporal heterogeneity in environmental conditions, such as temperature, and population diversity. Future mathematical models will need to incorporate these factors to enhance our understanding of FLA-bacteria dynamics and to provide valuable insights for future risk assessment and disease control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Ali
- Comparative Pathobiology Department, Purdue Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Christopher A Rice
- Comparative Pathobiology Department, Purdue Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery (PIDD), Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D), Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering (RHCE), Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrew W Byrne
- One Health Scientific Support Unit, National Disease Control Centre, Agriculture House, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Philip E Paré
- Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Wendy Beauvais
- Comparative Pathobiology Department, Purdue Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D), Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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5
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Messina M, Tucci D, Mocini S, Marruso V, Crotti S, Said D, Dua HS, Cagini C. Increasing incidence of contact-lens-related Acanthamoeba keratitis in a tertiary ophthalmology department in an Italian population. Eur J Ophthalmol 2024:11206721241242165. [PMID: 38509758 DOI: 10.1177/11206721241242165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to report the increasing incidence of contact-lens related Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in a tertiary ophthalmology department in Umbria, central Italy. METHODS Observational and retrospective case series were carried out. A total of nine eyes with a diagnosis of AK were examined. All patients underwent a full slit lamp examination, in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and corneal scraping. The IVCM was repeated at one and two-week and at one, three and six-month intervals. Samples of domestic tap water were also examined for PCR analysis. Patients were treated with levofloxacin0,5%, Polyhexamethylene biguanide 0.02%, and Propamidine Isetionate0,1%. RESULTS All patients were contact lens wearers. The average patient age was 27.75 (range 18-45), with three men and five women. The main clinical features were ciliary congestion, diffuse epitheliopathy with punctuated keratitis, multiple, small sub-epithelial, greyish, corneal infiltrates with epithelial defect, pseudodendritic corneal lesions, perineural infiltrates, corneal stromal cellularity, and stromal infiltrates. IVCM was indicative of Acanthamoeba in seven out of the nine eyes. All the positive IVCM images were section images showing double walled, bright-spot cysts with a clear chain-like arrangement of five or more cysts identified in three of the patients. PCR analysis of the water was negative in all cases. CONCLUSION Although PCR is the most common method used, the increased incidence of AK could mainly be related to a proper IVCM interpretation. A broad-spectrum antibiotic, such as levofloxacin might play a role in the early treatment of AK reducing the virulence of the amoeba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Messina
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Davide Tucci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Stefano Mocini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Virginia Marruso
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Silvia Crotti
- Diagnostic Laboratory, Sperimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Umbria and Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
| | - Dalia Said
- Department of Ophthalmology, Section of Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Harminder Singh Dua
- Department of Ophthalmology, Section of Academic Ophthalmology, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Carlo Cagini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
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Bahrami S, Avarseji AA, Zarei M, Haji Hajikolaei MR. First Report of Isolation and Characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. from the Milk Used for Calf Feeding. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:609-615. [PMID: 38285086 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-024-00805-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Acanthamoeba spp. can be found in natural and artificial environments, which reflects their high adaptability to different conditions. Based on the available data, there is scarce information about the isolation of amoeba from milk. This study aimed to investigate the probable presence of Acanthamoeba in milk used for calf feeding. METHODS 200 milk samples from 50 industrial and traditional farms were collected. The samples were filtered and cultured on the 1.5% Non-nutrient agar medium. The amoebic growth was examined with an inverted microscope daily. DNA was extracted from the positive plates, and a PCR reaction was undertaken using the primers amplifying the Acanthamoeba 18 S rRNA gene. Five samples were purified and sequenced using specific primers. Maximum likelihood reconstructions were performed using the phylogenetic program MEGA software. The osmo and thermotolerance of isolated trophozoites were examined as well. RESULTS Out of 200 milk samples, Acanthamoeba was isolated from 27 (13.5%). The phylogenetic tree represents that all the isolates belonged to the genotype T4. Results of thermo and osmotolerance tests showed that isolates could develop at 37 and 43 ◦C. Besides, trophozoites survived at 0.5 M mannitol and 1 M. CONCLUSION For the first time, Acanthamoeba spp. were isolated from milk used to feed dairy calves. Due to Acanthamoeba's neglected role in pathogen persistence and survival, hygiene instructions should be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Bahrami
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Amir Ali Avarseji
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Zarei
- Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
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7
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Ferreira MDS, Gonçalves DDS, Mendoza SR, de Oliveira GA, Pontes B, la Noval CRD, Honorato L, Ramos LFC, Nogueira FCS, Domont GB, Casadevall A, Nimrichter L, Peralta JM, Guimaraes AJ. β-1,3-Glucan recognition by Acanthamoeba castellanii as a putative mechanism of amoeba-fungal interactions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0173623. [PMID: 38259076 PMCID: PMC10880599 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01736-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis to characterize potential Acanthamoeba castellanii (Ac) proteins capable of recognizing fungal β-1,3-glucans. Ac specifically anchors curdlan or laminarin, indicating the presence of surface β-1,3-glucan-binding molecules. Using optical tweezers, strong adhesion of laminarin- or curdlan-coated beads to Ac was observed, highlighting their adhesive properties compared to controls (characteristic time τ of 46.9 and 43.9 s, respectively). Furthermore, Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) G217B, possessing a β-1,3-glucan outer layer, showed significant adhesion to Ac compared to a Hc G186 strain with an α-1,3-glucan outer layer (τ of 5.3 s vs τ 83.6 s). The addition of soluble β-1,3-glucan substantially inhibited this adhesion, indicating the involvement of β-1,3-glucan recognition. Biotinylated β-1,3-glucan-binding proteins from Ac exhibited higher binding to Hc G217B, suggesting distinct recognition mechanisms for laminarin and curdlan, akin to macrophages. These observations hinted at the β-1,3-glucan recognition pathway's role in fungal entrance and survival within phagocytes, supported by decreased fungal viability upon laminarin or curdlan addition in both phagocytes. Proteomic analysis identified several Ac proteins capable of binding β-1,3-glucans, including those with lectin/glucanase superfamily domains, carbohydrate-binding domains, and glycosyl transferase and glycosyl hydrolase domains. Notably, some identified proteins were overexpressed upon curdlan/laminarin challenge and also demonstrated high affinity to β-1,3-glucans. These findings underscore the complexity of binding via β-1,3-glucan and suggest the existence of alternative fungal recognition pathways in Ac.IMPORTANCEAcanthamoeba castellanii (Ac) and macrophages both exhibit the remarkable ability to phagocytose various extracellular microorganisms in their respective environments. While substantial knowledge exists on this phenomenon for macrophages, the understanding of Ac's phagocytic mechanisms remains elusive. Recently, our group identified mannose-binding receptors on the surface of Ac that exhibit the capacity to bind/recognize fungi. However, the process was not entirely inhibited by soluble mannose, suggesting the possibility of other interactions. Herein, we describe the mechanism of β-1,3-glucan binding by A. castellanii and its role in fungal phagocytosis and survival within trophozoites, also using macrophages as a model for comparison, as they possess a well-established mechanism involving the Dectin-1 receptor for β-1,3-glucan recognition. These shed light on a potential parallel evolution of pathways involved in the recognition of fungal surface polysaccharides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina da Silva Ferreira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Diego de Souza Gonçalves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Susana Ruiz Mendoza
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Afonso de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno Pontes
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Rodríguez-de la Noval
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leandro Honorato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luis Felipe Costa Ramos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fábio C. S. Nogueira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto B. Domont
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Leonardo Nimrichter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rede Micologia RJ - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jose Mauro Peralta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Allan J. Guimaraes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Imunologia das Micoses, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rede Micologia RJ - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Arberas-Jiménez I, Rodríguez-Expósito RL, Sifaoui I, Chao-Pellicer J, Sancho L, Urruticoechea A, Piñero JE, Lorenzo-Morales J. Influence of salt and temperature in the growth of pathogenic free-living amoebae. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1356452. [PMID: 38426057 PMCID: PMC10902715 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1356452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Free-living amoebae are an extensive group of protistans that can be found in a wide variety of environments. Among them, the Acanthamoeba genus and Naegleria fowleri stand out as two of the most pathogenic amoebae and with a higher number of reported cases. N. fowleri is mainly found in warm freshwater water bodies whereas amoebae of the Acanthamoeba genus are broadly distributed through natural and anthropogenic environments. In this regard, the management and the control of the amoebic populations in swimming pools has become a major public health challenge for institutions. Methods The aim of this work was to evaluate the growth pattern of trophozoites of A. griffini and N. fowleri at different temperatures and salt concentrations. Results and discussion Our results showed that A. griffini resisted a higher concentration of salt than N. fowleri. Moreover, no trophozoites could withstand the salt levels of the sea in in vitro conditions. This work supports the contention that salinity could represent an important and useful tool for the control of the most pathogenic amoebic populations in recreational water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Arberas-Jiménez
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Rubén L. Rodríguez-Expósito
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Ines Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Javier Chao-Pellicer
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Luis Sancho
- CEIT-Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Manuel Lardizabal, Donostia-San Sebastían, Spain
- Universidad de Navarra, Tecnun, Manuel Lardizabal, Donostia-San Sebastían, Spain
| | | | - José E. Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Haapanen S, Barker H, Carta F, Supuran CT, Parkkila S. Novel Drug Screening Assay for Acanthamoeba castellanii and the Anti-Amoebic Effect of Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:152-164. [PMID: 38150360 PMCID: PMC10788897 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii is an amoeba that inhabits soil and water in every part of the world. Acanthamoeba infection of the eye causes keratitis and can lead to a loss of vision. Current treatment options are only moderately effective, have multiple harmful side effects, and are tedious. In our study, we developed a novel drug screening method to define the inhibitory properties of potential new drugs against A. castellanii in vitro. We found that the clinically used carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, acetazolamide, ethoxzolamide, and dorzolamide, have promising antiamoebic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Haapanen
- Faculty
of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere
University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Harlan Barker
- Faculty
of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere
University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab
Ltd, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Fabrizio Carta
- Neurofarba
Department, Sezione di Chimica Farmaceutica e Nutraceutica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 Firenze, Italy
| | - Claudiu T. Supuran
- Neurofarba
Department, Sezione di Chimica Farmaceutica e Nutraceutica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, I-50019 Firenze, Italy
| | - Seppo Parkkila
- Faculty
of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere
University, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab
Ltd, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
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10
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Rayamajhee B, Willcox M, Sharma S, Mooney R, Petsoglou C, Badenoch PR, Sherchan S, Henriquez FL, Carnt N. Zooming in on the intracellular microbiome composition of bacterivorous Acanthamoeba isolates. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae016. [PMID: 38500701 PMCID: PMC10945361 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba in water and soil, is an emerging pathogen causing severe eye infection known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. In its natural environment, Acanthamoeba performs a dual function as an environmental heterotrophic predator and host for a range of microorganisms that resist digestion. Our objective was to characterize the intracellular microorganisms of phylogenetically distinct Acanthamoeba spp. isolated in Australia and India through directly sequencing 16S rRNA amplicons from the amoebae. The presence of intracellular bacteria was further confirmed by in situ hybridization and electron microscopy. Among the 51 isolates assessed, 41% harboured intracellular bacteria which were clustered into four major phyla: Pseudomonadota (previously known as Proteobacteria), Bacteroidota (previously known as Bacteroidetes), Actinomycetota (previously known as Actinobacteria), and Bacillota (previously known as Firmicutes). The linear discriminate analysis effect size analysis identified distinct microbial abundance patterns among the sample types; Pseudomonas species was abundant in Australian corneal isolates (P < 0.007), Enterobacteriales showed higher abundance in Indian corneal isolates (P < 0.017), and Bacteroidota was abundant in Australian water isolates (P < 0.019). The bacterial beta diversity of Acanthamoeba isolates from keratitis patients in India and Australia significantly differed (P < 0.05), while alpha diversity did not vary based on the country of origin or source of isolation (P > 0.05). More diverse intracellular bacteria were identified in water isolates as compared with clinical isolates. Confocal and electron microscopy confirmed the bacterial cells undergoing binary fission within the amoebal host, indicating the presence of viable bacteria. This study sheds light on the possibility of a sympatric lifestyle within Acanthamoeba, thereby emphasizing its crucial role as a bunker and carrier of potential human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mark Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Savitri Sharma
- Jhaveri Microbiology Centre, Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad, 500034, India
| | - Ronnie Mooney
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Blantyre, PA1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | - Constantinos Petsoglou
- Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, South-Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
- Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Paul R Badenoch
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5042, Australia
| | - Samendra Sherchan
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States
| | - Fiona L Henriquez
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Blantyre, PA1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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11
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Rodríguez-Expósito RL, Sifaoui I, Reyes-Batlle M, Fuchs F, Scheid PL, Piñero JE, Sutak R, Lorenzo-Morales J. Induction of Programmed Cell Death in Acanthamoeba culbertsoni by the Repurposed Compound Nitroxoline. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2081. [PMID: 38136200 PMCID: PMC10740438 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12122081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba is a ubiquitous genus of amoebae that can act as opportunistic parasites in both humans and animals, causing a variety of ocular, nervous and dermal pathologies. Despite advances in Acanthamoeba therapy, the management of patients with Acanthamoeba infections remains a challenge for health services. Therefore, there is a need to search for new active substances against Acanthamoebae. In the present study, we evaluated the amoebicidal activity of nitroxoline against the trophozoite and cyst stages of six different strains of Acanthamoeba. The strain A. griffini showed the lowest IC50 value in the trophozoite stage (0.69 ± 0.01 µM), while the strain A. castellanii L-10 showed the lowest IC50 value in the cyst stage (0.11 ± 0.03 µM). In addition, nitroxoline induced in treated trophozoites of A. culbertsoni features compatibles with apoptosis and autophagy pathways, including chromatin condensation, mitochondrial malfunction, oxidative stress, changes in cell permeability and the formation of autophagic vacuoles. Furthermore, proteomic analysis of the effect of nitroxoline on trophozoites revealed that this antibiotic induced the overexpression and the downregulation of proteins involved in the apoptotic process and in metabolic and biosynthesis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén L. Rodríguez-Expósito
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain; (R.L.R.-E.); (I.S.); (M.R.-B.)
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Ines Sifaoui
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain; (R.L.R.-E.); (I.S.); (M.R.-B.)
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - María Reyes-Batlle
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain; (R.L.R.-E.); (I.S.); (M.R.-B.)
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Frieder Fuchs
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University Hospital Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany;
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Central Hospital Koblenz, 56072 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Patrick L. Scheid
- Parasitology Lab., Central Military Hospital Koblenz, 56072 Koblenz, Germany
- Department of Biology, Working Group Parasitology and Infection Biology, University Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - José E. Piñero
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain; (R.L.R.-E.); (I.S.); (M.R.-B.)
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, S/N, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain; (R.L.R.-E.); (I.S.); (M.R.-B.)
- Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
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12
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Rozo-Montoya N, Bedoya-Urrego K, Alzate JF. Monitoring potentially pathogenic protists in sewage sludge using Metataxonomics. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2023; 33:e00210. [PMID: 37808003 PMCID: PMC10558727 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2023.e00210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal parasites continue to pose a significant threat to human health worldwide, particularly among children. Contaminated water and soil serve as major transmission vehicles for these parasites and intestinal protists are among the most prevalent parasites in both developed and developing nations. Traditionally, parasites have been studied using human or animal fecal samples, while studying them in environmental samples has been challenging due to technical limitations. However, advancements in Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatic approaches now enable the detection of parasite DNA in environmental samples. In this study, we applied a metataxonomic and phylogenetic strategy to detect and classify DNA of protists present in sewage sludge from two major cities in Colombia: Medellin and Cali. We successfully detected several human pathogenic parasites including Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Blastocystis sp., among other protists, in all sludge samples examined. We also investigated the entry and exit of parasite DNA from the San Fernando wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). We observed a higher number of parasite DNA sequences in the plant's influent wastewater, but we also detected the discharge of DNA from pathogenic parasites in both effluent waters and biosolids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Rozo-Montoya
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Katherine Bedoya-Urrego
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan F. Alzate
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Grupo Pediaciencias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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13
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Chaúque BJM, Corção G, Benetti AD, Rott MB. A challenge in washing water with the sun: 24h of SODIS fails to inactivate Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts and internalized Pseudomonas aeruginosa under strong real sun conditions. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:2179-2188. [PMID: 37296325 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00440-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite access to drinking water being a basic human right, the availability of safe drinking water remains a privilege that many do not have and as a result, many lives are lost each year due to waterborne diseases associated with the consumption of biologically unsafe water. To face this situation, different low-cost household drinking water treatment technologies (HDWT) have been developed, and among them is solar disinfection (SODIS). Despite the effectiveness of SODIS and the epidemiological gains being consistently documented in the literature, there is a lack of evidence of the effectiveness of the batch-SODIS process against protozoan cysts as well as their internalized bacteria under real sun conditions. This work evaluated the effectiveness of the batch-SODIS process on the viability of Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts, and internalized Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dechlorinated tap water contaminated with 5.6 × 103 cysts/L, contained in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, was exposed for 8 h a day to strong sunlight (531-1083 W/m2 of maximum insolation) for 3 consecutive days. The maximum water temperature inside the reactors ranged from 37 to 50 °C. Cyst viability was assessed by inducing excystment on non-nutrient agar, or in water with heat-inactivated Escherichia coli. After sun exposure for 0, 8, 16 and 24 h, the cysts remained viable and without any perceptible impairment in their ability to excyst. 3 and 5.5 log CFU/mL of P. aeruginosa were detected in water containing untreated and treated cysts, respectively, after 3 days of incubation at 30 °C. The batch-SODIS process is unable to inactivate A. castellanii cysts as well as its internalized bacteria. Although the use of batch SODIS by communities should continue to be encouraged, SODIS-disinfected water should be consumed within 3 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beni Jequicene Mussengue Chaúque
- Laboratory of Protozoology and Microbiological Analyses, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, 2600, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil
- Center of Studies in Science and Technology (NECET), Biology Course, Universidade Rovuma, Niassa Branch, Lichinga, Mozambique
| | - Gertrudes Corção
- Laboratory of Protozoology and Microbiological Analyses, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, 2600, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil
| | | | - Marilise Brittes Rott
- Laboratory of Protozoology and Microbiological Analyses, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, 2600, Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil.
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14
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Moreno-Mesonero L, Soler L, Amorós I, Moreno Y, Ferrús M, Alonso J. Protozoan parasites and free-living amoebae contamination in organic leafy green vegetables and strawberries from Spain. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2023; 32:e00200. [PMID: 37405064 PMCID: PMC10316001 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2023.e00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, the presence of Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia sp., Toxoplasma gondii and Vermamoeba vermiformis was assessed in organic leafy green vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage) and fruits (strawberry), which are usually consumed raw. A total of 110 organic samples were collected in Valencia (Spain). Protozoa were concentrated before detection by immunofluorescence (Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp.) or real-time qPCR (Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., C. cayetanensis, E. histolytica, T. gondii and V. vermiformis). The most abundant protozoa in organic vegetables and berry fruits were Acanthamoeba (65.5%), followed by T. gondii (37.2%), V. vermiformis (17.3%), C. cayetanensis (12.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (6.8%), Blastocystis sp. (1.8%) and Giardia sp. (1.7%). E. histolytica was not found in any of the organic samples. Thus, results showed that consumers can be exposed to protozoan parasites by consuming organic vegetables and berry fruits. This is the first report in Spain describing the presence of the protozoan pathogens Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., C. cayetanensis, T. gondii and V. vermiformis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp. in organic fresh produce. The results of this research will help determine the risk of foodborne protozoan parasites on organic leafy greens and strawberries that are available at local markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Moreno-Mesonero
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Centro Avanzado de Microbiología de Alimentos, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - L. Soler
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - I. Amorós
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Y. Moreno
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - M.A. Ferrús
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Centro Avanzado de Microbiología de Alimentos, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - J.L. Alonso
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
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15
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Baccari O, Barkallah M, Elleuch J, Ben Ayed N, Chtourou A, Karray-Hakim H, Hammami A, Michaud P, Fendri I, Abdelkafi S. Development of a duplex q-PCR for the simultaneous detection of Parachlamydia acanthamoebae and Simkania negevensis in environmental and clinical samples. Anal Biochem 2023; 667:115080. [PMID: 36775111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2023.115080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Parachlamydia acanthamoebae and Simkania negevensis, two Chlamydia-like bacteria, have been recently recognized as emerging human respiratory pathogens. The prevalence and frequency of these bacteria in the environment and among atypical pneumonia patients are still underestimated by classical cultures, immunohistochemistry and serology which are non-specific, long and tedious methods. This study aims to develop a new duplex probe-based q-PCR assay for the simultaneous detection and quantification of P. acanthamoebae and S. negevensis. The selected hydrolysis probes displayed no cross-reaction with the closely related Chlamydia or the other tested waterborne pathogens. The assay achieved a large dynamic range for quantification (from 5 × 106 to 5 DNA copies/reaction). Efficiencies of FAM and JOE label probes weren't affected when they were combined. They were close to 100%, indicating the linear amplification. The application of this diagnostic tool resulted in 9/47 (19%) and 4/47 (8.5%) positive water samples for P. acanthamoebae and S. negevensis, respectively. P. acanthamoebae was also covered from 2/78 (2.5%) respiratory specimens and only one case (1/200 = 0.5%) of P. acanthamoebae and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection was noticed. While S. negevensis wasn't detected in clinical samples, the developed duplex q-PCR was shown to be an accurate, highly sensitive, and robust diagnostic tool for the detection and quantification of P. acanthamoebae and S. negevensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olfa Baccari
- Laboratoire de Génie Enzymatique et Microbiologie, Equipe de Biotechnologie des Algues, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Université de Sfax, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Barkallah
- Laboratoire de Génie Enzymatique et Microbiologie, Equipe de Biotechnologie des Algues, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Université de Sfax, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Jihen Elleuch
- Laboratoire de Génie Enzymatique et Microbiologie, Equipe de Biotechnologie des Algues, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Université de Sfax, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nourelhouda Ben Ayed
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Amel Chtourou
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Héla Karray-Hakim
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Adenene Hammami
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Philippe Michaud
- Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Clermont Auvergne INP, F-63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Imen Fendri
- Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Végétale Appliquée à l'Amélioration des Cultures, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Slim Abdelkafi
- Laboratoire de Génie Enzymatique et Microbiologie, Equipe de Biotechnologie des Algues, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Université de Sfax, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia.
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16
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Siddiqui R, Makhlouf Z, Akbar N, Khamis M, Ibrahim T, Khan AS, Khan NA. Antiamoebic properties of Methyltrioctylammonium chloride based deep eutectic solvents. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2023; 46:101758. [PMID: 36243521 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2022.101758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This aim of this study was to assess anti-parasitic properties of deep eutectic solvents against eye pathogen, Acanthamoeba, often associated with the use of contact lens. METHODS Assays were performed to investigate the effects of various Methyltrioctylammonium chloride-based deep eutectic solvents on Acanthamoeba castellanii, comprising amoebicidal assays, encystment assays, excystment assays, cytotoxicity assays by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release from human cells, and cytopathogenicity assays to determine parasite-mediated host cell death. RESULTS In a 2 h incubation period, DES-B, DES-C, DES-D, and DES-E exhibited up to 85 % amoebicidal activity at micromolar doses, which was enhanced further following 24 h incubation. When tested in encystment assays, selected deep eutectic solvents abolished cyst formation and were able to block excystment of A. castellanii. All solvents exhibited minimal human cell cytotoxicity except DES-D. Finally, all tested deep eutectic solvents inhibited amoeba-mediated cytopathogenicity, except DES-B. CONCLUSIONS Deep eutectic solvents show potent antiamoebic effects. These findings are promising and could lead to the development of novel contact lens disinfectants, as well as opening several avenues to explore the molecular mechanisms, various doses and incubation periods, and use of different bases against Acanthamoeba castellanii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates; Istinye Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Zinb Makhlouf
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noor Akbar
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mustafa Khamis
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Taleb Ibrahim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amir Sada Khan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology, Banuu 28100, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, C
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University, City, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates; Istinye Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey..
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17
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The Status of Molecular Analyses of Isolates of Acanthamoeba Maintained by International Culture Collections. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020295. [PMID: 36838260 PMCID: PMC9961329 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba is among the most ubiquitous protistan groups in nature. Knowledge of the biological diversity of Acanthamoeba comes in part from the use of strains maintained by the major microbial culture collections, ATCC and CCAP. Standard strains are vital to ensure the comparability of research. The diversity of standard strains of Acanthamoeba in the culture collections is reviewed, emphasizing the extent of genotypic studies based on DNA sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal RNA from the nucleus (18S rRNA gene; Rns) or the mitochondria (16S-like rRNA gene; rns). Over 170 different strains have been maintained at some time by culture centers. DNA sequence information is available for more than 70% of these strains. Determination of the genotypic classification of standard strains within the genus indicates that frequencies of types within culture collections only roughly mirror that from clinical or environmental studies, with significant differences in the frequency of some genotypes. Culture collections include the type of isolate from almost all named species of Acanthamoeba, allowing an evaluation of the validity of species designations. Multiple species are found to share the same Sequence Type, while multiple Sequence Types have been identified for different strains that share the same species name. Issues of sequence reliability and the possibility that a small number of standard strains have been mislabeled when studied are also examined, leading to potential problems for comparative analyses. It is important that all species have reliable genotype designations. The culture collections should be encouraged to assist in completing the molecular inventory of standard strains, while workers in the Acanthamoeba research community should endeavor to ensure that strains representative of genotypes that are missing from the culture collection are provided to the culture centers for preservation.
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Decker BK, Forrester LA, Henderson DK. Management of Unique Pneumonias Seen in the Intensive Care Unit. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2022; 36:825-837. [DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Rayamajhee B, Willcox MDP, Henriquez FL, Petsoglou C, Subedi D, Carnt N. Acanthamoeba, an environmental phagocyte enhancing survival and transmission of human pathogens. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:975-990. [PMID: 36109313 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The opportunistic protist Acanthamoeba, which interacts with other microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, shows significant similarity in cellular and functional aspects to human macrophages. Intracellular survival of microbes in this microbivorous amoebal host may be a crucial step for initiation of infection in higher eukaryotic cells. Therefore, Acanthamoeba-microbe adaptations are considered an evolutionary model of macrophage-pathogen interactions. This paper reviews Acanthamoeba as an emerging human pathogen and different ecological interactions between Acanthamoeba and microbes that may serve as environmental training grounds and a genetic melting pot for the evolution, persistence, and transmission of potential human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
| | - Mark D P Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
| | - Fiona L Henriquez
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, G72 0LH, UK
| | - Constantinos Petsoglou
- Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital, Southeastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia; Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
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Rayamajhee B, Sharma S, Willcox M, Henriquez FL, Rajagopal RN, Shrestha GS, Subedi D, Bagga B, Carnt N. Assessment of genotypes, endosymbionts and clinical characteristics of Acanthamoeba recovered from ocular infection. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:757. [PMID: 36175838 PMCID: PMC9520893 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07741-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Acanthamoeba is an emerging pathogen, infamous for its resilience against antiprotozoal compounds, disinfectants and harsh environments. It is known to cause keratitis, a sight-threatening, painful and difficult to treat corneal infection which is often reported among contact lens wearers and patients with ocular trauma. Acanthamoeba comprises over 24 species and currently 23 genotypes (T1-T23) have been identified. Aims This retrospective study was designed to examine the Acanthamoeba species and genotypes recovered from patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), determine the presence of endosymbionts in ocular isolates of Acanthamoeba and review the clinical presentations. Methodology Thirteen culture-confirmed AK patients treated in a tertiary eye care facility in Hyderabad, India from February to October 2020 were included in this study. The clinical manifestations, medications and visual outcomes of all patients were obtained from medical records. The Acanthamoeba isolates were identified by sequencing the ribosomal nuclear subunit (rns) gene. Acanthamoeba isolates were assessed for the presence of bacterial or fungal endosymbionts using molecular assays, PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Results The mean age of the patients was 33 years (SD ± 17.4; 95% CI 22.5 to 43.5 years). Six (46.2%) cases had AK associated risk factors; four patients had ocular trauma and two were contact lens wearers. A. culbertsoni (6/13, 46.2%) was the most common species, followed by A. polyphaga and A. triangularis. Most of the isolates (12/13) belonged to genotype T4 and one was a T12; three sub-clusters T4A, T4B, and T4F were identified within the T4 genotype. There was no significant association between Acanthamoeba types and clinical outcomes. Eight (61.5%) isolates harboured intracellular bacteria and one contained Malassezia restricta. The presence of intracellular microbes was associated with a higher proportion of stromal infiltrates (88.9%, 8/9), epithelial defect (55.6%, 5/9) and hypopyon (55.6%, 5/9) compared to 50% (2/4), 25% (1/4) and 25% (1/4) AK cases without intracellular microbes, respectively. Conclusions Genotype T4 was the predominant isolate in southern India. This is the second report of T12 genotype identified from AK patient in India, which is rarely reported worldwide. The majority of the Acanthamoeba clinical isolates in this study harboured intracellular microbes, which may impact clinical characteristics of AK. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07741-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Savitri Sharma
- Jhaveri Microbiology Centre, Prof. Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Hyderabad, India
| | - Mark Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona L Henriquez
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Paisley, PA1 2BE, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Gauri Shankar Shrestha
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Bhupesh Bagga
- The Cornea Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
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Survival of Campylobacter jejuni 11168H in Acanthamoebae castellanii Provides Mechanistic Insight into Host Pathogen Interactions. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10101894. [PMID: 36296171 PMCID: PMC9612045 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10101894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide but is rarely transferred between human hosts. Although a recognized microaerophile, the majority of C. jejuni are incapable of growing in an aerobic environment. The persistence and transmission of this pathogen outside its warm-blooded avian and mammalian hosts is poorly understood. Acanthamoebae species are predatory protists and form an important ecological niche with several bacterial species. Here, we investigate the interaction of C. jejuni 11168H and Acanthamoebae castellanii at the single-cell level. We observe that a subpopulation of C. jejuni cells can resist killing by A. castellanii, and non-digested bacteria are exocytosed into the environment where they can persist. In addition, we observe that A. castellanii can harbor C. jejuni 11168H even upon encystment. Transcriptome analyses of C. jejuni interactions revealed similar survival mechanisms when infecting both A. castellanii and warm-blooded hosts. In particular, nitrosative stress defense mechanisms and flagellum function are important as confirmed by mutational analyses of C. jejuni 11168H. This study describes a new host–pathogen interaction for C. jejuni and confirms that amoebae are transient hosts for the persistence, adaptability, and potential transmission of C. jejuni.
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Montalbano Di Filippo M, Boni A, Chiani P, Marra M, Carollo M, Cristofari L, Minelli F, Knijn A, Morabito S. Exploring the nature of interaction between shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and free-living amoeba - Acanthamoeba sp. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:926127. [PMID: 36159652 PMCID: PMC9504058 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.926127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in nature, known to cause severe eye infections and central nervous system disorders. There is growing attention to the potential role that these protozoa could act as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and, consequently, to the possibility that, the persistence and spread of the latter may be facilitated, by exploiting internalization into amoebae. Shiga toxin-producing strains of Escherichia coli (STEC) are zoonotic agents capable of causing serious diseases, such as hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Cattle represent the main natural reservoir of STEC, which are frequently found also in other domestic and wild ruminants, often without causing any evident symptoms of disease. The aspects related to the ecology of STEC strains in animal reservoirs and the environment are poorly known, including the persistence of these microorganisms within niches unfavorable to survival, such as soils or waters. In this study we investigated the interaction between STEC strains of serotype O157: H7 with different virulence gene profiles, and a genus of a wild free-living amoeba, Acanthamoeba sp. Our results confirm the ability of STEC strains to survive up to 20 days within a wild Acanthamoeba sp., in a quiescent state persisting in a non-cultivable form, until they reactivate following some stimulus of an unknown nature. Furthermore, our findings show that during their internalization, the E. coli O157 kept the set of the main virulence genes intact, preserving their pathogenetic potential. These observations suggest that the internalization in free-living amoebae may represent a means for STEC to resist in environments with non-permissive growth conditions. Moreover, by staying within the protozoa, STEC could escape their detection in the vehicles of infections and resist to the treatments used for the disinfection of the livestock environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Montalbano Di Filippo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Margherita Montalbano Di Filippo,
| | - Arianna Boni
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Chiani
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Marra
- Core Facilities, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Carollo
- Core Facilities, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucrezia Cristofari
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Minelli
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Arnold Knijn
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Morabito
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Prevalence of free-living amoebae in swimming pools and recreational waters, a systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3033-3050. [PMID: 36040629 PMCID: PMC9424809 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07631-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are cosmopolitan microorganisms known to be pathogenic to humans who often have a history of contact with contaminated water. Swimming pools and recreational waters are among the environments where the greatest human exposure to FLA occurs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of FLA in swimming pools and recreational waters, through a systematic review and meta-analysis that included studies published between 1977 and 2022. A total of 106 studies were included and an overall prevalence of FLA in swimming pools and recreational waters of 44.34% (95% CI = 38.57–50.18) was found. Considering the studies published up to 2010 (1977–2010), between 2010 and 2015, and those published after 2010 (> 2010–2022), the prevalence was 53.09% (95% CI = 43.33–62.73) and 37.07% (95% CI = 28.87–45.66) and 45.40% (95% CI = 35.48–55.51), respectively. The highest prevalence was found in the American continent (63.99%), in Mexico (98.35%), and in indoor hot swimming pools (52.27%). The prevalence varied with the variation of FLA detection methods, morphology (57.21%), PCR (25.78%), and simultaneously morphology and PCR (43.16%). The global prevalence by genera was Vahlkampfia spp. (54.20%), Acanthamoeba spp. (33.47%), Naegleria spp. (30.95%), Hartmannella spp./Vermamoeba spp. (20.73%), Stenamoeba spp. (12.05%), and Vannella spp. (10.75%). There is considerable risk of FLA infection in swimming pools and recreational waters. Recreational water safety needs to be routinely monitored and, in case of risk, locations need to be identified with warning signs and users need to be educated. Swimming pools and artificial recreational water should be properly disinfected. Photolysis of NaOCl or NaCl in water by UV-C radiation is a promising alternative to disinfect swimming pools and artificial recreational waters.
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Martín-Escolano R, Pérez-Cordón G, Arán VJ, Marín C, Sánchez-Moreno M, Rosales MJ. 5-Nitroindazole derivatives as potential therapeutic alternatives against Acanthamoeba castellanii. Acta Trop 2022; 232:106538. [PMID: 35618027 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amoebas of the genus Acanthamoeba are distributed worldwide, including species with a high pathogenic capacity for humans. In a similar way to what occurs with other parasitic protozoa, the available treatments show variable effectiveness in addition to high toxicity, which demands the development of new treatments. Positive results of 5-nitroindazole derivatives against several protozoa parasites suggest that these compounds may be a promising tool for the development of efficient antiparasitic drugs. In the present work we have evaluated the in vitro activity of ten 5-nitroindazole derivatives against Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites and cysts. To that end, AlamarBlue Assay Reagent® was used to determine the activity against trophozoites compared to the reference drug chlorhexidine digluconate. Cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated using Vero cells. The activity on cysts was evaluated by light microscopy and using a Neubauer chamber to quantifying cysts and presence of trophozoites, as an indication of cyst. Our results showed the effectiveness of the 5-nitroindazole derivatives tested against both trophozoites and cysts of A. castellani highlighting 5-nitroindazole derivative 8 which showed a 80% activity on cysts, which is higher than that of the reference drug. Moreover, 5-nitroindazole derivatives 8, 9 and 10 were more effective on trophozoites than the reference drug showing IC50 values lower than 5 µM. Taking together these results, these 5-nitroindazole derivatives specially compound 8, might be a promising alternative for the development of more efficient treatments against A. castellani infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT27NJ, UK.
| | - Gregorio Pérez-Cordón
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Vicente J Arán
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Calle Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - María José Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071, Granada, Spain.
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Bellini NK, Thiemann OH, Reyes-Batlle M, Lorenzo-Morales J, Costa AO. A history of over 40 years of potentially pathogenic free-living amoeba studies in Brazil - a systematic review. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e210373. [PMID: 35792751 PMCID: PMC9252135 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760210373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoeba (FLA) group includes the potentially pathogenic genera Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Balamuthia, Sappinia, and Vermamoeba, causative agents of human infections (encephalitis, keratitis, and disseminated diseases). In Brazil, the first report on pathogenic FLA was published in the 70s and showed meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria spp. FLA studies are emerging, but no literature review is available to investigate this trend in Brazil critically. Thus, the present work aims to integrate and discuss these data. Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched, retrieving studies from 1974 to 2020. The screening process resulted in 178 papers, which were clustered into core and auxiliary classes and sorted into five categories: wet-bench studies, dry-bench studies, clinical reports, environmental identifications, and literature reviews. The papers dating from the last ten years account for 75% (134/178) of the total publications, indicating the FLA topic has gained Brazilian interest. Moreover, 81% (144/178) address Acanthamoeba-related matter, revealing this genus as the most prevalent in all categories. Brazil’s Southeast, South, and Midwest geographic regions accounted for 96% (171/178) of the publications studied in the present work. To the best of our knowledge, this review is the pioneer in summarising the FLA research history in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Karla Bellini
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Otavio Henrique Thiemann
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brasil.,Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Genética e Evolução, São Carlos, SP, Brasil
| | - María Reyes-Batlle
- Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Red de Investigación Cooperativa en Enfermedades Tropicales, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
| | - Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
- Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Departamento de Obstetricia, Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Red de Investigación Cooperativa en Enfermedades Tropicales, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain.,Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red MP de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adriana Oliveira Costa
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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Siddiqui R, Boghossian A, Akbar N, Khan NA. A one health approach versus Acanthamoeba castellanii, a potential host for Morganella morganii. INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SPANISH SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY 2022; 25:781-788. [PMID: 35794501 PMCID: PMC9261161 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00261-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii, known as the “Trojan horse of the microbial world,” is known to host a variety of microorganisms including viruses, yeasts, protists, and bacteria. Acanthamoeba can act as a vector and may aid in the transmission of various bacterial pathogens to potential hosts and are found in a variety of places, thus impacting the health of humans, animals, and the environment. These are interconnected in a system known as “one health.” With the global threat of antibiotic resistance, bacteria may avoid harsh conditions, antibiotics, and disinfectants by sheltering within Acanthamoeba. In this study, Acanthamoeba castellanii interaction with Morganella morganii, a Gram-negative bacterium was studied. Escherichia coli K1 interaction with Acanthamoeba was carried out as a control. Association, invasion, and survival assays were accomplished. Morganella morganii was found to associate, invade, and survive within Acanthamoeba castellanii. Additionally, Escherichia coli K1 was also found to associate, invade, and survive within the Acanthamoeba at a higher number in comparison to Morganella morganii. For the first time, we have shown that Morganella morganii interact, invade, and survive within Acanthamoeba castellanii, suggesting that Acanthamoeba may be a potential vector in the transmission of Morganella morganii to susceptible hosts. Taking a one health approach to tackle and develop disinfectants to target Acanthamoeba is warranted, as the amoebae may be hosting various microbes such as multiple drug-resistant bacteria and even viruses such as the novel coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anania Boghossian
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noor Akbar
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Lamien-Meda A, Köhsler M, Walochnik J. Real-Time PCR for the Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba Genotype T4. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071307. [PMID: 35889026 PMCID: PMC9325200 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are ubiquitous and opportunistic free-living amoebae (FLA) that can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis and other infections in the human host. A quick and efficient diagnosis is often challenging. Our study aimed to establish a qPCR assay to detect and, at the same time, quantify the predominant Acanthamoeba genotype T4. DNA from clinical corneal scrapings and Acanthamoeba reference strains, including genotypes T3, T4, T5, T6, T10, T11, and T12, were used to develop the new T4 assay and it was compared to published protocols and one commercial kit for evaluation. The T4 assay showed no amplification with Acanthamoeba genotypes T3, T5, T6, T10, T11, and T12. The efficiencies ranged from 92.01 to 97.59% (R2 of 0.9768 to 0.9951). The calculated LOD range was 3.63 to 33.27 cells/µL. The protocol published by Qvarnstrom and colleagues was more sensitive compared to the other assays, and an overall good agreement was observed between the new T4 and the Qvarnstrom assays. We successfully developed and validated a genotype T4 assay that could be run in duplex with the Qvarnstrom assay to reliably and simultaneously diagnose Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and other genotypes from clinical samples.
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Siddiqui R, Makhlouf Z, Akbar N, Khamis M, Ibrahim T, Khan AS, Khan NA. Antiamoebic properties of salicylic acid-based deep eutectic solvents for the development of contact lens disinfecting solutions against Acanthamoeba. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 250:111493. [PMID: 35753525 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii is a protist pathogen that can cause sight-threatening keratitis and a fatal infection of the central nervous system, known as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. In this study, effects of five malonic acid and salicylic acid-based deep eutectic solvents (DES) on A. castellanii were investigated. These are salicylic acid-trioctylphosphine (DES 1), salicylic acid- trihexylamine (DES 2), salicylic acid-trioctylamine (DES 3), malonic acid-trioctylphosphine (DES 4) and malonic acid-trihexylamine (DES 5). The experiments were done by performing amoebicidal, encystment, excystment, cytopathogenicity, and cytotoxicity assays. At micromolar dosage, the solvents DES 2 and DES 3 displayed significant amoebicidal effects (P<0.05), inhibited encystment and excystment, undermined the cell-mediated cytopathogenicity of A. castellanii, and also displayed minimal cytotoxicity to human cells. Conversely, the chemical components of these solvents: salicylic acid, trihexylamine, and trioctylamine showed minimal effects when tested individually. These results are very promising and to the best of our knowledge, are reported for the first time on the effects of deep eutectic solvents on amoebae. These results can be applied in the development of new formulations of novel contact lens disinfectants against Acanthamoeba castellanii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Zinb Makhlouf
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noor Akbar
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mustafa Khamis
- College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Taleb Ibrahim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amir Sada Khan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, University, City, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates.
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Dos Santos DL, Virginio VG, Berté FK, Lorenzatto KR, Marinho DR, Kwitko S, Locatelli CI, Freitas EC, Rott MB. Clinical and molecular diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis in contact lens wearers in southern Brazil reveals the presence of an endosymbiont. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1447-1454. [PMID: 35194678 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07474-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is an infection that is mostly observed in contact lens wearers. It is often misdiagnosed causing delays in the administration of the correct treatment. The aim of this study was to report the outcome of clinical and molecular diagnosis of AK cases during the summer of 2019 in the southern region of Brazil. Three suspected cases of AK were discovered after an ophthalmic examination at a public hospital in the city of Porto Alegre. These cases were then confirmed through laboratory diagnosis (cell culture and molecular analysis by PCR and sequencing). In each of the three clinical sample cell cultures of corneal scraping and molecular analysis confirmed the presence of Acanthamoeba spp., all belonging to the morphological group II and to the genotype T4, which is the most common genotype associated with AK. In addition, Acanthamoeba spp. isolated from one of the clinical samples was found to harbor the Candidatus Paracaedibacter acanthamoeba, a bacterial endosymbiont. The presence of Ca. Paracaedibacter acanthamoeba in clinical isolates requires further research to reveal its possible role in the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Leal Dos Santos
- Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Parasitology Sector, Rio Grande Do Sul Federal University, Sarmento Leite Street, N 500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Veridiana Gomes Virginio
- Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Parasitology Sector, Rio Grande Do Sul Federal University, Sarmento Leite Street, N 500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Francisco Kercher Berté
- Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Parasitology Sector, Rio Grande Do Sul Federal University, Sarmento Leite Street, N 500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Karina Rodrigues Lorenzatto
- Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Parasitology Sector, Rio Grande Do Sul Federal University, Sarmento Leite Street, N 500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Diane Ruschel Marinho
- Cornea Department, Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2350, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Sergio Kwitko
- Cornea Department, Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2350, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Claudete Inês Locatelli
- Cornea Department, Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2350, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Eduarda Correa Freitas
- Cornea Department, Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Rio Grande Do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos Street, N 2350, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Marilise Brittes Rott
- Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Parasitology Sector, Rio Grande Do Sul Federal University, Sarmento Leite Street, N 500, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil.
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30
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Nasher F, Wren BW. Transient internalization of Campylobacter jejuni in Amoebae enhances subsequent invasion of human cells. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35175913 PMCID: PMC8941996 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous unicellular eukaryote, Acanthamoeba, is known to play a role in the survival and dissemination of Campylobacter jejuni. C. jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis world-wide and is a major public health problem. The ability of C. jejuni to interact and potentially invade epithelial cells is thought to be key for disease development in humans. We examined C. jejuni grown under standard laboratory conditions, 11168HCBA with that harvested from within Acanthamoeba castellanii (11168HAC/CBA) or Acanthamoeba polyphaga (11168HAP/CBA), and compared their ability to invade different cell lines. C. jejuni harvested from within amoebae had a ~3.7-fold increase in invasiveness into T84 human epithelial cells and a striking ~11-fold increase for re-entry into A. castellanii cells. We also investigated the invasiveness and survivability of six diverse representative C. jejuni strains within Acanthamoeba spp., our results confirm that invasion and survivability is likely host-cell-dependent. Our survival assay data led us to conclude that Acanthamoeba spp. are a transient host for C. jejuni and that survival within amoebae pre-adapts C. jejuni and enhances subsequent cell invasion. This study provides new insight into C. jejuni interactions with amoebae and its increased invasiveness potential in mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauzy Nasher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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31
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Kennedy SM, Deshpande P, Gallagher AG, Horsburgh MJ, Allison HE, Kaye SB, Wellings DA, Williams RL. Amoebicidal Activity of Poly-Epsilon-Lysine Functionalized Hydrogels. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:11. [PMID: 34994769 PMCID: PMC8742527 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.1.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To determine the amoebicidal activity of functionalized poly-epsilon-lysine hydrogels (pɛK+) against Acanthamoeba castellanii. Methods A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts were grown in the presence of pɛK solution (0–2.17 mM), pɛK or pɛK+ hydrogels, or commercial hydrogel contact lens (CL) for 24 hours or 7 days in PBS or Peptone-Yeast-Glucose (PYG) media (nutrient-deplete or nutrient-replete cultures, respectively). Toxicity was determined using propidium iodide and imaged using fluorescence microscopy. Ex vivo porcine corneas were inoculated with A. castellanii trophozoites ± pɛK, pɛK+ hydrogels or commercial hydrogel CL for 7 days. Corneal infection was assessed by periodic acid–Schiff staining and histologic analysis. Regrowth of A. castellanii from hydrogel lenses and corneal discs at 7 days was assessed using microscopy and enumeration. Results The toxicity of pɛK+ hydrogels resulted in the death of 98.52% or 83.31% of the trophozoites at 24 hours or 7 days, respectively. The toxicity of pɛK+ hydrogels resulted in the death of 70.59% or 82.32% of the cysts in PBS at 24 hours or 7 days, respectively. Cysts exposed to pɛK+ hydrogels in PYG medium resulted in 75.37% and 87.14% death at 24 hours and 7 days. Ex vivo corneas infected with trophozoites and incubated with pɛK+ hydrogels showed the absence of A. castellanii in the stroma, with no regrowth from corneas or pɛK+ hydrogel, compared with infected-only corneas and those incubated in presence of commercial hydrogel CL. Conclusions pɛK+ hydrogels demonstrated pronounced amoebicidal and cysticidal activity against A. castellanii. pɛK+ hydrogels have the potential for use as CLs that could minimize the risk of CL-associated Acanthamoeba keratitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephnie M Kennedy
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Pallavi Deshpande
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew G Gallagher
- SpheriTech Ltd, The Heath Business and Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm J Horsburgh
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Heather E Allison
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen B Kaye
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Donald A Wellings
- SpheriTech Ltd, The Heath Business and Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel L Williams
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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32
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Chaúque BJM, Rott MB. The role of free-living amoebae in the persistence of viruses in the era of severe acute respiratory syndrome 2, should we be concerned? Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2022; 55:e0045. [PMID: 35674555 PMCID: PMC9176723 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0045-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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Wang YJ, Chen CH, Chen JW, Lin WC. Commensals Serve as Natural Barriers to Mammalian Cells during Acanthamoeba castellanii Invasion. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0051221. [PMID: 34935418 PMCID: PMC8693914 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00512-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba castellanii is a free-living, pathogenic ameba found in the soil and water. It invades the body through ulcerated skin, the nasal passages, and eyes and can cause blinding keratitis and granulomatous encephalitis. However, the mechanisms underlying the opportunistic pathogenesis of A. castellanii remain unclear. In this study, we observed that commensal bacteria significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of the ameba on mammalian cells. This effect occurred in the presence of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative commensals. Additionally, commensals mitigated the disruption of cell junctions. Ex vivo experiments on mouse eyeballs further showed that the commensals protected the corneal epithelial layer. Together, these findings indicate that A. castellanii is pathogenic to individuals with a dysbiosis of the microbiota at infection sites, further highlighting the role of commensals as a natural barrier during parasite invasion. IMPORTANCE Acanthamoeba castellanii, an opportunistic protozoan widely present in the environment, can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis and encephalitis in humans. However, only a few reports describe how the ameba acts as an opportunistic pathogen. Our study showed that the normal microbiota interfered with the cytotoxicity of Acanthamoeba, persevered during Acanthamoeba invasion, and reduced corneal epithelium peeling in the mouse eyeball model. This suggests that commensals may act as a natural barrier against Acanthamoeba invasion. In future, individuals who suffer from Acanthamoeba keratitis should be examined for microbiota absence or dysbiosis to reduce the incidence of Acanthamoeba infection in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jen Wang
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chest Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsien Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jenn-Wei Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chen Lin
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Boonhok R, Sangkanu S, Chuprom J, Srisuphanunt M, Norouzi R, Siyadatpanah A, Mirzaei F, Mitsuwan W, Wisessombat S, de Lourdes Pereira M, Rahmatullah M, Wilairatana P, Wiart C, Ling LC, Dolma KG, Nissapatorn V. Peganum harmala Extract Has Antiamoebic Activity to Acanthamoeba triangularis Trophozoites and Changes Expression of Autophagy-Related Genes. Pathogens 2021; 10:842. [PMID: 34357992 PMCID: PMC8308471 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Peganum harmala, a well-known medicinal plant, has been used for several therapeutic purposes as it contains numerous pharmacological active compounds. Our study reported an anti-parasitic activity of P. harmala seed extract against Acanthamoeba triangularis. The stress induced by the extract on the surviving trophozoites for Acanthamoeba encystation and vacuolization was examined by microscopy, and transcriptional expression of Acanthamoeba autophagy-related genes was investigated by quantitative PCR. Our results showed that the surviving trophozoites were not transformed into cysts, and the number of trophozoites with enlarged vacuoles were not significantly different from that of untreated control. Molecular analysis data demonstrated that the mRNA expression of tested AcATG genes, i.e., ATG3, ATG8b, and ATG16, was at a basal level along the treatment. However, upregulation of AcATG16 at 24 h post treatment was observed, which may indicate an autophagic activity of this protein in response to the stress. Altogether, these data revealed the anti-Acanthamoeba activity of P. harmala extract and indicated the association of autophagy mRNA expression and cyst formation under the extract stress, representing a promising plant for future drug development. However, further identification of an active compound and a study of autophagy at the protein level are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachasak Boonhok
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (R.B.); (M.S.); (S.W.)
| | - Suthinee Sangkanu
- Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team) and World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (S.S.); (J.C.)
| | - Julalak Chuprom
- Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team) and World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (S.S.); (J.C.)
| | - Mayuna Srisuphanunt
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (R.B.); (M.S.); (S.W.)
| | - Roghayeh Norouzi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran;
| | - Abolghasem Siyadatpanah
- Ferdows School of Paramedical and Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Farzaneh Mirzaei
- Department Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd 14188-15971, Iran;
| | - Watcharapong Mitsuwan
- Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College and Research Center of Excellence in Innovation of Essential Oil, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand;
| | - Sueptrakool Wisessombat
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (R.B.); (M.S.); (S.W.)
| | - Maria de Lourdes Pereira
- CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Mohammed Rahmatullah
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh;
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Christophe Wiart
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Selangor 43500, Malaysia;
| | - Lim Chooi Ling
- Division of Applied Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia;
| | - Karma G. Dolma
- Department of Microbiology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS), Sikkim 737102, India;
| | - Veeranoot Nissapatorn
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (R.B.); (M.S.); (S.W.)
- Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team) and World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; (S.S.); (J.C.)
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