Susceptibility of corneas from various animal species to in vitro binding and invasion by Acanthamoeba castellanii [corrected].
Abstract: A crucial requirement for establishing corneal infection by the extracellular protozoal parasite, Acanthamoeba, is the ability of the parasite to bind to the corneal surface. In a series of in vitro studies, we examined the ability of Acanthamoeba castellanii [corrected] to adhere, invade, and damage normal, intact corneas of 11 mammalian and one avian species. A. castellanii [corrected] (80-90% trophozoites and 10-20% cysts) were incubated with corneas for 24 hours in vitro and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results of several independent SEM experiments revealed that parasites not only failed to produce cytopathic effects but did not even bind to the corneal epithelium of mice, rats, cotton rats, horses, guinea pigs, cows, chickens, dogs, and rabbits. However, parasites adhered, invaded, and produced severe damage to human, pig, and Chinese hamster corneas during the 24-hour in vitro incubation period. Additional in vitro experiments quantified the binding of A. castellanii [corrected] to the corneas of selected susceptible and nonsusceptible species. In vitro binding assays revealed scant binding of parasites to mouse, rat, and rabbit (range = 5-20 parasites/7.07 mm2 corneal button). In contrast, extensive binding was observed on Chinese hamster, pig, and human corneas (range = 100-200 parasites/7.07 mm2 button). The results indicate that A. castellanii [corrected] exercises rigid host specificity at the host cell surface.
Publication Date: 1992-01-01 PubMed ID: 1730531
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This study investigates the ability of the parasite Acanthamoeba castellanii to bind to, invade, and damage the corneas of various mammalian and one avian species. The findings indicate that the parasite adheres, invades, & severely damages human, pig, and Chinese hamster corneas, but not corneas of other animal species studied.
Research Approach and Methodology
- The study was conducted to test the susceptibility of corneas from different animal species to binding and invasion by Acanthamoeba castellanii, a type of protozoan parasite.
- The researchers used corneas from 11 types of mammals and one type of bird, and subjected them to an in-vitro environment with the parasite.
- The corneas were incubated with the parasites (80-90% trophozoites and 10-20% cysts) for a period of 24 hours, followed by observation through a scanning electron microscope.
- In addition to these microscopic examinations, binding assays were also performed to further evaluate the number of parasites bound to the corneas of selected susceptible and nonsusceptible species.
Key Findings
- The scanning electron microscopy revealed that except for humans, pigs and Chinese hamsters, the parasites failed to bind, invade or damage the corneas of mice, rats, cotton rats, horses, guinea pigs, cows, dogs, chickens, and rabbits.
- The binding assay also reenforced this finding by showing extensive binding on Chinese hamster, pig, and human corneas (100-200 parasites per 7.07mm2 corneal button) as opposed to scant binding on mouse, rat, and rabbit corneas (5-20 parasites per 7.07mm2 corneal button).
Conclusions and Implications
- The study suggests that Acanthamoeba castellanii, which is known to cause infection in the cornea, exhibits host specificity at the level of the cell surface.
- The results also indicate a potential threat to humans, pigs and Chinese hamsters, which show susceptibility to the parasite. This can be of significance in both healthcare and veterinary science, especially in terms of creating preventative measures and improving treatment protocols.
- Further research could focus on exploring the reasons behind the specificity, which might lead to a deeper understanding of the parasite’s interaction with its host, and potentially give way to the development of specific treatment strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Niederkorn JY, Ubelaker JE, McCulley JP, Stewart GL, Meyer DR, Mellon JA, Silvany RE, He YG, Pidherney M, Martin JH.
(1992).
Susceptibility of corneas from various animal species to in vitro binding and invasion by Acanthamoeba castellanii [corrected].
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 33(1), 104-112.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
MeSH Terms
- Acanthamoeba / physiology
- Acanthamoeba / ultrastructure
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis / parasitology
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis / pathology
- Animals
- Chickens
- Cornea / parasitology
- Cornea / ultrastructure
- Cricetinae
- Disease Susceptibility / parasitology
- Guinea Pigs
- Humans
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred Strains
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
- Rabbits
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred Strains
- Species Specificity
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Ledbetter EC, Capistrano da Silva E, Dong L, McDonough SP. Experimental Induction of Acute Acanthamoeba castellanii Keratitis in Cats. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023 Aug 1;12(8):10.
- Ledbetter EC, Dong L. Susceptibility of the Intact and Traumatized Feline Cornea to In Vitro Binding and Invasion by Acanthamoeba castellanii. Cornea 2023 May 1;42(5):624-629.
- Kang H, Sohn HJ, Park AY, Ham AJ, Lee JH, Oh YH, Chwae YJ, Kim K, Park S, Yang H, Jung SY, Kim JH, Shin HJ. Establishment of an Acanthamoeba keratitis mouse model confirmed by amoebic DNA amplification. Sci Rep 2021 Feb 18;11(1):4183.
- Niederkorn JY. The biology of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Exp Eye Res 2021 Jan;202:108365.
- González-Robles A, Salazar-Villatoro L, Omaña-Molina M, Reyes-Batlle M, Martín-Navarro CM, Lorenzo-Morales J. Morphological Features and In Vitro Cytopathic Effect of Acanthamoeba griffini Trophozoites Isolated from a Clinical Case. J Parasitol Res 2014;2014:256310.
- Rudell JC, Gao J, Sun Y, Sun Y, Chodosh J, Schwab I, Zhao M. Acanthamoeba migration in an electric field. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2013 Jun 21;54(6):4225-33.
- Kobayashi T, Gibbon L, Mito T, Shiraishi A, Uno T, Ohashi Y. Efficacy of commercial soft contact lens disinfectant solutions against Acanthamoeba. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2011 Sep;55(5):547-557.
- Omaña-Molina M, Navarro-García F, González-Robles A, Serrano-Luna Jde J, Campos-Rodríguez R, Martínez-Palomo A, Tsutsumi V, Shibayama M. Induction of morphological and electrophysiological changes in hamster cornea after in vitro interaction with trophozoites of Acanthamoeba spp. Infect Immun 2004 Jun;72(6):3245-51.
- Na BK, Cho JH, Song CY, Kim TS. Degradation of immunoglobulins, protease inhibitors and interleukin-1 by a secretory proteinase of Acanthamoeba castellanii. Korean J Parasitol 2002 Jun;40(2):93-9.
- Hurt M, Apte S, Leher H, Howard K, Niederkorn J, Alizadeh H. Exacerbation of Acanthamoeba keratitis in animals treated with anti-macrophage inflammatory protein 2 or antineutrophil antibodies. Infect Immun 2001 May;69(5):2988-95.
- Walochnik J, Obwaller A, Aspöck H. Correlations between morphological, molecular biological, and physiological characteristics in clinical and nonclinical isolates of Acanthamoeba spp. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000 Oct;66(10):4408-13.
- Sharma S, Garg P, Rao GN. Patient characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of non-contact lens related Acanthamoeba keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol 2000 Oct;84(10):1103-8.
- Niederkorn JY, Alizadeh H, Leher HF, McCulley JP. The immunobiology of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Springer Semin Immunopathol 1999;21(2):147-60.
- Leher H, Silvany R, Alizadeh H, Huang J, Niederkorn JY. Mannose induces the release of cytopathic factors from Acanthamoeba castellanii. Infect Immun 1998 Jan;66(1):5-10.
- Garner A. Pathogenesis of acanthamoebic keratitis: hypothesis based on a histological analysis of 30 cases. Br J Ophthalmol 1993 Jun;77(6):366-70.
- Alizadeh H, Pidherney MS, McCulley JP, Niederkorn JY. Apoptosis as a mechanism of cytolysis of tumor cells by a pathogenic free-living amoeba. Infect Immun 1994 Apr;62(4):1298-303.
- Panjwani N, Zhao Z, Baum J, Pereira M, Zaidi T. Acanthamoebae bind to glycolipids of rabbit corneal epithelium. Infect Immun 1992 Aug;60(8):3460-3.
- Salazar-Ardiles C, Paredes Valencia K, Andrade DC. Amoebas: the omnipotent organism and silent assassin. Mol Biol Rep 2025 Jan 24;52(1):160.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
