Acanthamoeba Cytotoxins

Acanthamoeba Cytotoxins

Page updated 13/8/02

Pathogenic Acanthamoeba secretes substances that kill cells possibly by apoptosis. These substances may be the same as the proteases that are known to be produced by Acanthamoeba. Another possibility is that the toxicity from hydrolases, lysozyme or other enzymes escaping from the phagolysosomes resulting from leaking during membrane recycling (Hohman & Bowers, 1984).

Acanthamoeba apoptosis

Acanthamoeba proteases

Acanthamoeba pathogenesis

References:-

Fritsche, T. R., Sobek, D. & Gautom, R. K. (1998) Enhancement of in vitro cytopathogenicity by Acanthamoeba spp. following acquisition of bacterial endosymbionts. FEMS letters. 166, 231-236.

Hohman, T. C. & Bowers, B. (1984) Hydrolase secretion is a consequence of membrane recycling, J.Cell Biol. 98, 246-252.

Kim, T.-U., Im, K.-I. & Cho, Y.-D. (1989) A biochemical study on the cytolytic substance of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni. Yonsei Rep.Trop.Med. 20, 32-36.

Kim, Y.-K., Kim, T.-U., Joung, I.-S. & Im, K.-I. (1988) A comparative study on hydrolase activities in Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and A. royreba. Korean J. Parasitol. 26, 95-106.

Niszl, I. A., Veale, R. B. & Markus, M. B. (1998) Cytopathogenicity of clinical and environmental Acanthamoeba isolates for two mammalian cell lines. J.Parasitol. 84, 961-967.