title: Morphological Features and In Vitro Cytopathic Effect of Acanthamoeba griffini Trophozoites Isolated from a Clinical Case.
abstract: Light and transmission electron microscopy observations are reported on the structure and in vitro cytopathic effect of Acanthamoeba griffini trophozoites isolated from a clinical case. Live trophozoites were moderately active with a remarkable pleomorphism which changed from ovoid to quite elongated shapes. When moving, amoebae formed cytoplasmic projections such as wide lamellae and acanthopodia of diverse size and thickness which contain a significant amount of actin. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm showed the main organelles found in other free-living amoebae. Coincubation of trophozoites with MDCK cell monolayers resulted in a local damage to target cells after 24 h of interaction, suggesting that the cytopathic effect is contact-dependent. By transmission electron microscopy, amoebae appeared to engulf small portions of the MDCK cells; however, the cells that were not in contact with trophozoites had an unaltered morphology. When epithelial monolayers were incubated with conditioned medium for 24 h, small areas of cell injury were also observed. The phylogenetical analysis as well as the sequencing of the acquired amplified product for the DF3 region of the amoebae isolate confirmed that it belongs to genotype T3, which includes other pathogenic amoebae; besides the activity of two drugs currently used against Acanthamoeba was tested on A. griffini.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, CINVESTAV-IPN, Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Robles
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, CINVESTAV-IPN, Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Lizbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salazar-Villatoro
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Superior Studies, Biology, UNAM, Los Reyes Iztacala, 54090 Tlalnepantla, MEX, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omaña-Molina
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of The Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez SN, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes-Batlle
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of The Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez SN, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Canary Islands, Spain ; Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK.
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martín-Navarro
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of The Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez SN, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, 38203 Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales