title: In vivo CNS infection model of Acanthamoeba genotype T4: the early stages of infection lack presence of host inflammatory response and are a slow and contact-dependent process.
abstract: This study was developed in order to describe the early morphological events observed during the invasion of two pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba (genotype T4); A. castellanii and A. culbertsoni, at the olfactory meatus and cerebral, pulmonary, renal, hepatic and splenic tissues levels, an in vivo invasion study. Histological and immunohistochemical description of the events at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h postintranasal inoculations of BALB/c mice was performed. A. castellanii showed a higher invasion rate than A. culbertsoni, which was only able to reach lung and brain tissue in the in vivo model. The current study supports previous evidence of lack of inflammatory response during the early stages of infection. Acanthamoeba invasion of the CNS and other organs is a slow and contact-dependent process. The early morphological events during the invasion of amoebae include the penetration of trophozoites into different epithelia: olfactory, respiratory, alveolar space, and renal tubule, which resemble the process of amoebae invasion described in corneal tissue. The data suggest that after reaching the nasal epithelium, trophozoites continued invasion, separating and lifting the most superficial cells, then migrating and penetrating between the cell junctions without causing a cytolytic effect on adjacent cells. These results reaffirm the idea that contact-dependent mechanisms are relevant for amoebae of Acanthamoeba genus regardless of the invasion site.
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico. maritzaomanam@yahoo.com.mx.
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omaña-Molina
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Martinez
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Rocha
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ulises
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cardenas-Lemus
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Citlaltepetl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salinas-Lara
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Adolfo Rene
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mendez-Cruz
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colin-Barenque
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aley-Medina
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Villanueva
authors.affiliation: School of Superiors Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 54090, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno-Fierros
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, 38203, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Morales
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000562:Amebiasis / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000469:parasitology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000469:parasitology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005838:Genotype; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000469:parasitology*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000469:parasitology*; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Acanthamoeba; Early steps of infection; GAE; Immunohistochemistry; Mouse model