Ultrastructural Study of <i>Acanthamoeba polyphaga</i> Trophozoites and Cysts Treated In Vitro with Cationic Carbosilane Dendrimers
Irene Heredero-Bermejo,
Tania Martín-Pérez,
José Luis Copa-Patiño,
Rafael Gómez,
Francisco Javier de la Mata,
Juan Soliveri,
Jorge Pérez-Serrano
Affiliations
Irene Heredero-Bermejo
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Tania Martín-Pérez
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
José Luis Copa-Patiño
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Rafael Gómez
Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Research Institute on Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain.
Francisco Javier de la Mata
Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Research Institute on Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain.
Juan Soliveri
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Jorge Pérez-Serrano
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
Cationic carbosilane dendrimers are branched molecules with antimicrobial properties. Their activity has been tested against Acanthamoeba polyphaga, a causative agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a severe ocular disease in humans. A. polyphaga trophozoites and cysts were exposed to different noncytotoxic cationic carbosilane dendrimers with proven antiamoebic activity. The effects of treatment on cell surface and cell ultrastructure were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Two of the dendrimers tested induced dramatic alterations of cellular ultrastructure in both trophozoites and cysts, including vacuolization, depletion of cytoplasmic contents, and reduced cell size. Additionally, we observed severe alterations of the plasma membrane with membrane blebbing in trophozoites and disruption in cysts. These alterations were also observed with chlorhexidine, a drug used for treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Our results support that these compounds may target membranes, and their action is critical for parasite integrity.
