Abstract
Free-living amoebas, including Acanthamoeba spp., are widely distributed in soil, water, and air. They are capable of causing granulomatous amebic encephalitis, Acanthamoeba pneumonia, Acanthamoeba keratitis, and disseminated acanthamoebiasis. Despite low occurrence worldwide, the mortality rate of Acanthamoeba spp. infections is very high, especially in immunosuppressed hosts. Acanthamoeba infections are a medical problem, owing to limited improvement in diagnostics and treatment, which is associated with incomplete knowledge of pathophysiology, pathogenesis, and the host immune response against Acanthamoeba spp. infection. The aim of this review is to present the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of Acanthamoeba spp.–host interactions, including the expression of Toll-like receptors, mechanisms of an immune response, the activity of metalloproteinases, the secretion of antioxidant enzymes, and the expression and activity of cyclooxygenases. We show the relationship between Acanthamoeba spp. and the host at the cellular level and host defense reactions that lead to changes in the selected host’s organs.
Highlights
Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebas (FLA) widely distributed in the environment, including soil, water, and air [1]
Łanocha-Arendarczyk et al [93] determined the activity of NT-4 in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp. with regard to the immunological status of animals using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method
Molecular analysis showed that the strong expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in the lungs of the immunocompetent host induced by Acanthamoeba spp. did not correspond to the significant differences in the levels of PGE2 and TXB2
Summary
Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebas (FLA) widely distributed in the environment, including soil, water, and air [1]. Acanthamoeba spp. exist in two distinct forms: an actively feeding and dividing trophozoite (15–45 μm) and a dormant cyst stage (12–25 μm) [8]. Trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba spp. with varying degrees of pathogenicity were found in the water, soil, and air samples. They occur in the rivers, seas, ocean sediments, lakes, ponds, hot springs, water sewage, swimming pools, rainwater, and even in mineral and bottled water [5]. The ubiquity of Acanthamoeba spp. is confirmed by the fact that 80% of the human population has natural IgG antibodies against Acanthamoeba spp. [30]
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