The effect of Acanthamoeba on human platelets and erythrocytes has not been fully elucidated. This paper reports that cell-free supernatants prepared from A. castellanii can activate human platelets, causing both a significant increase in the cytosolic free-calcium concentration and platelet aggregation. In addition, we demonstrated that platelet activation depends on the activity of ADP constitutively secreted into the medium by trophozoites. This study also showed that A. castellanii can affect human red blood cells, causing hemolysis, and provided evidence that hemolysis occurs in both contact-dependent and contact-independent ways; there are differences in kinetics, hemolytic activity, and calcium dependency between the contact-dependent and contact-independent mechanisms. Partial characterization of contact-independent hemolysis indicated that ADP does not affect the plasma membrane permeability of erythrocytes and that heat treatment of amoebic cell-free supernatant abolishes its hemolytic activity. These findings suggest that some heat-labile molecules released by A. castellanii trophozoites are involved in this phenomenon. Finally, our data suggest that human platelets and erythrocytes may be potential cell targets during Acanthamoeba infection.
In vitro activity of Acanthamoeba castellanii on human platelets and erythrocytes / Mattana, Antonella; Alberti, L; Delogu, G; Fiori, Pier Luigi; Cappuccinelli, Pietro Antonio. - In: INFECTION AND IMMUNITY. - ISSN 0019-9567. - 77:2(2009), pp. 733-738. [10.1128/IAI.00202-08]
In vitro activity of Acanthamoeba castellanii on human platelets and erythrocytes
MATTANA, Antonella
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;FIORI, Pier LuigiVisualization
;CAPPUCCINELLI, Pietro AntonioVisualization
2009-01-01
Abstract
The effect of Acanthamoeba on human platelets and erythrocytes has not been fully elucidated. This paper reports that cell-free supernatants prepared from A. castellanii can activate human platelets, causing both a significant increase in the cytosolic free-calcium concentration and platelet aggregation. In addition, we demonstrated that platelet activation depends on the activity of ADP constitutively secreted into the medium by trophozoites. This study also showed that A. castellanii can affect human red blood cells, causing hemolysis, and provided evidence that hemolysis occurs in both contact-dependent and contact-independent ways; there are differences in kinetics, hemolytic activity, and calcium dependency between the contact-dependent and contact-independent mechanisms. Partial characterization of contact-independent hemolysis indicated that ADP does not affect the plasma membrane permeability of erythrocytes and that heat treatment of amoebic cell-free supernatant abolishes its hemolytic activity. These findings suggest that some heat-labile molecules released by A. castellanii trophozoites are involved in this phenomenon. Finally, our data suggest that human platelets and erythrocytes may be potential cell targets during Acanthamoeba infection.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.