Morphological and Chemical Changes in the Trophozoites and Cysts of Acanthamoeba Castellanii Induced by Camellia Sinensis Extracts

Lenu B. Fakae; Jizhou Zhong; Ka Lung Andrew Chan; Subbareddy Mekapothula; Gareth W.V. Cave; Xing Quan Zhu; Carl W. Stevenson; Hany M. Elsheikha

doi:10.1007/s11686-024-00941-9

Morphological and Chemical Changes in the Trophozoites and Cysts of Acanthamoeba Castellanii Induced by Camellia Sinensis Extracts

Lenu B. Fakae^*, Jizhou Zhong, Ka Lung Andrew Chan, Subbareddy Mekapothula, Gareth W.V. Cave, Xing Quan Zhu, Carl W. Stevenson, Hany M. Elsheikha^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Pharmaceutical Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose: Acanthamoeba castellanii is an important opportunistic human protozoal pathogen that can cause both skin, ocular and brain infections. Recent studies have established that brews and solvent extract (SE) of green tea (Camellia sinensis) can inhibit the growth and encystation of A. castellanii. Here we characterized those growth and encystation inhibitions. Methods: Herein, we characterize of the morphological and chemical changes that occur in the trophozoites and the encysting stage of A. castellanii after exposure to C. sinensis SE and brew using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and fluorescence-based assays. Results: TEM showed ultrastructural changes in both A. castellanii stages. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed modifications of amide I and II band peaks in the C. sinensis-treated trophozoites, suggesting an inhibition of protein synthesis. Assessment of the nucleus integrity of trophozoites exposed to SE and brew revealed disruption of the nuclear membrane integrity, nuclear fragmentation, and chromatin degradation, and reduction in the quantity of DNA and RNA, indicating trophozoite death. These results are consistent with C. sinensis acting as a membrane-active anti-acanthamoebic, exhibiting amoebicidal activity against growing and encysting A. castellanii. This work underlines the importance of characterizing the effect of C. sinensis constituents, individually or in combinations, to clarify which ones are the primary components responsible for its action and the observed alterations in the structure and function of A. castellanii. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that exposure to C. sinensis SE or brew alters the synthesis of protein, DNA, RNA and disrupts the cell wall integrity.

Original language	English
Article number	63
Journal	ACTA PARASITOLOGICA
Volume	70
Issue number	2
Early online date	3 Mar 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-024-00941-9
Publication status	Published - Apr 2025

Keywords

Acanthamoeba castellanii
Camellia sinensis
FTIR microspectroscopy
Nuclear integrity
Nucleic acid

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title = "Morphological and Chemical Changes in the Trophozoites and Cysts of Acanthamoeba Castellanii Induced by Camellia Sinensis Extracts",

abstract = "Purpose: Acanthamoeba castellanii is an important opportunistic human protozoal pathogen that can cause both skin, ocular and brain infections. Recent studies have established that brews and solvent extract (SE) of green tea (Camellia sinensis) can inhibit the growth and encystation of A. castellanii. Here we characterized those growth and encystation inhibitions. Methods: Herein, we characterize of the morphological and chemical changes that occur in the trophozoites and the encysting stage of A. castellanii after exposure to C. sinensis SE and brew using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and fluorescence-based assays. Results: TEM showed ultrastructural changes in both A. castellanii stages. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed modifications of amide I and II band peaks in the C. sinensis-treated trophozoites, suggesting an inhibition of protein synthesis. Assessment of the nucleus integrity of trophozoites exposed to SE and brew revealed disruption of the nuclear membrane integrity, nuclear fragmentation, and chromatin degradation, and reduction in the quantity of DNA and RNA, indicating trophozoite death. These results are consistent with C. sinensis acting as a membrane-active anti-acanthamoebic, exhibiting amoebicidal activity against growing and encysting A. castellanii. This work underlines the importance of characterizing the effect of C. sinensis constituents, individually or in combinations, to clarify which ones are the primary components responsible for its action and the observed alterations in the structure and function of A. castellanii. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that exposure to C. sinensis SE or brew alters the synthesis of protein, DNA, RNA and disrupts the cell wall integrity.",

keywords = "Acanthamoeba castellanii, Camellia sinensis, FTIR microspectroscopy, Nuclear integrity, Nucleic acid",

author = "Fakae, {Lenu B.} and Jizhou Zhong and Chan, {Ka Lung Andrew} and Subbareddy Mekapothula and Cave, {Gareth W.V.} and Zhu, {Xing Quan} and Stevenson, {Carl W.} and Elsheikha, {Hany M.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s11686-024-00941-9",

language = "English",

volume = "70",

journal = "ACTA PARASITOLOGICA",

issn = "1230-2821",

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T1 - Morphological and Chemical Changes in the Trophozoites and Cysts of Acanthamoeba Castellanii Induced by Camellia Sinensis Extracts

AU - Fakae, Lenu B.

AU - Zhong, Jizhou

AU - Chan, Ka Lung Andrew

AU - Mekapothula, Subbareddy

AU - Cave, Gareth W.V.

AU - Zhu, Xing Quan

AU - Stevenson, Carl W.

AU - Elsheikha, Hany M.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - Purpose: Acanthamoeba castellanii is an important opportunistic human protozoal pathogen that can cause both skin, ocular and brain infections. Recent studies have established that brews and solvent extract (SE) of green tea (Camellia sinensis) can inhibit the growth and encystation of A. castellanii. Here we characterized those growth and encystation inhibitions. Methods: Herein, we characterize of the morphological and chemical changes that occur in the trophozoites and the encysting stage of A. castellanii after exposure to C. sinensis SE and brew using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and fluorescence-based assays. Results: TEM showed ultrastructural changes in both A. castellanii stages. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed modifications of amide I and II band peaks in the C. sinensis-treated trophozoites, suggesting an inhibition of protein synthesis. Assessment of the nucleus integrity of trophozoites exposed to SE and brew revealed disruption of the nuclear membrane integrity, nuclear fragmentation, and chromatin degradation, and reduction in the quantity of DNA and RNA, indicating trophozoite death. These results are consistent with C. sinensis acting as a membrane-active anti-acanthamoebic, exhibiting amoebicidal activity against growing and encysting A. castellanii. This work underlines the importance of characterizing the effect of C. sinensis constituents, individually or in combinations, to clarify which ones are the primary components responsible for its action and the observed alterations in the structure and function of A. castellanii. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that exposure to C. sinensis SE or brew alters the synthesis of protein, DNA, RNA and disrupts the cell wall integrity.

AB - Purpose: Acanthamoeba castellanii is an important opportunistic human protozoal pathogen that can cause both skin, ocular and brain infections. Recent studies have established that brews and solvent extract (SE) of green tea (Camellia sinensis) can inhibit the growth and encystation of A. castellanii. Here we characterized those growth and encystation inhibitions. Methods: Herein, we characterize of the morphological and chemical changes that occur in the trophozoites and the encysting stage of A. castellanii after exposure to C. sinensis SE and brew using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and fluorescence-based assays. Results: TEM showed ultrastructural changes in both A. castellanii stages. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed modifications of amide I and II band peaks in the C. sinensis-treated trophozoites, suggesting an inhibition of protein synthesis. Assessment of the nucleus integrity of trophozoites exposed to SE and brew revealed disruption of the nuclear membrane integrity, nuclear fragmentation, and chromatin degradation, and reduction in the quantity of DNA and RNA, indicating trophozoite death. These results are consistent with C. sinensis acting as a membrane-active anti-acanthamoebic, exhibiting amoebicidal activity against growing and encysting A. castellanii. This work underlines the importance of characterizing the effect of C. sinensis constituents, individually or in combinations, to clarify which ones are the primary components responsible for its action and the observed alterations in the structure and function of A. castellanii. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that exposure to C. sinensis SE or brew alters the synthesis of protein, DNA, RNA and disrupts the cell wall integrity.

KW - Acanthamoeba castellanii

KW - Camellia sinensis

KW - FTIR microspectroscopy

KW - Nuclear integrity

KW - Nucleic acid

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DO - 10.1007/s11686-024-00941-9

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AN - SCOPUS:86000041702

SN - 1230-2821

VL - 70

JO - ACTA PARASITOLOGICA

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M1 - 63

ER -

Morphological and Chemical Changes in the Trophozoites and Cysts of Acanthamoeba Castellanii Induced by Camellia Sinensis Extracts

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Keywords

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