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J Med Microbiol 58 (2009), 327-330; DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.006494-0
© 2009 Society for General Microbiology
ISSN 0022-2615

Effect of free versus liposomal-complexed pentamidine isethionate on biological characteristics of Acanthamoeba castellanii in vitro

Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui1,2, Abdul Syed1, Salvador Tomas1, Jose Prieto-Garcia3 and Naveed Ahmed Khan2

1 School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK

2 School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK

3 School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, UK

Correspondence
Naveed Ahmed Khan
Naveed.Khan{at}nottingham.ac.uk

Received September 10, 2008
Accepted October 7, 2008

Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic protozoan pathogen that can cause blinding keratitis and a rare but fatal encephalitis involving the central nervous system with a very poor prognosis. This is due to limited availability of effective anti-acanthamoebic drugs. Here, we tested whether the use of liposomes can improve the potency of pentamidine isethionate, an anti-amoebic compound. The liposomes consisted of L-{alpha}-phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol or ergosterol in a molar ratio of 1 : 5. Pentamidine isethionate was incorporated to achieve a final drug to lipid ratio of 1 : 5. At a drug concentration of 10 µg ml–1, the liposomal drug was >12 times more effective than the free drug at preventing Acanthamoeba binding to human cells and significantly more effective in reducing parasite-mediated human cell cytopathogenicity, compared with the drug alone. Both the free and liposomal drug blocked Acanthamoeba encystation.

Abbreviations: HBMECs, human brain microvascular endothelial cells.






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