• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.181-188
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• 2003

A new species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from a freshwater fish in Korea and tentatively named Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 (Korean isolate YM-4). The trophozoites were $11.0-23.0{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$ in length and had hyaline filamentous projections. Cysts were similar to those of A. culbertsoni and A. royreba, which were previously designated as Acanthamoeba group III. Acanthamoeba YM-4 can survive at $40^{\circ}C$, and its generation time was 19.6 hr, which was longer than that of A. culbertsoni. In terms of the in vitro cytotoxicity of lysates, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was weaker than A. culbertsoni, but stronger than A. polyphaga. On the basis of the mortality of experimentally infected mice, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was found to be highly virulent. The isoenzymes profile of Acanthamoeba YM-4 was similar to that of A. royreba. An anti-Acanthamoeba YM-4 monoclonal antibody, McAY7, was found to react only with Acanthamoeba YM-4, and not with A. culbertsoni. Random amplified polymorphic DNA marker analysis and RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA and of 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA, placed Acanthamoeba YM-4 in a separate cluster on the basis of phylogenetic distances. Thus the Acanthamoeba Korean isolate YM-4 was identified as a new species, and assigned as Acanthamoeba sohi.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.15-20
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• 2006

Free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are causative agents of granulomatous amebic encephalitis and amebic keratitis. Because the virulence of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni cultured in the laboratory is restored by consecutive brain passages, we examined the genes induced in mouse brain-passaged A. culbertsoni by differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR). Enhanced A. culbertsoni virulence was observed during the second mouse brain passage, i.e., infected mouse mortality increased from $5\%\;to\;70\%.$ Ten cDNAs induced during mouse brain passage were identified by DDRT-PCR and this was confirmed by northern blot analysis. BlastX searches of these cDNAs indicated the upregulations of genes encoding predictive NADH-dehydrogenase, proteasomal ATPase, and GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase B, which have previously been reported to be associated with A. culbertsoni virulence factors.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.435-438
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• 2018

Acanthamoeba culbertsoni is the causative agent of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), a condition that predominantly occurs in immunocompromised individuals and which is typically fatal. A mannose-binding protein (MBP) among lectins was shown to have strong A. castellanii pathogenic potential when correlated with major virulence proteins. In this study, protective effects were analyzed using the monoclonal antibody to A. culbertsoni MBP by quantification and were also compared with other free-living amoebae. For the amoebial cytotoxicity to the target cell, amoeba trophozoites were incubated with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. For the protective effects of antibodies, amoebae were pre-incubated with them for 4 h and then added to the target cells. After 24 h, the supernatants were collected and examined for host cell cytotoxicity by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The cytotoxicity of A. culbertsoni to the CHO cells showed about 87.4%. When the monoclonal antibody was pre-incubated with A. culbertsoni, the amoebial cytotoxicity was remarkably decreased as shown at LDH release (1.858 absorbance), which was represented with about 49.9%. Taken together, it suggested that the monoclonal antibody against MBP be important to inhibit the cytotoxicity of A. culbertsoni trophozoites to the target cell. The antibody will be applied into an in vivo functional analysis, which would help to develop therapeutics.

• BMB Reports
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.303-306
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• 1998

Serine proteinase cDNA fragment from protozoan parasite Acanthamoeba culbertsoni was amplified by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) using degenerate oligonucleotide primers derived from conserved serine proteinase sequences. The amplified DNA fragment was subcloned and sequenced. The sequence analysis and alignment showed significant sequence similarity to other eukaryotic serine proteinases and conservation of the His, Asp, and Ser residues that form the catalytic triad. The cDNA fragment was cloned into the pGEMEX-1 expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. A resulting fusion protein of 56 kDa had proteolytic activity. The fusion protein reacted with sera of mice immunized with purified serine proteinase of A. culbertsoni in Western blot. Immune recognition of the fusion protein by mouse antisera suggested that the fusion protein may be valuable as a diagnostic reagent.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.95-106
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• 1988

아메바의 cytolytic process가 주로 가수분해 효소 환성과 관계 깊다는 연구들이 70년대 후반부터 병원성 Entamoeba sp.와 Naegleria sp.에서 보고되었지만 Acanthamoeba sp.에서는 가수분해 효소 환성에 관한 연구는 찾아볼 수 없다. 본 연구에서는 병원성이 없는 것으로 알려진 Acanthamoeba royreba를 대조로 하여 병원성이 있는 A. culbertsonl이 가수분해 효소 활성도를 측정하고 이들을 비교하고자 하였다. A. culbertsoni를 마우스에 감염시켰더니 15일내에 마우스 모두가 사망하였으며, 평균 생존기간은 8.5일이었고, 아베바성 수막뇌염으로 사망했음을 알 수 있었다. 반면에 A. royreba를 감염시킨 마우스에서는 수막뇌염이 발생되지 않았다. CGV배지에서 두 종(種) 아메바를 배양하여 아메바 추출물 및 배양액에서 가수분해 효소의 환성을 측정한 결과 A. rcyreba에 비해 A. culbertsoni 세포의 추출물 및 배양액에서 현저히 활성도가 높은 가수분해 효소는 acid phosphatase, p-N-acetyl galactosaminidase, β-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, α-mannosidase, neutral proteinase, acid proteinase였다. 표적 세포인 CHO 세포에 혼합한 A. culbertsoni는 대조군에 비해 강한 세포독성을 나타내었고 CHO 세포와의 혼합후 48시간 후 80%, 72시간후 95% 이상의 CHO 세포가 사멸하는 것을 알 수 있었다. 반면에 A. royreba를 혼합하였을 때는 별다른 세포독성을 나타나지 않았다. CHO 세포에 혼합한 A. tulbgrtsoni이 가수분해 효소 활성도를 경과 시간별로 측정하였던 바 CGV 배지에서 배 양시간이 지남에 따라 아메바내보다 그 배양액에서 더 높은 효소 활성도를 나타내었던 acid phosphatase, β-N·acetyl galactosaminidase, β-N·acetyl glucosaminidase, α-mannosidase, acid proteinase는 혼합 120시간 동안 아메바내에서 더 높은 효소 활성도를 나타내었으며, neutral proteinase의 활성도는 경과시간이 지남에 따라 아메바내에서는 일정하였지만 그 배양액인 EBSS용액내에서는 점점 높아짐을 알 수 있었다. 이상의 성적으로 보아 마우스에서 수막뇌염을 일으키는 A. cuzbertsoni는 비 병원성인 A. reyreba와 비교할 때 여러 종류 가수분해 효소들의 활성도에 현저한 차이를 나타내고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 표적세포인 CHO세포에 대한 A. cuzbertsoni의 세포독성은 강함을 알 수 있었고, 이 때 몇 종류 가수분해 효소들의 환성도도 높게 나타났으며, 이러한 소견이 A. culbertsoni의 병원성과 관련이 있을 것으로 추측되었다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.73-78
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• 1989

병원성이 강한 Acanthamoeba culbertsoni를 마우스에 감염시킨 후 경과된 감염기간에 따른 세포매개성 면역반응과 혈청 내 항체가의 변동을 관찰하였다. [9H]-thymidine을 이용한 마우스 비장세포의 아세포화를 관찰하였는데 사용된 mitogen으로는 concanavalin A(Con A)와 lipopoITsaccharide(LPS)였으며, 항체의 측정을 위하여 효소표식 면역검사법(ELISA)을 시행하였다. T림프구 및 B림프구의 아세포화 정도는 A. culbertsoni 감염 7일 후 증가하는 경향을 보였으며 다른 기간에 서는 대조군에 비해 별다른 차이를 보이지 않았다. 또한 감염된 마우스의 혈청 내 항체가도 감염 7 일 후부터 증가하는 경향을 관찰할 수 있었다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.93-119
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• 2004

Acanthamoeba and Naegleria are widely distributed in fresh water, soil and dust throughout the world, and cause meningoencephalitis or keratoconjunctivitis in humans and other mammals. Korean isolates, namely, Naegleria sp. YM-1 and Acanthamoeba sp. YM-2, YM-3, YM-4, YM-5, YM-6 and YM-7, were collected from sewage, water puddles, a storage reservoir, the gills of a fresh water fish, and by corneal washing. These isolates were categorized into three groups based on the mortalities of infected mice namely, highly virulent (YM-4), moderately virulent (YM-2, YM-5 and YM-7) and nonpathogenic (YM-3). In addition, a new species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from a freshwater fish in Korea and tentatively named Korean isolate YM-4. The morphologic characters of its cysts were similar to those of A. culbertsoni and A. royreba, which were previously designated as Acanthamoeba group III. Based on experimentally infected mouse mortality, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was highly virulent. The isoenzymes profile of Acanthamoeba YM-4 was similar to that of A. royreba. Moreover, an anti-Acanthamoeba YM-4 monoclonal anti-body reacted only with Acanthamoeba YM-4, and not with A. culbertsoni. Random amplified polymorphic DNA marker analysis and RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA and of a 188 small subunit ribosomal RNA, placed Acanthamoeba YM-4 in a separate cluster based on phylogenic distances. Thus Acanthamoeba YM-4 was identified as a new species, and assigned Acanthamoeba sohi. Up to the year 2002 in Korea, two clinical cases were found to be infected with Acanthamoeba spp. These patients died of meningoencephalitis. In addition, one case of Acanthamoeba pneumonia with an immunodeficient status was reported and Acanthamoeba was detected in several cases of chronic relapsing corneal ulcer, chronic conjunctivitis, and keratitis.

• BMB Reports
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.455-461
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• 1996

A serine proteinase was purified from Acanthamoeba culbertsoni by 41~80% ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 108.0 kDa by gel filtration chromatography and 54.0 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Therefore, the purified enzyme seemed to be a dimer. Isoelectric point was 4.5. The enzyme activity was highly inhibited by the serine proteinase inhibitors diisopropyl fluorophosphate (OFP) and phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride (PMSF). It had a narrow pH optimum of 6.5~7.5 with a maximum at pH 7.0. These data suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral serine proteinase. Optimal temperature was $37^{\circ}C$. It was stable for at least 16 h at $4^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, but it was rapidly inactivated at $65^{\circ}C$ The activity of the purified enzyme was not influenced significantly by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$ or $Ca^{2+}$. However, the enzyme activity was highly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ The enzyme degraded type I collagen and fibronectin, but not BSA, hemoglobin, lysozyme, immunoglobulin A or immunoglobulin G.

• 한국동물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물학회 1995년도 한국생물과학협회 학술발표대회
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• pp.288.2-288
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.257-263
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• 1999

Identification of the genes responsible for the recovery of virulence in brain-passaged Acanthamoeba culbertsoni was attempted via mRNA differential display polymerase chain reaction (mRNA DD-PCR) analysis. In order to identify the regulatory changes in transcription of the virulence related genes by the brain passages, mRNA DD-PCR was performed which enabled the display of differentially transcribed mRNAs after the brain passages. Through mRNA DD-PCR analysis. 96 brain-passaged amoeba specific amplicons were observed and were screened to identify the amplicons that failed to amplify in the non-brain-passaged amoeba mRNAs. Out of the 96 brain-passaged amoeba specific amplicons, 12 turned out to be amplified only from the brain-passaged amoeba mRNAs by DNA slot blot hybridization. The clone, A289C, amplified with an arbitrary primer of UBC ＃289 and the oligo dT$_{11}$-C primer, revealed the highest homology (49.8％) to the amino acid sequences of UPD-galactose lipid transferase of Erwinia amylovora, which is known to act as an important virulence factor. The deduced amino acid sequences of an insert DNA in clone A289C were also revealed to be similar to cpsD, which is the essential gene for the expression of type III capsule in group B streptococcus. Upregulated expression of clone A289C was verified by RNA slot blot hybridization. Similar hydrophobicity values were also observed between A289C (at residues 47-66) and the AmsG gene of E. amylovora (at residues 286-305: transmembrane domains). This result suggested that the insert of clone A289C might play the same function as galactosyl transferase controlled by the AmsG gene in E. amylovora.a.